GENEVA, October 7 (RIA Novosti, Yekaterina Andrianova) - A defense lawyer for former Russian Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov said Friday that his client could appeal the Swiss Federal Justice Department's decision to extradite to him United States at the end of next week. Stefan Wehrenberg said the appeal would be filed with the Federal Court in Lausanne, the nation's highest court, whose decisions are final and may not be appealed. Adamov will remain in Swiss custody until the end of the appeal hearings.
Wehrenberg said he and other members of Adamov's defense team would try to convince the court that Russia's extradition request, submitted on May 17, should be given priority over the one lodged by the U.S. on June 24.
The Swiss Justice Department's decision to extradite Adamov to the U.S. was made public Monday, October 3. He had been arrested in the Swiss city of Berne on May 2 on the request of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The U.S. authorities accuse Adamov of diverting $9 million in Energy Department allocations for programs to raise the safety of Russian nuclear facilities during his 1998-2001 ministerial term. If convicted in the U.S., he faces up to 60 years in prison and a $1.75 million fine.
In Russia, the ex-minister is wanted on charges of fraud and office abuse.
