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Gun activist Maria Butina leaves prison in Tallahassee, Fl and heads to Russia

Russian gun activist Maria Butina, who has spent over a year behind bars in the US, is on a plane heading to Russia.Once on board, Butina took her seat in the economy class in the rear of the aircraft. Shortly after the plane took off, however, the Russian airline crew offered Maria – visibly exhausted by her transfer from Tallahassee to Miami, and then to the airport – a seat in the plane's business class.Butina’s case has become a glaring example of anti-Russian hysteria; she was quickly labeled as a “spy” by American media and wrongfully accused of trading sex for political favors.
Maria came to the US on a student visa in 2016 and was actively involved in pro-gun circles, namely the National Rifle Association (NRA). Her declared goal was to expand gun rights in Russia – where they are restrictive – but she was ultimately detained by the FBI in July 2018, then faced allegations of conspiring to infiltrate the gun lobby group to promote Russian interests in the US.
Following her arrest, she spent nine months in custody, mostly in solitary confinement – a treatment that was described as exceedingly harsh and even amounting to torture – before pleading guilty to acting as a foreign agent without registration. The gun activist was eventually sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Butina was transferred from a federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, to a migrant center in Miami. From there she was brought to board her plane to Moscow, expected in the Russian capital on Saturday morning. The repatriation of Butina is being overseen by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), which did not provide any details on the matter, citing its need to protect “operational security.”
Moscow denied any involvement with Butina and condemned her treatment in US prisons. President Vladimir Putin called her trial and sentence “a travesty of justice.”
“We’re glad that finally, after very long delays, the American justice
Butina had merely become “collateral damage” in the ongoing anti-Russian hysteria and the repeated attempts to find evidence of 'collusion' in President Donald Trump’s actions, independent journalist Martin Summers believes.
“Because they’ve got her caught up in this, they’ve got to think of something she's supposedly done. And she hasn’t done anything that could be classed as spying. We’ve now got to a ridiculous situation when any Russian person who comments on Western politics is accused of being some sort of agent for their own security services,” Summers told RT.
Her father, Valery Butin, told RT that being in prison was hard for Maria, both physically and psychologically, and the first thing she needs to do is rest and recover, .
“Every single day of imprisonment for any person would have been a very severe psychological trauma,” he said.
“Masha is a strong person; she never lost her fortitude even though she was held in solitary confinement for months. Nevertheless there are problems, for sure.”
The time in prison was not only hard for Maria, but for her family as well. Despite receiving the good news, there is still “uneasiness” in their hearts, her father said.
“I didn’t know how we would get through this, but we did it. Our dream is to be together, this is our biggest dream – to meet Masha, hug her, to feel that she is here. To get the whole family back together,” her mother Irina said.
source:RT
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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