Lawyer for Telman Ismailov doubts his return to Russia
MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) - Telman Ismailov, former owner of the closed Cherkizovsky market, who is charged with masterminding two murders, may be in Turkey, his lawyer Marina Rusakova told Interfax.
"He was recently in Turkey. I don't know where he has been in the past two days. If he had known that the investigators intended to bring charges against him, he would definitely have come to Russia," Rusakova said.
"Telman Ismailov is unlikely to return to Russia now, as he will be immediately arrested," she said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Moscow City Court upheld Telman Ismailov's arrest in absentia. According to the decision of the court of first instance, the businessman is to be arrested for two months, will begin the moment he is extradited to Russia or detained there.
Ismailov is charged with masterminding the murder of two or more people and trading in illegal weapons. He is internationally wanted. His lawyer said he does not admit to wrongdoing.