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World Jewish News
The Kremlin Suggests to Exchange Nevzlin for Yair Klein
15.05.2009
The Russian authorities have informally suggested Israel exchange the businessman Leonid Nevzlin for the IDF Colonel Yair Klein, arrested in Moscow at the request of Interpol and awaiting extradition to Columbia.
Currently, Yair Klein is seeking release in the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights. His lawyer Mordechai Tzivin insists that if his client is deported to Colombia, Klein’s life will be at risk. The extradition of Klein to Colombia is suspended by Strasbourg court. According to the lawyer, he has evidence of the fact that the Kremlin has suggested the exchange of Nevzlin for Klein.
It is not the first time that the Kremlin is trying to achieve the extradition of Nevzlin. Back in 2005, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin offered the President of Israel Moshe Katsav to exchange Nevzlin for the four Israeli diamond traders, kept in the Russian prison on charges of smuggling.
Last year, a source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel said that Klein could not be exchanged for persons whose extradition is sought by Russia.
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