26 August 2003 00:48
Gusinsky remanded in custody in Greece POSSIBLE EXTRADITION MOVES:
Vladimir Gusinsky, Russia's former top media baron, was remanded in custody yesterday after a brief appearance before an Athens public prosecutor. The prosecutor's office said he would appear before a special appeal court this week, which would be authorised to decide whether he should be extradited to Russia. Mr Gusinsky, who fled Russia in 2000 after a Kremlin crackdown on his media empire, was arrested last week at Athens airport on an international warrant issued by Russia in connection with an alleged Dollars 250m (Euros 229m, Pounds 158m) fraud case. He had been arrested three years ago by Spanish authorities, but the case was dismissed by a Spanish court and Mr Gusinsky's name was struck out from the Interpol fugitive list. His arrest in Greece comes as part of a bilateral agreement between Greece and Russia. However, it was unclear yesterday whether Greek authorities acted on an outstanding warrant dating back to 2000 or had a fresh request from Russian prosecutors to arrest him. Neither the general prosecutor's office in Moscow nor the Russia's branch of Interpol, on whose request Mr Gusinsky was apparently arrested, would comment on the situation. The arrest of Mr Gusinsky seems to have caught the Russian authorities by surprise and it was not clear if Moscow would demand his extradition. The Russian embassy in Athens yesterday declined to comment on the case, as did officials of the Greek ministry of public order. But Greek lawyers said the decision to convene the appeal court as early as this week was unprecedented in extradition cases. It appeared to indicate the Greek government is being pressed by Moscow to settle the case as quickly as possible. Mr Gusinsky's extradition would create controversy and prompt new criticism of the Kremlin's intolerance to free speech. "I don't think (Vladimir) Putin (Russian president) is particularly keen to see Mr Gusinsky extradited," one analyst said. Opinion in Moscow was divided yesterday about whether Mr Gusinsky's arrest was a technical incident caused by Russia's old request and the Greek's overzealous airport security ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games, or whether it had more serious political motivations. Olga Kryshtanovskaya, an expert on Russian oligarchs, said the arrest could be connected with Mr Gusinsky's renewed media interests. Mr Gusinsky had lost his Media Most empire, which included an outspoken NTV television channel, in a battle with the Kremlin in 2000. Since fleeing Russia Mr Gusinsky has funded RTVi, a satellite TV channel which broadcasts for the Russian diaspora in Israel, the US and Europe. In the past few months, there have been talks about broadcasting the content of RTVi in Russia through satellite channels. Andrei Norkin, who heads a company that provides Russian news for RTVi channel, said several Russian regional TV companies expressed strong interest in buying its content.
Putin`s former tormentor held in Athens
Prosecutors prepare tycoon"s extradition
[FTI [The Financial Times]] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
