VILNIUS, November 15. /TASS/: Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has granted a pardon to Russian citizens Nikolai Filipchenko and Sergei Moiseyenko convicted of espionage for Russia, the presidential press service reported on Friday.
"The pardon was granted in accordance with recommendations issued by the pardon commission and based on the amendments to the [Lithuanian] criminal code adopted by the parliament that enable the head of state to do so," the press service said.
The Lithuanian parliament last week voted to introduce changes to the criminal code that outline the procedure for swapping prisoners convicted for spying with other states.
In 2017, Siauliai District Court sentenced Moiseyenko to 10.5 years behind bars on charges of espionage for Russia. Filipchenko was sentenced to 10 years the same year.
In October, Lithuanian media outlets reported that Vilnius and Moscow had reached an agreement and were preparing a swap of spies. Lithuania was said to release Filipchenko, while Russia would reciprocate by releasing two Lithuanian citizens convicted in 2016. The reports were also suggesting that a Norwegian who is serving his sentence in Russia and another Russian were also included in the deal.
