Russia urges Spain to review decision to extradite Russian suspect to U.S
MOSCOW. March 21 (Interfax) - Russia is concerned about the Spanish government's decision to extradite Russian citizen Vadim Polyakov to the U.S. and is urging Madrid to reconsider the decision, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"Madrid's decision to extradite Vadim Polyakov arrested in July 2014 under a U.S. warrant causes our deep concern," Russian Foreign Ministry Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law Commissioner Konstantin Dolgov said in a commentary posted on the ministry website.
"We call on the Spanish side to reconsider its decision and to prevent Polyakov's handover to the U.S., where he could face politicized and biased judicial treatment and the application of physical and psychological pressure against him, which has already happened repeatedly to Russian citizens," Dolgov said.
Russia is once again dealing with the exterritorial application of the U.S. law in relation to a Russian citizen, which "goes against international legal norms," he said.
"Washington is once again ignoring the 1999 bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, which envisions a mechanism of exchange of information on individuals suspected of committing crimes," Dolgov added.
Russia on its part will continue providing Polyakov with "the necessary consular and legal assistance and making sure that his legal rights and interests are observed."
Konstantin Dorokhin, the head of the consular department of the Russian embassy in Madrid, told Interfax on Thursday that Polyakov detained in Spain at the U.S. request would be extradited to the U.S. within the next few days.
"Despite the embassy's and his [Polyakov's] lawyer's efforts, the Spanish Council of Ministers has decided to extradite him. It is expected to happen within the next few days," he said.
This decision is final and cannot be contested, Dorokhin said.
"All legal resources to appeal [the decision] have been exhausted. The Council of Ministers has made a final decision," he said.
Russia has no objections against the observance of legal procedures during the hearings on the case, he said.
"Yes, these are standard procedures applied to any citizen in an analogous situation. The same procedures are applied to individuals detained here under our arrest warrants," Dorokhin said, adding that he did not view the decision as politically motivated.
"Spain didn't consider the issue on its merits but only observed the extradition procedures," he said.
