A Moscow court has sentenced U.S. citizen Joseph Tater to 15 days in jail for petty hooliganism following his arrest on Monday.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Tater was detained after allegedly assaulting a police officer and refusing to provide identification.
“The suspect refused to provide his identity documents and then used violence against a law enforcement officer,” the committee said in a statement.
The arrest comes amid ongoing concerns about the status of other Western nationals in Russian custody.
Tater’s arrest follows a high-profile prisoner exchange earlier this month between Russia and several Western nations, which included the release of American journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, along with former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.
Despite these releases, several Western nationals remain in Russian prisons on various charges.
The U.S. State Department is monitoring the situation.
“We’re aware of these reports of another American citizen being arrested in Russia, and we’re working to get as much information as we can, including determining consular access,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said Wednesday. “I don’t have specifics due to privacy concerns, but we are working to obtain as much information as possible.”
Tater’s arrest and subsequent sentencing have sparked renewed attention on U.S. citizens and other Western nationals detained in Russia.
Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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