Interpol is reviewing additional information provided by Russia about Yulia Timoshenko
Interpol is reviewing additional information provided by Russia about Yulia Timoshenko, a leader of the Ukrainian opposition (led by Viktor Yushchenko), a statement from Interpol's Secretariat General said.
"Interpol asked the Russian authorities for additional information [on the Timoshenko case]," the statement said. "The Russian authorities readily provided this information. The information is currently being reviewed."
The statement said that based on preliminarily estimates Interpol lawyers said that Russia's inquiry and the "red notice" issued, which allows Ms. Timoshenko to be temporarily detained, should remain in force.
According to Interpol's regulations, the red notice is removed from the organization's Web site while the additional information is being reviewed.
"The red notice was removed from the Web side until the additional information is reviewed," the statement said.
The statement stressed that in the Timoshenko case, Interpol was not guided by political motives.
"It is strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character," the statement said, "and Interpol strictly complies with this prohibition."
Russia's Chief Military Prosecutor Alexander Savenkov told journalists that the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office sent a response to the Interpol inquiry about Ms. Timoshenko. He said it concerned a criminal case and that the decision to file a criminal case against Timoshenko was made earlier.
He said that the case involved bribing five officers from the Defense Ministry's Central Directorate of Financial Resources and Foreign Economic Relations. "This was proved," he said, "there is direct evidence." The bribes were given in order to purchase building materials that cost $80 million in excess
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