U.S.-born British fund manager and Kremlin critic Bill Browder was arrested in Spain on a Russian Interpol arrest warrant on Wednesday before being released later in the day.
Russia has labeled Browder a national security threat, banned him from the country in 2005 and tried him in absentia for tax evasion in 2013. Russia placed Browder on an Interpol wanted list last fall — its fifth attempt — after Interpol called it a misuse of the system and urged member states to ignore notices on Browder.
Browder tweeted on Wednesday that he was detained by Spanish police in Madrid on a police warrant.
“They won’t tell me which station,” he wrote in a follow-up.
Browder’s efforts have helped the United States and other Western countries, including most recently the United Kingdom, pass legislation intending to punish Russian officials involved in or profiting from human rights abuses.
Later on Wednesday, Browder tweeted that he had been released by Spanish police after the "Interpol General Secretary in Lyon advised them not to honor the new Russian Interpol Red Notice."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
