MOSCOW, November 17 (RIA Novosti) - The Moscow City Court has upheld a ruling of a lower court to extend in absentia the arrest term of former Russian Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov until January 12, 2006, his lawyer said Thursday.
The city court rejected an appeal filed by Adamov's lawyer, Timofei Gridnev, to rule against the May 14 decision of the Basmanny District Court to arrest the former minister, who is currently being held in custody in Switzerland awaiting extradition to the United States.
"On May 14, when the court announced a judicial restraint against Adamov, the Prosecutor General's Office said there were no official data on him, and issued an international search warrant allowing the court to pass an arrest warrant in absentia," the lawyer said.
Adamov, who served as Russia's nuclear power minister in 1998-2001, was arrested in Bern May 2 at the request of U.S. authorities, who accuse him of misappropriating $9 million granted to Russia for improving the safety of its nuclear facilities.
If convicted by an American court, Adamov may face a prison sentence of up to 60 years and a $1.75 million fine.
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office also launched proceedings against Adamov, charging him with embezzlement and abuse of office.
Both countries petitioned Switzerland for Adamov's extradition. Although the U.S. requested his arrest May 2, the Swiss authorities did not receive its extradition request until June 24. Swiss authorities received Moscow's request on May 17.
The Swiss Justice Department ruled on October 3 to extradite Adamov to the United States. Adamov's defense team appealed the ruling on November 1. The ex-minister will remain in a Berne prison until the Federal Court in Lausanne passes the final ruling on the appeal.
