The Rome Court of Appeals has ruled not to extradite to Ukraine the head of the election campaign of the Batkivschyna United Opposition and the ex-head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Arsen Avakov, reads a report posted on the Ukrainska Pravda Web site.
According to Avakov’s lawyer, Corrado Oliviero, the court turned down
Ukraine’s extradition petition, and now Avakov cannot be handed over to
the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
According to the report, the court sitting under this case took place
on October 18, while the decision was announced on October 24.
It was reported earlier that Avakov had been charged on January 31,
2012, with “abuse of office leading to serious consequences” through
unlawfully expropriating 55 hectares of land near the village of
Pisochyn in Kharkiv region and changing its status. He was also declared
internationally wanted, and the Chervonozavodsky District Court in
Kharkiv granted an investigator’s request on sanctioning his arrest.
Information on Avakov’s detention in Frosinone, Italy, was confirmed
on March 27. After that, the leadership of Batkivschyna sent letters to
the Interpol secretary-general and the Italian government, asking them
to take into consideration “the obvious political motives” behind
Avakov’s criminal prosecution, and to release him.
A Rome court ruled to release Avakov from custody on April 12.
Avakov led Kharkiv Regional State Administration from February 2004 until February 2010.
