The trial of Vladimir Barsukov (aka Vladimir Kumarin), head of St. Peterburg's most powerful organized crime group, will begin in Moscow this week. Barsukov was arrested in August 2007 at his home outside St. Petersburg in a raid involving dozens of officers from the country's Special Purpose Police Squad. He faces charges of money laundering and the illegal takeover of businesses and properties.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled to begin Thursday. Citing threats to Barsukov's safety, prosecutors filed a motion to have the trial moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Barsukov's attorney, however, has fought the move, calling it illegal. Local media have suggested that the reasons behind the relocation could involve an attempt on the part of authorities to shield the trial from public scrutiny.
Read full article here: http://reportingproject.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=243&Itemid=43
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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