Russian prosecutors and witch-hunting

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev) - The newly-appointed Russian Prosecutor General, Yury Chaika, said the issue of Russia's accession to the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) would be decided at the Paris conference in late August.

The IAP, which has a consultative status with the United Nations, incorporates 112 countries.

Chaika also said at the 7th Conference of Prosecutors General of Europe, held in Moscow on July 5-6, that his department would be modified to adhere to European principles and standards.

But these principles and standards remain a mystery to Russian prosecutors, and adherence to them would create professional problems. In particular, Russians tend to blame prosecutors for their inability to "explain" to U.K. judges why 16 Russians who have taken refuge in London should be extradited to Russia.

One of them is Boris Berezovsky, who is accused of fraud and grand larceny, as well as attempts to seize power. Another is Akhmed Zakayev, who is charged with terrorism.

When Chaika's nomination was approved by parliament on June 23, it was announced that a group of delegates from the Prosecutor General's Office, the Justice Ministry and the Foreign Ministry would go to London.

However, in addition to analyzing British and European standards, Russian prosecutors should also study Israeli practices, because Leonid Nevzlin, a Yukos core shareholder, is living in Israel.

Some former Yukos employees - notably Alexander Temerko and Dmitry Maruyev - are among the 16 who have settled in London. They are charged with embezzlement, fraud and other economic crimes, whereas Nevzlin, who has been put on the international wanted list alongside Berezovsky, is said to be involved in organizing the murder of people who had "displeased" Yukos.

This puts him closer to Zakayev than to Berezovsky, and we would at least like to know if the allegations are true.

Berezovsky has been granted political asylum, whereas Nevzlin received Israeli citizenship when Russian prosecutors started investigating him. The protection methods may differ, but the results are the same.

Chaika promised the upper house of the Russian parliament and the general public "to analyze jointly with British prosecutors all criminal cases where we have been denied extradition, and to take proper measures."

The same should probably be done in other countries.

Chaika has promised not to start a witch-hunt in his office. This is a wise decision, because it is not witches who worry the Russian public but a completely different sort of persons, along with the truth about their actions and their inexplicable immunity.