16:49, 19 September 2013

Russia will ask Georgia to extradite suspect of killing diplomat in Abkhazia

Dmitry Vishernev. Photo from the personal account in ‘Odnoklassniki’, www.odnoklassniki.ru

As stated today by Vladimir Markin, the spokesman if the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), Russia will ask Georgia to give out Yusuf Lakaev, a native of Grozny, who was detained in Batumi, because he is suspected of killing a Russian diplomat in Abkhazia.

Let us remind you that the Vice-Consul Dmitry Vishernev, the First Secretary of Russia's Embassy to Abkhazia, was shot dead in Sukhumi on September 9. His wife Olga, who was with him in the car, was seriously wounded and died on September 14 in the hospital.

"After the crime Lakaev hastily left Abkhazia. On September 13 inBatumi, during suppression of an armed assault on the life of Georgian policemen he was wounded and subsequently detained," said Mr Markin.

He has added that a request is prepared on Lakaev's extradition to Russia. According to the ICRF, the suspect had been earlier convicted for aiding members of illegal armed formations (IAFs).

Meanwhile, as reported today by the "Interfax" with reference to Nino Giorgobiani, the head of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia, the MIA has not received any requests in relation to the detainee Yusup Lakaev.