RUSSIA: CHERYL POPE WHOSE HUSBAND HAS BEEN CONVICTED AND PARDONED FOR SPYING AGAINST RUSSIA IS REFUSED MEETING WITH HER HUSBAND

Record ID: 566208

  • Title: RUSSIA: CHERYL POPE WHOSE HUSBAND HAS BEEN CONVICTED AND PARDONED FOR SPYING AGAINST RUSSIA IS REFUSED MEETING WITH HER HUSBAND
  • Date: 9th December 2000
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 08, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. SLV LEFORTOVO PRISON; SLV BARBED WIRE WALLS OUTSIDE OF PRISON (3 SHOTS) 0.23 2. MV CHERYL POPE WALKS TO LEFORTOVO PRISON / CAMERA OUTSIDE OF PRISON / CHERYL POPE ENTERS PRISON (4 SHOTS) 0.52 3. SLV PAVEL ASTAKHOV, EDMOND POPE'S LAWYER, WITH JOURNALISTS 0.57 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PAVEL ASTAKHOV, EDMOND POPE'S LAWYER: "I don't see any reason that he [Pope] (should worry about the) decision and of course he is grateful for it and hopes for a quick decision on the part of the Russian president because he has supreme power and if he decides on a release then nobody can hinder this decision." 1.23 5. SLV PRISON WALL; MV CHERYL POPE LEAVES PRISON, SITS IN AUTOMOBILE/VEHICLE DRIVES AWAY (6 SHOTS) 2.20 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PAVEL ASTAKHOV, EDMOND POPE'S LAWYER: "He knows about the commission's decision and is grateful for it. He hopes that the president will take a quick decision to release him. He was, true, disappointed that he was unable to meet with his wife. But he believes that they will meet in the near time and be reunited. He has become very tired from being apart from his family for eight months. This has very strongly torn him apart mental health and morale because it is very difficult to be in prison. So, now we are saying that he believes the worst is behind him." 3.18 7. SLV PRISON 3.23 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PAVEL ASTAKHOV, EDMOND POPE'S LAWYER: "The best outcome would be for him to be released today. But since the Kremlin has announced that it will take seven days for the law to take legal effect, then we will hope that it will occur immediately after midnight on December 14th." 9. PRISON 3.39 9. SLV PRISON 3.46 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 24th December 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA27JWFGDL9KYRJ9PZWEER4AW3V
  • Story Text: Cheryl Pope, whose husband has been convicted and
    pardoned for spying against Russia, was refused a meeting with
    her husband outside a Moscow prison and her lawyer said that
    they expected a release no sooner than a week.

    A Russian presidential commission recommended President
    Vladimir Putin pardon Edmond Pope.

    Pope, an American businessman and former naval intelligence
    officer, was convicted this week of espionage by a Russian
    judge and sentenced to 20 years of hard labour.

    But the commission can only make recommendations to the
    president, Pope's fate is now in the hands of Vladimir Putin
    and it is not certain when, or if, he will allow Pope to walk
    out of jail.

    Pope's wife, Cheryl Pope, arrived to Moscow's Leforotovo
    jail in hopes that she would see her pardoned husband.

    As she and American embassy workers negotiated with prison
    officials, Pope's lawyers told reporters that they hoped for a
    release right away.

    But Pope didn't walk out and Cheryl Pope was turned away
    without meeting with her husband.

    Pope's lawyer, Pavel Astakhov, said that he was hoping for
    a quick decision but expected a release not earlier than
    within one week.


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