Legal team says Russia may seek businessman Polonsky's extradition from Israel
MOSCOW. Aug 13 (Interfax) - The defense team representing Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky, who was put under arrest in absentia on fraud charges on Tuesday, fears that the Russian authorities may ask Israel, where Polonsky is currently residing, to extradite him.
"The consequences could be as follows: first Russia will demand that Polonsky be arrested and then that he be extradited," the businessman's lawyer Diana Tatosova told journalists.
She promised to appeal against the ruling issued by Moscow's Tverskoi Court today.
"The arrest warrant was to be expected. We knew that no other pre-trial restrictions could be chosen," Tatosova said.
On Tuesday, Moscow Tverskoi Court Judge Alexei Krivoruchko ruled in favor of the Russian Interior Ministry's petition that demanded Polonsky's arrest in absentia.
Interior Ministry investigator Oleg Silchenko said at the court session that Polonsky is currently in Israel and has refused to meet with Russian investigators.
Law enforcement agencies in other countries are also looking into Polonsky's activities, he said.
"We have received letters from Interpol. Switzerland is conducting a money laundering inquiry against Polonsky," Silchenko said.