Russian Delegation Tries to Convince Georgia in Extradition of Chechens

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 9, 2002) – Delegation of the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office arrived today in Tbilisi to discuss with the Georgian counterparts issue of extradition of 13 Chechens, allegedly fighters, detained by the Georgia border guards on August 3-5 near border with Chechnya.

Secretary of the Georgian Security Council Tedo Japaridze told the reporters today that the Russian law enforcers are much more prepared at this time than before, when Russian Chief Prosecutor Vladimer Ustinov visited Georgia on August 6, to convince the Georgian side to hand over detained Chechens.

Georgian authorities refused Ustinov to extradite Chechens, as the Russian side did not provide Georgia with the evidences proving that the arrested Chechens violated the law in Russian Federation.

One of the Tbilisi district courts has already sentenced all the 13 Chechens of preliminary detention. Georgian State Security Ministry charged them for illegal crossing the border and trafficking arms and explosives.