Russia detains an American citizen/ Suspected of assaulting a police officer

2024-08-14 21:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

An American citizen has been detained in Moscow on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, Russia's Investigative Committee said on August 14.

This man was detained on August 12, under charges of "hooliganism", said this Committee.

"The defendant refused to provide information about his identity, and then used violence against a law enforcement official," the investigators said.

The Investigative Committee has not identified the man, but a Telegram channel that monitors Moscow courts has identified him as Joseph Tater, and said he was sentenced to 15 days in prison for hooliganism.

Interfax has identified the man as Joseph Tager, 46, and said he has been detained for hooliganism and assault on a police officer, and that a criminal case may be opened against him.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington that the State Department is aware of reports that another American citizen has been arrested in Russia, and said that "we are working to obtain as much information as possible, and to understand if there is consular access".

Many more Americans are behind prisons in Russia, even after the Aug. 1 prisoner swap that resulted in the release of 16 people from Moscow prisons in exchange for eight Russians held in prisons in the United States and Europe.

One of them is Ksenia Karelina, who has been held in Russia since January and could face up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of treason.

Karelina, an American-Russian citizen, was detained by Russia's Federal Security Service in Yekaterinburg in January, where she traveled to visit family members.

The decision against her is expected to be taken on August 15.

Karelina was initially accused of hooliganism, more precisely for swearing at police officers.

Security agents then searched her phone and discovered that before traveling to Russia, she made a $51 donation to a US-based organization that provides aid in Ukraine.

In the exchange of prisoners on August 1, the United States, Russia, and several European countries were involved.

Among those released are the journalist of Radio Free Europe, Alsu Kurmasheva, the journalist of the American daily, Wall Street Journal, and the former American marine, Paul Whelan./ REL