Russian Diplomats Urgently Visit Butina After Transfer to New US Jail

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Russian diplomats last visited the detained Maria Butina on Thursday. After talking to the woman, they said they would send a diplomatic note to the US State Department, "demanding to stop psychologically pressuring and humiliating our fellow citizen."

Butina was transported to a prison in the US city of Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday. Russian diplomats visited on Saturday Russian citizen Maria Butina, who was jailed in the United States in July and transported to another prison several days ago, the Russian Embassy in the United States said.

“Russian diplomats urgently visited our compatriot in the new prison,” the embassy wrote on its Facebook page. According to the embassy, Butina was transported to the new jail suddenly, handcuffed and without any personal belongings, including towels and hygiene means.

“She spent next 12 hours in a quarantine cell without food, with the light put on and almost without sleeping … She will be held in isolation, in an individual cell,” the embassy said.

The Russian embassy vowed to send a note of protest to the US Department of State over the inhumane treatment of jailed Butina.

“We expect human rights organizations to strongly condemn the US authorities’ actions. It is necessary to put an end to this lawlessness,” the embassy added.

Butina, 29, is a student from Russia, who has recently graduated from American University in Washington DC with a Master’s Degree in International Relations.

She was arrested in Washington DC on July 15 on charges of conspiracy and acting as a foreign agent. Butina, who has denied the accusations, was denied bail and remains in custody. She faces up to 15 years in jail.

Russia has strongly criticized the US government for detaining Butina and characterized the charges against her as "clearly groundless."

READ MORE: Stranger Tries to File Court Motion in Butina Case on Her Behalf