Russia's Butina Serving Sentence In Florida Prison 'In Good Spirits' - Priest
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published July 15, 2019 | 11:22 PM
Russian citizen Maria Butina, imprisoned in the United States on charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent, is in good spirits and satisfied with the conditions in the Florida prison where she now serves her sentence, Russian Orthodox priest Victor Potapov told Sputnik on Monday
"Maria called me today from the prison in Florida," Potapov said. "She said that she is in good spirits."
On April 26, a US federal judge sentenced Butina to 18 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent in the United States. Butina, who signed the plea deal after being held for prolonged periods in solitary confinement, had requested a sentence of time served.
Potapov noted that he had visited Butina on numerous occasions earlier this year when the US authorities detained her in Alexandria, Virginia.
"The prison in which Maria is serving her sentence now is much more liberal than the one in Virginia.
She seems happy, she said the food is good," Potapov said.
Potapov also said Butina is able to make phone calls from prison, but the allowed calling time is very limited.
"She needs to be very careful about the minutes she spends calling," he said.
Maria said that a couple of friends had come to visit her and an Orthodox priest from Florida is trying to arrange to minister her, Potapov added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has called Butina's sentence a disgrace of the US judicial system and has accused the court of carrying out a political order. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Butina's indictment is unjustified because she was not tasked to perform any mission on behalf of the Russian government.
Butina is eligible for release on October 25, according the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
3 Gawadar attack victims funeral offered
Mbappe says he will leave PSG at end of season
Usmani felicitates Sardar Saleem on taking oath as Punjab Governor
DC for provision of facilities to people in Lasbela
Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
Court grants interim bail to PTI leaders
Ulema, Mashaykh call for political accountability, collaboration for Pakistan's ..
SHRC asks NADRA to issue CNICs to transgender as per law
Flash floods kill 50 in one day in north Afghanistan
CDA chief expresses commitment to promoting modern-day technologies
By wide margin, UN General Assembly votes to back Palestinian bid for membership ..
Musadik slams PTI's political approach as provocative
More Stories From World
-
Endrick in Brazil's Copa America squad but no Neymar
4 hours ago -
Djokovic bottle strike overshadows Rome Open cruise past Moutet
4 hours ago -
Train crash in Argentine capital leaves 30 injured
4 hours ago -
Pandemic agreement talks to continue beyond deadline
4 hours ago -
Chopra falls short in Doha, Bednarek blitzes before Olympics
4 hours ago -
Djokovic struck with bottle from stands after winning Rome opener
4 hours ago
-
England great Anderson's Test career under threat after McCullum talks - report
5 hours ago -
Senegal launches inquiry into Boeing jet runway crash
5 hours ago -
Madagascan leader's former aide jailed in UK for graft
5 hours ago -
Seven killed as bus crashes into river in Russia's St Petersburg
5 hours ago -
Mbappe confirms he will leave PSG at end of season
6 hours ago -
Fresh rains pound Brazil's flood-hit south as evacuations double
6 hours ago