Russia allowed Japanese diplomats to meet with a Hokkaido Shimbun reporter 13 days after his arrest

For the first time, Russian authorities granted representatives of the Japanese Embassy consular access to Yuki Imai, a journalist for the Hokkaido Shimbun, who was detained by the FSB on Sakhalin on charges of espionage. The first meeting took place on October 26—just 13 days after the announcement of his arrest and transfer to Moscow.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the detained citizen has not reported any health issues. The ministry once again called on the Russian side to “immediately release the Japanese citizen, show humanity, ensure fair and impartial treatment, and make every effort to protect Japanese citizens.” Previously, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had repeatedly lodged protests with Russia, emphasizing that the delay in granting access to diplomats constitutes a gross violation of international law and the Consular Convention, which stipulates that a meeting must be granted no later than four days after detention.

Source: Agency. News.

A Russian court ruled to keep the 34-year-old journalist in custody until at least December 12. According to the International Federation of Journalists, if convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. The organization called for Imai’s immediate release.

The journalist’s detention is linked to the extradition to Germany of a Russian hacker whom Japan detained in May at Berlin’s request. The hacker was identified as a key member of the international Qilin group, which carried out cyberattacks, particularly against Japanese companies and hospitals, and Russia may propose exchanging him for the journalist.