The father of convicted Russian national Maria Butina has told Sputnik that her family will not be able to visit her in a Florida jail because of increased visa difficulties
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st June, 2019) The father of convicted Russian national Maria Butina has told Sputnik that her family will not be able to visit her in a Florida jail because of increased visa difficulties.A US Federal judge sentenced Butina to 18 months in prison in April on a single charge of conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent. She is expected to be released from custody in November.
"There is a slim chance that we will see her [prior to November] because getting a visa takes a lot of time... We hope her ordeal will be over on November 5 and she will be deported in the shortest possible time," Valery Butin said.
He described Maria's psychological condition as "stable" after she was transferred to a Tallahassee prison in May. The 30-year-old was held for prolonged periods in solitary confinement, eventually agreeing to a plea bargain to avoid a lengthy term.
"She feels better now that she can communicate with people � better than during pre-trial detention. She can go outside and enjoy the sun. She did not see the sun for nine months. The food is better too," the father said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has called Butina's sentence a disgrace to the US judicial system and has accused the court of carrying out a political order. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Butina's indictment unjustified because she was not tasked to perform any mission on behalf of the Russian government.
