Russia Plans To Bring Bout and Yaroshenko Home

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Today, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) human rights envoy Konstantin Dolgov stated that Russia is seeking the return of pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko and businessman Viktor Bout, who are in American prisons. Viktor Bout, who owned a cargo shipping business, was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment this April, convicted of plotting against the USA, as he allegedly intended to sell weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Konstantin Yaroshenko was sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly plotting to smuggle cocaine to the USA. Both men plead their innocence. Dolgov found the sentences unfair, politically-motivated, and unwarranted, saying, “Both cases have politically-motivated aspects that we don’t like at all. The trials were conducted in violation of Bout’s and Yaroshenko’s rights, as Russia wasn’t officially briefed on Bout’s extradition from Thailand to the USA and on Yaroshenko’s arrest”.

Dolgov said that top officials are working on the matter, and Russia’s looking for any legal or political opportunity to bring the men home as soon as possible. Bout is set to appeal his verdict. Dolgov thought that the 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons ratified by Russia five years ago could help in this case, and Moscow expects the USA to launch the extradition mechanisms. On 4 July, the Ministry of Justice stated that it would submit an extradition request to return Bout home as soon as it receives a respective appeal from Viktor or his lawyers. Dolgov pointed up that the USA’s responsible for health and life of the two Russians, saying, “Yaroshenko was placed to an isolation block for no reason, where he had to sleep on a concrete floor. He also was denied medical help, even though he has serious health problems”.

A number of Russian appeals helped to improve Yaroshenko’s detention conditions. Bout is now in USP Marion, a medium-security prison in Marion IL, instead of the previously-planned Colorado Supermax (USP Florence ADX). However, the Americans still put him in a special block for especially-dangerous criminals, although his lawyers and the judge claimed that such harsh measures are unnecessary. Dolgov added that both problems would be resolved; that Moscow wants its citizens to receive appropriate treatment to have their rights respected.

5 July 2012

Olga Sobolevskaya

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_07_05/Russia-bring-Bout-Yaroshenko-home/

Could Viktor Bout Be Coming Home Soon?

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Lawyers for Russian businessman Viktor Bout, who received a 25-year prison sentence in the USA, are set to appeal his verdict. The RF Ministry of Justice plans to submit an extradition request in a bid to return Bout home. However, Bout wants to come back home acquitted of all charges and plans to appeal his sentence. If he fails, his defence lawyers plan to file a mercy plea, whilst extradition would be their last option.

Bout’s attorney Viktor Burobin said that the lawyers would be working in three main directions, saying, “Firstly, we’ll appeal his verdict twice, in a higher court and then in the US Supreme Court. We believe that Viktor’s innocent. We’ll file his appeals in accordance with US laws. We’ve also contacted the US Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney and we hope that the US President will pardon Bout on the principle of reciprocity. In 2000, US citizen Edmond Pope was sentenced to 20 years in prison for espionage in Russia. The trial took place on 6 December, but on 14 December, President Vladimir Putin pardoned Pope and allowed him to go back to the US. We want to use this precedent. The final option, which we’ve discussed with the Russian Foreign and Justice Ministries is extradition, which we believe would be the last option. We want to prove Bout’s innocence”.

Earlier, Viktor’s wife Alla said that the US Justice Department stated that Washington was prepared to consider an extradition application if Russia submits one in accordance with the 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. She said, “The Ministry of Justice asked me to prepare a number of documents to begin the extradition process. I understand that it’ll take a long time, and, now, we’re awaiting a response from the US Justice Department”. Bout is now in a medium-security federal prison in Marion IL. According to his wife, “Russian diplomats will soon visit him, but the USA is doing everything it can to hamper the visit. It’s difficult to get to the place, and there’s nowhere to stay. Viktor’s detention conditions leave much to be desired. He’s being held in solitary confinement and is only entitled to make two ten-minute phone calls a week to his family or a lawyer. He also has the right to receive 100 pages of printed materials a month. Maybe, later, Viktor will be allowed to use the prison library”.

On 5 April, Viktor Bout, who had a cargo shipping business, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy for plotting to sell weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Three US agents posing as FARC militants set him up, claiming that they wanted to buy weapons from him had.

29 June 2012

Lada Korotun

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_06_29/79759379/

Russia to Respond to Magnitsky Act

This smells like the same ol’, same ol’… plenty of muck in all the byres, I say…

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RF Gosduma Deputy Aleksei Pushkov, the heads of the Gosduma Committee on Foreign Affairs, declared that if the US Congress approved the so-called Justice for Sergei Magnitsky Act, Russia would respond accordingly. Yesterday, one of the committees of the US House of Representatives approved the draft bill. The Act stipulates visa-issuing and financial sanctions against Russian officials who, in the authors’ opinion, were privy to the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Experts interviewed by VOR believed that both chambers of the US Congress would approve the Act.

On 7 June, the majority of Congressmen in the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs approved the so-called Magnitsky Act. The initiator of this bill is Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) {he’s one of the most virulent and biased members of the Israel Lobby… so this is no surprise, along with being one of the most pro-Corporate and anti-transparency whores out there (he’s no leftist, by any measure): editor}. He’s made a list of people who’re, in his opinion, involved in the death of Magnitsky and responsible for violations associated with his arrest {note well that it ISN’T the fruit of an objective formal investigation… it’s just a pol’s unhinged and unfounded speculations and suspicions: editor}. To recap, Sergei Magnitsky died in a Moscow isolation ward in 2009 whilst under investigation on tax charges. Cardin drew up the Magnitsky Act on the basis of a list of officials’ names. The Act would freeze their assets in US banks and deny them US visas.

According to official procedure, after passing the Committee on Foreign Affairs, two other committees must approve the Act. Then, it goes before the entire House of Representatives for a vote. Then, a similar procedure would occur in the US Senate. Political scientist Yuri Korguniuk said, “Considering that elections for the US Congress are to be held in November, it’s obvious that both parties will use the bill to score political points. I can’t see any obstacles to the Congress accepting this Act. In the election campaign, the Democrats want to demonstrate that they’re not encouraging Russia to violate human rights. Some lobbyists could be against the Act stressing that it’d be better not to aggravate relations with Russia. Anyway, I don’t think anyone will listen to them in the heat of the election campaign.”

In March this year, several US Senators with Republican John McCain at the head, spoke in favour of cancelling the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in exchange for the approval of the Magnitsky Act by Congress. Jackson-Vanik, adopted in the 1970s, introduced restrictions on trade with the USSR, and, later, with Russia. The Obama Administration declared that this doesn’t solve anything, and is now negotiating with Cardin and other Senators. Many US businessmen are against the notorious bill, amongst them the President of the influential National Foreign Trade Council, William Reinsch.

Valery Garbuzov, an expert in American studies, said, “However, when one man’s tragedy is used for political purposes, it’s unlikely that the Congress will listen to reason. Obama’s promoting a ‘reset’ of relations, but the Congress has a strong influence on US domestic and foreign policy. Dozens of congressmen have Russophobic views, and they won’t change them in the near future. We should consider this as reality. Actually, one could predict such a response from the USA”.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that it could consider the approval of the Magnitsky Act by the US Congress as interference in Russia’s internal affairs. For example, Deputy Pushkov said that Russia could take equivalent measures, such as make lists of Americans who violate the rights of Russian citizens, and refuse them Russian visas {this is a not-so-veiled reference to Viktor Bout and others illegally nicked by the Americans outside of the USA: editor}. At the same time, experts pointed up that it’s too early to forecast the aggravation of Russian-American relations if the Congress approves the Magnitsky Act. Political experts noted that Russia and the USA have common interests on a whole range of topics, such as the preservation of the strategic armaments balance, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and providing global security.

8 June 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_06_08/77530131/

Editor’s Note:

Magnitsky was involved with a Langley-affiliated front, “Hermitage Capital Management”. In short, he was a Langley asset in all but name (much like Potapov, when he was at the BBG). That is, America believes that it has the right to place its agents in any country, and that it has the right to interfere in those countries, as it wills. Most states take umbrage at that, quite properly. Could you imagine the brouhaha if the Russian Ambassador to the USA did a tenth of what the USA attempts to pull in Russia? Why, there’d be pandemonium in Congress. If we wouldn’t like it if it were done to us, we shouldn’t be doing it to others, full stop.

Very conveniently, Hermitage Capitol has an incorporation in Guernsey and the Cayman Islands, which means that it’s immune from US government oversight. It sees one of its main functions as exposing political/corporate corruption in Russia. Hell, they don’t have to go that far… just dig around in the District; you’d find beaucoup instances of corporate/political fraud. They’d come up with more corruption on one block of K Street than they’d ever find in the entire Kremlin. Oh, I forgot… all the pols are on K Street’s payroll, so, the lobbyists have a “Get Out of Jail Free” card signed by Cardin and Darrell Issa… bipartisan from both houses, dontcha know! Judged by the standards of the District, the Russian government are a bunch of pikers compared to the US Congress (Mark Twain had a thing or two to say on that score) when it comes to featherbedding, corruption, earmarking, and general raking in of the boodle.

In short, this is typical DC Sturm und Drang… it’s the usual hypocritical posturing and bloviating. Let’s see… how many Congressmen AREN’T millionaires? There’s not many of those, are there? Cardin had best keep his mouth zipped or his manifest ties to Corporate America might become better known. He certainly DOES know corruption (could one say from the inside?)…

BMD

Appendix:

Mark Twain had something to say about the US Congress:

It’s defended official criminals, on party pretexts, until it’s created a US Senate whose members are incapable of determining what crime against law and the dignity of their own body is… they’re so morally blind… and it’s made light of dishonesty till we have, as a result, a Congress which contracts to work for a certain sum and then deliberately steals additional wages out of the public pocket and is pained and surprised that anybody should worry about a little thing like that.

He also said:

Who’re the oppressors? The few… the King, the capitalist, and a handful of other overseers and superintendents. Who’re the oppressed? The many… the nations of the earth; the valuable personages; the workers; they that make the bread that the soft-handed and idle eat.

There… Mark Twain’s verdict on the Benjamin Cardins and John McCains of this world (along with their corporate paymasters)… it’s none too flattering, is it? America dares to “judge” the world… and does worse in its own precincts. They need to muck out their own byre before passing judgement on others. I seem to smell it from here… pass me the jug…

BMD

An Exchange for Bout in the Works?

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An exchange may be in the works for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, convicted in an American court, for former FSB Colonel Valery Mikhailov, sentenced in Russia to 18 years in prison for cooperating with the CIA. Today, Moscow is insisting on the return of two Russians serving sentences in US prisons, Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko. Its Mikhailov’s only chance for freedom, for his sentence is for high treason. Exchanges of prisoners between Russia and the USA isn’t uncommon, it’s often of mutual benefit to both governments. Most commonly, the sides exchange spies. The last open example of this was in 2010, when the USA expelled ten “exposed” GRU agents to Russia in return for four Russian citizens serving prison sentences for treason and spying for the United States. Moreover, at the time, the US State Department called the 10/4 exchange “an equivalent swap”, and “a benefit to American national interests”.

Lawyer Vladimir Yurasov said, “Now, it’s in the hands of the two sides. In terms of present theory and practise, an American spy sentenced under the RF Criminal Code must serve their sentence in the usual manner, but they could be exchanged for Bout on the basis of agreements at the highest diplomatic level; the two governments could handle the situation in that way. It’s extralegal; it’s a question of a political nature. If the leaders of both countries decide to do so, it’ll be a completely legitimate exchange”.

Today, Moscow seeks the release of at least two Russians serving sentences in American prisons… Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko. The Americans abducted Viktor Bout in Thailand and an American court sentenced him to 25 years in prison for trying to sell weapons to the Colombian leftist group FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). In addition, a US court sentenced pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to smuggle five tons of cocaine. Both pleaded not guilty, and Russian diplomats are in talks with their American counterparts to bring both Bout and Yaroshenko home.

Not long ago, US Attorney General Eric Holder made it clear that there can be a positive outcome for all of this. However, obviously, it’s not possible yet. It’s not prudent for the Obama administration to bring up any espionage-related theme right before the American election. Apparently, Mikhailov hoped that the CIA didn’t forget his achievements, and that they’d rescue him from a Russian prison. On Tuesday, the Moscow District Military Court sentenced Mikhailov to 18 years in prison for passing top-secret information to the CIA from 2001 to 2007. He passed them classified documents meant for President Putin and other high officials. Mikhailov pleaded guilty; he agreed with the verdict. Now, he has a chance to gain freedom in an exchange. However, would Bout agree to take part in such a course of events?

Law professor Janis Yuksha said, “After all, most people would assume that would mean that Bout was guilty, and that the action of the American court was legitimate. In this case, an exchange of a Russian citizen, who hasn’t, we argue, committed any offenses against the American government and, therefore, in principle, the Americans had no right to try him in the USA, for a former FSB officer who’s simply a traitor… it’s difficult to say that this is the right step”. In the meantime, the Americans suddenly transferred Bout from the Supermax, USP Florence ADMAX, to an ordinary federal prison, USP Marion. Neither Bout himself nor his lawyer nor family received any warning of his place of detention. Moreover, US federal authorities usually transport prisoners only on Tuesdays, but in this case, the movement occurred on Wednesday. Why this was is a mystery; we can only guess at the reason.

7 June 2012

Natalia Kovalenko

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2012_06_07/77352131/

Editor’s Note:

Not to put a fine face on it, the US abduction of Bout in Thailand was illegal and without warrant. Its proof, yet again, that the USA is the main rogue state in the world. US law does NOT extend over the entire globe. Shit such as this is pushing Russia and China into a tight alliance to protect themselves against American barbarity, violence, and lies… there was a reason for 9/11, and Americans refuse to see that their own smarmy bullying was the cause (their kneejerk support of the most violent elements in Israel did find a response in the 9/11 strikes). The same was true in this case.

I spoke of a possible swap for Bout here and here in late May. The Russians also nicked a guy in Yekaterinburg for working for Langley. Ergo, this smells likes an “even swap”… the Russians get Bout and Yaroshenko in return for the USA getting the two Langley assets. One wonders if the two Russian traitors are going to be guests of Potapov and Paffhausen once they’ve hit the District. It wouldn’t surprise me. Cookie the Bookie’s laying good odds that Potapov’s going to be the go-between in settling these two jabronies in the USA; after all, Potapov’s a “made man” for Langley, and has been for years…

BMD

Jailed Russian Pilot Complains of Prison Discrimination

Here’s what Uncle Sam REALLY looks like…

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On Thursday, Izvestiya reported that Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who’s serving a 20-year prison sentence in the USA, complained of racial and religious of discrimination against him. Yaroshenko claims his life is in jeopardy, and he called on the Justice Ministry to intervene as a matter of urgency. At present, the Americans imprison him at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey, near New York City, on the site of a former military base. Yaroshenko says he is concerned about the “particular attitude” two other inmates and the administration have toward him.

In Liberia, American agents abducted Yaroshenko along with Nigerian Chigbo Peter Umeh in an undercover operation in May 2010. Shortly after, the Americans took them to the USA where Umeh received a 30-year-sentence and Yaroshenko got 20 years behind bars for attempted drug trafficking, but the jury acquitted two other suspects in the case. They appealed the sentence in September. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the submission of Yaroshenko’s appeal, in which he also requested his repatriation as per the terms of the international convention on the transfer of sentenced convicts. Only one Russian convicted in the USA, former UN diplomat Vladimir Kuznetsov, sentenced for money laundering, has ever been returned home according to the convention.

24 May 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/crime/20120524/173642455.html

Editor’s Note:

This smells like a classic Old School Cold War “prisoner exchange” is in the works. The Americans nicked Vikor Bout and this guy… the Russians have a jabronie who tried to steal Bulava secrets and an unnamed Langley asset already in a Russian hoosegow. The two sides will quietly exchange their markers… but it won’t be as dramatic as a Golden Oldie ‘60s-style Glienicke Bridge affair. The more things change…

Two things strike one about this miscarriage of justice. Firstly, Yaroshenko didn’t do anything in the USA; therefore, US courts have NO jurisdiction over him in any legal sense. The USA thinks that it can scoop up anyone from anywhere and take them to the USA to be tried… but it can’t pull such shit in Russia, Iran, or China, ergo, the media hate campaign against them. Secondly, note the long sentence for next-to-nothing-at-all… it’s why the USA’s swimming in red ink. Imprisonment’s expensive, but that’s what the Republican Party reaches for as its means of first instance. If the USA were to drop the idiotic “War on Terror” and the “War on Drugs”, why, there’d be NO problems with the budget.

America is the contemporary Prison House of all the Nations… and no one dare point it up (my view is that imprisonment is used to keep racial minorities, particularly blacks, down, as their imprisonment rates prove). Remember that when you hear Willard Romney… it’s his kind of world. Don’t worry… we’re not imprisoning “nice people”. They’re just no ‘count niggers, spics, and wogs (with some Poor White Trash thrown in for a bit of spicing)… they’re not McMansion dwellers from the “right” suburb. A higher percentage of the American population sits in gaol than in China… who’s free? Interesting question, no?

BMD

Russian Convicted of Passing Military Secrets… Is a Swap for Bout in the Works?

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On Friday, official sources reported that a Sverdlovsk Oblast Court sentenced an employee of a Russian defence firm to eight years in prison for passing secrets on the latest Russian weapons to a foreign intelligence service. On 14 May, Kommersant reported that it concerned the guidance and control systems of the RSM-56 Bulava SLBM. The official release noted, “Sverdlovsk Oblast Court passed sentence on Aleksandr Gniteyev, convicting him of felony treason. The court sentenced him to eight years in a maximum security penal colony”. Experts suggest the company in question could be the Yekaterinburg-based Avtomatika Science and Production Association, which developed the missile’s control and guidance system. The court also fined Gniteyev 100,000 roubles (3,200 USD. 2,500 Euros. 2,025 UK Pounds). He will also face stringent travel restrictions after he serves out his sentence. The verdict hasn’t yet entered into force and he may appeal it. The Bulava SLBM, developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (since 1998), carries up to 10 MIRV warheads, and has a range of over 8,000 kilometres (4,970 miles). Borey-class SSBNs will deploy the three-stage ballistic missile.

21 May 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20120518/173527564.html

Editor’s Note:

The US has sanctimoniously locked up Russian businessman Viktor Bout in the Supermax at USP Florence ADX (for next to nil… it was the USA telling the world that it does what it pleases where it pleases, fuck international law and common human decency). Hmm… this looks like a CLASSIC Cold War swap in the works. Langley wants SOMEONE out of a Russian hoosegow who’s already in the slam (that’s why the Americans arrested Bout in the first bloody place)… and the FSB nicked this traitor to be part of the deal. That is, if Langley wants its boy, it has to take this jabronie, too. It’s a neat way of giving good riddance to bad rubbish, no? Watch for the Russians to exchange this idiot and someone else for Bout. Do note how LOW the fine is… can you “smell” what I smell? This schlump will pay the fine and the Russians will kick his arse out of the country as part of a deal… it saves “face”… the powers-that-be can then claim that they “punished” him (just you watch, the officials involved will “squeeze” him for more than the official amount). It’ll please everybody… the jerk will avoid a correctional colony in the Sakha Republic… the Americans will get their boy back (with this sleaze-ball as a “free bonus”)… the Russians will get back Bout and rid themselves of a traitor… that’s why I believe it’ll happen as I wrote it… everybody “wins”.

It happens all the time… the game goes ever on…

BMD