The Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday the release of a Colombian citizen detained in Moscow on Sundaywhom the Russian authorities accused of participating in a protest against the invasion of Ukraine, and who will be repatriated.
(In context: Colombian was arrested in Russia, supposedly, for protesting: he was fined)
Julián Andrés Molina, 19, was arrested for breaking an administrative law by allegedly participating in a rally against the Russian invasion from Ukraine, according to the Russian authorities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once it became aware of the situation, provided him with the corresponding assistance and the Colombian ambassador to the Russian Federation, Héctor Arenas, contacted the young man and arranged for his release with the authorities, they reported, for their part. the Colombian authorities.
Finally, Molina was released this Monday afternoon, Moscow local time, and the ambassador accompanied him to the airport in the Russian capital to board a flight that will take him back to Colombia.
Molina, who was in Russia for studies, had traveled to Moscow because he had his return trip to the country scheduled for this Monday due to the increase in tensions.
According to the young Colombian, he was arrested after taking a picture of the Bolshoi Theater, when he was on his way back to the subway.
“Two policemen took me from behind and took me to a truck,” where they took his cell phone, suitcase and passport to take him to a police station, he told Caracol Noticias.
The young man insisted that he was not protesting, that he was just a tourist, but he was still arrested.
(In other news: The story of the 11-year-old boy who managed to escape Ukraine alone)
After spending the night at the police station, Molina had to attend a hearing in which he was fined around 10,000 rubles, about $65.
Despite the fine, Molina will be able to return to the country to continue his studies. According to the latest figures from the Government of Colombia, 261 Colombians have already left Ukraine since the Russian invasion began and there are 12 in the process of evacuation, out of a total of 293 Colombians registered in Ukraine, according to figures provided by the Foreign Ministry.
Ten Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador) are working on a joint evacuation plan for their respective nationals from Ukraine, through a consular cooperation mechanism.
EFE
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