MOSCOW, March 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russian prosecutors last month opened a criminal case against fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, prosecutors said Thursday.
Extradition papers were sent to London, where Berezovsky lives in self-imposed exile, on March 1.
In a January 24 interview with Echo Moskvy radio station, Berezovsky outlined plans to overthrow the administration of President Vladimir Putin.
"President Putin violates the constitution and any violent action on the opposition's part is justified today," Berezovsky said from his London office. "That includes taking power by force, which is exactly what I am working on."
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw condemned Berezovsky's comments in a statement February 23.
"I am aware of the comments made by Mr. Boris Berezovsky in an interview on January 24," Straw said. "Advocating the violent overthrow of a sovereign state is unacceptable, and I condemn these comments unreservedly."
Straw also warned Berezovsky that the U.K. government could review his claim for political asylum, which the oligarch was granted in 2003.
"Those granted asylum in the United Kingdom have duties to the U.K. which require in particular that they conform to its laws and regulations," Straw said. "They are advised that their refugee status can be reviewed at any time where it is considered their presence is not conducive to the public good."
Russian lawmakers welcomed Straw's statement, and expressed hope that Berezovsky would finally be extradited from the U.K.
"A democratic state should not allow someone to use it as a base to incite violent disorder or terrorism in other countries," said Duma deputy speaker Vladimir Pekhtin, adding that Berezovsky "went over the line" with his state coup plans.
Russian prosecutors previously demanded Berezovsky's extradition in 2002, when a warrant for his arrest was issued on charges of fraud regarding carmaker AvtoVAZ. The prosecution also declared Berezovsky the main suspect in the embezzlement of large sums from Aeroflot, Russia's national airline, in which he owned a significant stake.
