HEAD OF UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA TO PARTICIPATE IN PROCESS OF RELEASE OF RUSSIAN SAILORS ARRESTED IN NIGERIA

MOSCOW, AUGUST 24. ARMINFO.

Head of the Union of Armenians of Russia, UN Good Will Ambassador
Ara Abrahamyan will participate in the process of release of Russian
sailors arrested in Nigeria. According to Gazeta.ru, today Ara
Abrahamyan leaves for Nigeria on a special mission.

According to the source, it is expected that his personal ties and
the previous experience of dealing with African governments will help
achieving release of 11 Russian sailors from custody. The sailors
of African Pride vessel have been kept at an African prison for two
years already charged with contraband. On August 5 the Nigerian court
made a decision that the Russians can be released under pledge and
warranty of the Russian Embassy. The source does not rule out that
the tactics used when releasing the Armenian pilots from the prison
in Equatorial Guinea will be used.

The Armenian pilots working in that country on AH12 plane registered
in Armenia were imprisoned charged with attempted state coup and
espionage. Malabo Court sentenced the crew commander to 24 and
the pilots to 14 years of imprisonment. They were kept in the
prison one year and then were granted amnesty by the president of
that country. Before release of the pilots Ara Abrahamyan visited
Equatorial Guinea. According to some data, he was empowered by
the Armenian Government to undertake some social and economic and
financial commitments to that country. After the commitments were
fulfilled, the Armenian pilots were released. What was the cost of
their released remained unknown, Gazeta.ru writes.