17 September 2010, 22:50
Warsaw court leaves Ahmed Zakaev at large
Ahmed Zakaev, emissary of Chechen separatists, earlier announced by Russia into international search for terrorist activities, who came to the Polish capital for taking part in the World Congress of Chechen People, can be released. This decision was made today by the Warsaw Regional Court.
Let us remind you that Zakaev was detained by the police today in the morning, when he was taking a car intending to go to the prosecutor's office. As reported by Mariusz Sokolowski, press secretary of the Chief Police Commandant, "according to the international arrest warrant, the police was obliged to detain him and accompany to the prosecutor's office." Zakaev's advocate said that the Warsaw prosecutor's office had decided to ask the court to temporarily arrest Ahmed Zakaev.
After the court session Zakaev told journalists that he could stay in Poland at large till at night of September 18 Moscow time and will speak at the World Chechen Congress, the RIA "Novosti" reports.
Earlier, Monika Levandovska, press secretary of the prosecutor's office, said that a request had been sent to the court asking to apply a 40-day arrest to Zakaev. She noted that the court may also apply to him the so-called liberation preventive measures - police supervision or ban to leave the country, the ITAR-TASS reports.
"In our opinion, the strictest measures should be applied to Zakaev, that is, arrest," said Ms Levandovska. "It is important for us that in this delicate case the extradition procedure took place precisely and in the shortest time." The spokesperson of the Warsaw prosecutor's office has emphasized that this decision was caused by the character of the charges presented to him.
The prosecutor's office has also refuted the information about some agreement allegedly reached with Zakaev's advocate about his voluntary appearance, which could become the reason to cancel detention by the police.
