Case of Estonian businessman detained in Russia likely to reach court in February 2017
The pre-trial investigation concerning the case of Estonian businessman Raivo Susi had reached its final stage, and would likely be handed on to a court in February, Susi’s lawyer told daily Postimees.
The Russian internal security service, FSB, has been investigating Susi for months. As the subject of the investigation has been declared a state secret by the Russian authorities, no information is available as to the charges he might face.
“I think this was the last time his arrest was extended as part of the pre-trial investigation. The next time it is done he will already stand before a court,” lawyer Arkadi Tolpegin told Postimees. The court of the Lefortovo region of Moscow on Thursday extended custody for Susi until Feb. 11.
On the same day exactly 12 months will have passed since the arrest of the 52-year-old Estonian businessman at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.
The deadline for completing the investigation is on the same day, and according to Tolpegin, it looks like the FSB is not going to seek an extension of the deadline.
This means that the indictment most likely will be made available to Susi and his lawyer at the beginning of January, which is when they will see for the first time what evidence the FSB has gathered to uphold its espionage suspicion, an offense punishable with imprisonment of 10 to 20 years under Russian law.
Since the investigation concerning Susi has been classified a state secret, neither Susi nor his lawyer know any of the details of the charges. Their only chance to get at least a faint idea of the materials gathered for the indictment are the court sessions to extend the arrest, held every two months, where the FSB must present part of the investigation file.
On Thursday, the judge at the Lefortovo court allowed Susi and his lawyer to read the file, and take notes for almost two hours. Because of the classified status of the material, they had to use a special notebook that had to be deposited with the court at the end of the sitting. The next time they will be able to see the notebook is at the forthcoming trial.
The FSB has refused to reveal what they are accusing Susi of, and also had Susi’s lawyer sign a commitment not to disclose anything about the content of the charges. Tolpegin has only revealed that the acts the FSB is accusing Susi of were allegedly committed between 2004 and 2007.
It is worth noting that the criminal investigation was opened only at the beginning of this year. In all the years in between, Susi had been able to freely enter and leave Russia.
Susi has denied having committed any act of espionage.
Postimees learned in Moscow that the charges may have to do with “equipment” traded by Susi, probably referring to aircraft spare parts. Susi bought and sold disused aircraft and spare parts left in the former Soviet republics after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As far as is known, he did not trade in military aircraft, which might be deemed an illegal activity.
Susi told Postimees through his lawyer in spring that he had a license to service L-29, L-39, Yak-12, Yak-52 and An-2 aircraft. Of these types of aircraft, the Czech-made L-29 and L-39 are jets used in the training of fighter pilots, but are not military aircraft as such.
Postimees also learned that Susi arrived on a flight from Tallinn and was about to fly to Tajikistan on business when the FSB arrested him at Sheremetyevo on Feb. 10 this year.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn
Source: BNS