Petition filed in Warsaw court for extradition of Russian archaeologist to Ukraine – media
The Polish prosecutor's office has supported Ukraine's request for the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander B. (Butyagin), the RMF 24 internet portal has reported on Friday.
"The extradition request for Alexander B., a Russian archaeologist from the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, has been submitted to the District Court in Warsaw. As RMF FM reporter Krzysztof Zasada has learned, the prosecutor's office, in its position attached to the request, supports Ukraine's demand to extradite the scientist. Archaeologist Alexander B. was detained in the first half of December by the Internal Security Agency on charges of conducting illegal archaeological work in the Russian-occupied Crimea," RMF 24 said.
According to the resource, the court has now received an electronic version of the extradition request. It is expected that the original documents and translations will be submitted to the court tomorrow.
"In addition, together with these materials, the investigators submitted to the court a request to extend the term of the Russian's pre-trial detention," RMF 24 said, noting that the term of pretrial detention expires on Monday. By that date, the court will have to decide whether the measure will be extended. It will then set a date for the extradition hearing.
"It is important that in this case the court will only decide on the legal admissibility of the detainee's extradition to Ukraine. If so, the decision on his extradition to our eastern neighbors will be made by the Minister of Justice. If the court finds his extradition to another country inadmissible, there will be no question of such a decision," the RMF 24 portal said.
