Belarus: Baumgertner extradition possible after compensation paid
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 22 October 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarus: Baumgertner extradition possible after compensation paid, 22 October 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/528b67a014.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
October 22, 2013
By RFE/RL's Belarus Service
Russian businessman Vladislav Baumgertner
MINSK – Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says the chief executive of Russian potash producer Uralkali can be extradited to Russia only after compensation is paid.
Talking to journalists on October 21, Lukashenka said Vladislav Baumgertner, a Russian citizen, can be extradited if Minsk is reimbursed for the damage inflicted on the Belarusian economy by Baumgertner's "illegal activities."
Lukashenka estimated those damages at $100 million.
On October 21, a court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Baumgertner, who has been charged in absentia in Russia with abuse of power.
Russia's Investigative Committee said on October 21 that it would seek Baumgertner's extradition.
In July, Uralkali pulled out of a joint venture with a Belarusian potash firm, causing a row between Russia and Belarus.
Belarus arrested Baumgertner in Minsk in August and charged him with abuse of office.
The charges were later changed to embezzlement.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
