The Russian Supreme Court has confirmed as legal the extension to 2 May of the holding in custody of Platon Lebedev, head of MFO MENATEP, in the Chita pre-trial detention facility.

As Lebedev’s attorney Vladimir Krasnov reported to Interfax on Wednesday, the court thereby rejected the defence’s application to have the decision of the Chita Regional Court declared unlawful.

Krasnov reported that Lebedev, who took part in the hearing by video-link, said that there were no grounds for extending the period of custodial detention, and if he were released from Chita he would be transferred to Kharp.

The claim by the court of first instance and the investigation team that he might abscond was, in the defence’s view, without foundation.

The Supreme Court declared lawful the holding in custody of P. Lebedev in the pre-trial detention facility until 2 May. On Friday 25 April, however, the Chita Regional Court will announce its decision on whether to further extend Lebedev’s period of custodial detention to 2 August.

(Interfax, 24 April 2008)