Russia pardons former Grants Pass man convicted of espionage

The Associated Press

MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin today pardoned an American businessman who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison on espionage charges, clearing the way for him to go home, the Kremlin said.

The Interfax news agency said Edmond Pope of State College, Pa., was released from Lefortovo prison.

Pope graduated from Grants Pass High School and Oregon State University and has family in Grants Pass.

A presidential spokesman told the Associated Press that Putin had pardoned Pope. A U.S. Embassy doctor was expected to check Pope’s health and determine whether he was well enough to fly to the United States.

Pope’s imprisonment and conviction last week on charges of obtaining plans for a top-secret Russian Navy torpedo prompted a diplomatic confrontation between Washington and Moscow. The U.S. government criticized the court that convicted Pope, with observers saying it was heavily biased in favor of the Russian security services.

It was the first time in 40 years that an American had been convicted of espionage in Russia. The case has raised questions about the growing power of the security services in Russia, and fueled fears among foreigners trying to do business there.

Pope had protested his innocence, saying that the plans he purchased were not secret and that the technology had already been sold abroad and published in open sources.

Putin, who is on a visit to Cuba, had indicated last week that he would release Pope on humanitarian grounds. Today was the first day that Putin could pardon Pope under Russian law.

Pope’s wife, Cheri, went to the prison early in the day, along with U.S. Embassy officers.

Jennifer Bennett, a spokesman for the Popes’ Pennsylvania congressman, John Peterson, said earlier today that every effort would be made to get Pope back home as quickly as possible.

She said that if a doctor found that Pope was not well enough to return home immediately, he would be taken to a hospital in Europe.

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