Thailand criminal court to revise Russia's Bout extradition case

BANGKOK, September 19 (Itar-Tass) -- A criminal court in Bangkok on
Monday will meet for a session to revise the extradition case of Russian
businessman Viktor Bout who is currently on trial in the United States for
alleged arms trafficking. Bout's lawyers will insist that the man's
extradition to the United States in 2010 was made in flagrant violation of
Thailand's laws.
Bout's Thailand lawyer Lak Nitivat Vichan initiated the revision of
his client's case in August 2011. According to the lawyer, representative
from the country's prosecution agencies and the ministry of justice, who
gave out the Russian businessman to the U.S. authorities, must answer a
number of questions. There were no documents sanctioning Bout's
extradition, neither there was a legislative base for that, so the
extradition was illegal, he claims.
Bout was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 6, 2008, at a U.S.
request. The United States was unable to present evidence for a whole year
but kept referring to newspaper articles and conclusions of certain
experts. The Thai court acquitted the businessman and denied his transfer
to the United States in August 2009. The United States demanded to review
the case. The Thai Court of Appeal said on August 20, 2010, that Bout
would be transferred to the United States where he could be sentenced to
life in jail. Bout accused U.S. security services of fabricating his case
and falsely alleging his plans to sell mobile anti-aircraft missile
systems to Colombian insurgents. Four charges have been brought against
him: a criminal conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, conspiracy to kill
persons in the civil service, criminal conspiracy to purchase and sell
antiaircraft missiles and criminal conspiracy to supply weapons to
terrorist groups. The businessman has pleaded not guilty on all the
charges.
In late August, Presiding Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled that Thai
police had violated norms of procedure after Bout's arrest and agents from
the U.S. secret services had exerted pressure on the man to force him to
collaborate. She satisfied Bout's lawyers' request and ruled that the
Attorney's Office could not use in the trial of Bout the statements he
made during his first interrogation in Thailand. The judge noted that Bout
made his statements "in a difficult emotional state" and "under duress" by
agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that were
interrogating Bout after his arrest.
The trial of Viktor Bout is scheduled for October 11 this year. In
convicted, the 44-year-old businessman faces from 25 years in prison to
life imprisonment.