Sergejs Malikovs, the manager wanted by the Russians ends up in a cell in Rome. The diplomatic case breaks out
He was spending a quiet holiday weekend with his wife, visiting the ruins of the ancient Romewhen the agents of the Trevi Campo Marzio police station went to collect Sergej Malikovs48-year-old manager of the Latviain the hotel and took him to the Roman prison of Rebibbia in execution of an Interpol “red code”, issued at the request of the Russia. The Moscow government now accuses him of money laundering and financial crimes. Last Sunday “he was placed under provisional arrest for extradition purposes, in execution of a trace issued by the Russian authorities on December 14, 2021”, reads the communication sent by the Rome Police Headquarters to the consulate of the Latvian embassy.
“HE IS A PERSECUTED”
Malikovs is the head of the microfinance company “West Kredit” (formerly “Mateks Credit”), which in the past has been at the center of the Latvian and Russian news for the force actions with which it evicted the defaulting tenants. In 2011, together with two other compatriots of his, the manager founded the company “International Credit Bureau” in Russia, also at the center of a scandal. Malikovs is also interested in politics: he financed the Social Democratic Party “Harmony”, by the former mayor of Riga Nils Ušakovs.
The Court of Appeal of Rome has 5 days to decide whether to validate the arrest and choose whether to confirm the precautionary measure of custody in prison. While the Minister of Justice of Russia has 30 days to send the extradition request to Italy. At that point it is up to our Keeper to affix the visa or not to grant extradition. «I hope that Minister Marta Cartabia expresses her denial of extradition to a country that violates everything that can be violated. There are no political conditions – comments the lawyer Alexandro Maria Tirelli, who defends the manager together with Letizia Battisti – The immediate release of Malikovs, an entrepreneur persecuted by Russia, is desirable ”.
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