A Russian businessman, Oleg Galushko (Galouchko), was detained in Finland in February 2013 on an Interpol extradition request from Russia.
He has now been released from prison, according to Yle Mot.
Mr Galushko’s Russian lawyer contended that the charges against his client were fabricated and feared what would happen to him were Finland to extradite him to Russia.
Apparently, only publicity of, Yle Mot tv-raport, saved him by making unpleasant questions the authorities.
Mr Galushko, man with dual citizenship in Russian and in Canadian, acquired the Ryazan-based aluminium factory, Okamet, in 2001. He invested USD 5 million in the plant’s modernisation. In 2003-2004, an affiliate to Russia’s largest aluminium producer, RUSAL, offered to buy Okamet for a fraction of the plant’s real worth. When Mr Galushko refused to sell, Russia’s Federal Security Service, FSB, began to blackmail him.
In March 2005, the FSB initiated a criminal case against MetSlav, which exported Okamet’s products, for alleged smuggling and tax evasion. In August 2006, similar charges were brought against Mr Galushko. Due to constant harassment by the FSB, Okamet and MetSlav were forced into bankruptcy. Okamet’s assets were transferred to a company affiliated with RUSAL.
According to many sources in 2008, Mr Galushko was tipped off that his stubborn refusal to sell off his company would lead to his arrest, and that his incarceration would be used to “convince” him to agree to RUSAL’s offer. Faced with possible arrest and fearing for his life, Mr Galushko fled Russia. He had incurred financial losses amounting to USD 20-25 million due to the case.
Mr Galushko began building a legal case against the Russian state. The FSB responded by issuing an Interpol arrest warrant on him in 2010. None of the countries Mr Galushko visited in the EU and elsewhere reacted to the arrest warrant. In February 2013, however, Mr Galushko was taken from a plane and arrested at Helsinki Airport. He has been held in Vantaa Prison since.
Charges on three other people in the case against Okamet and MetSlav were dropped as the statute of limitations expired in 2011. Russia’s arrest warrant on Mr Galushko expired on 18 April 2013, but since Interpol was not informed about this, the Interpol arrest warrant remained in force. Russia sent a formal extradition request to Finland in early March 2013.
The close relations between Russia and Finland is a trap.
Mr Galushko’s family said he would face lethal danger to his health in pre-trial detention were he to be extradited. The family pointed out that there were profound concerns regarding Mr Galushko’s right to a fair trial.
Fear was justified.
According to The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum Mr Galushko’s family noted that the case against him had nothing to do with justice, but was another example of corporate raiding by Russia’s “law enforcement agencies.” The case was fabricated by the FSB for the specific purpose of seizing Mr Galushko’s business and assets, the family said, pointing to parallels with the Magnitsky case.
But..
in July Galouchko was informed that he will be merciful in Russia.
Unfortunately that letter was supposed to be sent a month ago we still never heard about that or maybe somebody in the Ministry of Justice is just sitting on it and not releasing it,he said recently.
What was the Finland´s react?
Public pressure was too much for Finland, in September, after the fourth the Coercive Measures session, doors were opened to Oleg Galouchko.
You see, the difference between Finland and Russia is that: the media here is free.
Oleg Galouchko to Yle Mot:
For one point of view I´m glad that I´m free but from another point of view I would say that the struggle is not yet completed.We do not want to believe, how corrupted and rotten Russia´s regime is.
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