AU URGES DE-ESCALATION AS FIGHTING DISPLACES OVER 180,000 IN SOUTH SUDAN’S JONGLEI STATE. (PHOTO).
Paul Carter and David Barnes have shared a bond since first grade in Huntsville, Alabama, over 60 years ago, but their conversations have changed drastically since Jan. 13, 2022.
Barnes, 68, a father of two, is serving the longest prison sentence of any American currently held in Russia. He was recently transferred to a remote penal colony hundreds of miles from Moscow. His family says Barnes’ arrest came after he traveled from The Woodlands, Texas, to Moscow at the end of 2021 seeking visitation or custody rights for his children through Russia’s family court system. Barnes’ ex-wife, Svetlana Koptyaeva, had taken the boys to Russia following a bitter divorce and custody dispute in Texas and reportedly accused him of abuse once she learned of his arrival. Russian prosecutors tried and convicted Barnes in 2024, sentencing him to more than 21 years, despite Texas law enforcement previously finding the allegations unsubstantiated.
After years in a Moscow detention center, Barnes’ move to the IK-17 penal colony offers slightly better conditions, with more space and limited labor duties. Friends and family maintain his innocence and hope for a prisoner swap similar to those that freed Americans like Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner, or Trevor Reed. Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue against Koptyaeva in Texas for child custody interference after she allegedly fled the country with the children in 2019, despite court orders granting Barnes partial custody. Advocates, including U.S. lawmakers, are pushing for Barnes’ return, while officials emphasize ongoing consular support and the safety of American citizens abroad. Carter remains hopeful but worries about the strain on Barnes if another exchange doesn’t include him.
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