Sergei Polonsky was arrested on the island of Koh Dek Kuol (Nail Island) 29 January 2013
http://www.themoscowtimes.com
Real estate developer Sergei Polonsky, currently being held in a
Cambodian prison following a scandalous New Year's celebration, told
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an open letter published on Polonsky's
blog on the Ekho Moskvy website that his detention is part of conspiracy.
Related articles:
- Jailed Tycoon to Spend $1M on Cambodian Prisons
- Tycoon Lebedev Likens Trial to Political Witch-Hunt
- Polonsky Offers Construction as Penance
In the letter, the former millionaire claims that on Jan. 26, while
in prison, he and the two other Russians detained with him were visited
by an employee of the Russian Consulate. According to Polonsky,
the consulate employee said that "various sources" in Moscow had paid
"big money" to ensure that the three men stayed behind bars for three
years. He and his friends were also denied legal and political help
and told that the Foreign Ministry could not provide assistance, he
said.
Polonsky was arrested in Cambodia on Dec. 31, 2012 together with two
of his friends, Russians Konstantin Baglai and Alexander Karachinsky.
Cambodian investigators say that the Russian businessmen threatened crew
members of a rented yacht with a knife. According to Cambodian police,
the Russians locked the crew members below deck and forced them to jump
into the water and swim to shore. The Russians deny all charges. Shortly
after the incident, Polonsky wrote on his Twitter page that the three
men had been detained for shooting off fireworks and then refusing
to present identification to the Cambodian military.
The letter also says that strong psychological pressure is being
placed on the three men, and mentions a range of different measures
"that can't even be put down on paper." In addition, Polonsky said that
accurate information on the current situation is being withheld.
"Considering the unpredictability of this situation's development,
the danger to our lives and our health, we ask for an immediate
explanation of the situation," Polonsky wrote.
Earlier, Polonsky wrote a letter to Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk
apologizing for what occurred on the yacht. In that letter, he also
requested Cambodian citizenship so that he could invest in the country's
economy and promised to give millions of dollars to reforming the local
prison system.
No comments:
Post a Comment