Russian Supreme Court delays deliberation of senator’s issue
ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 18, 2006 Friday 05:45 AM EST
MOSCOW, August 18 — Russia’s Supreme Court on Friday again postponed
deliberation of the issue of whether there were hallmarks of crime in
actions by Federation Council senator from Kalmykia Levon Chakhmachian.
"The Court’s session cannot take place without the presence of
my client, who remains in hospital," Chakhmachian’s lawyer Boris
Kuznetsov told Itar-Tass.
The senator’s condition has worsened. "Due to deteriorating health,
he is likely to be connected to an artificial kidney," Kuznetsov said.
On June 6, the Prosecutor General’s Office asked the Court to give
a qualification of Chakhmachian’s actions which may be covered by
Part 4 of Article 159 of Russia’s Criminal Code /fraud committed by
an organized group or grand fraud/.
Chief accountant of the Association of Russo-Armenian business
cooperation Igor Arushanov and assistant auditor of the Audit Chamber
Armen Oganesyan were detained in Moscow on June 2 on suspicion of
taking a large bribe.
According to investigators, they demanded 1.5 million dollars from
a businessman for taking out negative information from an audit report.
Levon Chakhmachian happened to be in their office when detectives
seized 300,000 of marked dollar bills.
However, as a FC member, he enjoys immunity, so no procedures were
instituted against him. Arushanov and Oganesyan were arrested.
In accordance with the Criminal Code, judges will meet behind closed
doors to consider the Chakhmachian issue.
Chakhmakhchian was elected senator of the Federation Council from
Kalmykia in 2004. He occupied the post of Deputy Chairman of the
Committee for problems of local governments.
On June 23, 2006, the Kalmyk parliament, on a presentation by Speaker
of the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament Sergei
Mironov, voted for early termination of Chakhmachian’s powers.