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Berezovsky Accused of Plotting to Seize Power in Russia Again
The FSB made more charges against political emigrant Boris Berezovsky yesterday. This time he is accused of attempting a violent seizure of power. At the same time, Savelovsky Court in Moscow also began hearing another case against Berezovsky. He is charged in that case with the embezzlement of 214 million rubles from Aeroflot. Berezovsky's lawyers have refused to take part in that trial in absentia.
According to Berezovsky's lawyer Andrey Borovkov, the new charges are related to an interview Berezovsky gave to the British newspaper The Guardian in which he stated that the was preparing a “palace coup” and providing financial assistance to members of the ruling elite who do not agree with the current “regime.” The FSB quickly began investigating him for violations of article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian federation (“Violent Seizure of Power”), and charges were filed as part of that investigation yesterday.
This is not the first time Berezovsky has been charged under that article. In February of last year, he was charged after a media interview containing statements of a similar nature. That case was halted in January of this year “in connection with the search for the defendant.” Now clearly the cases have been combined. The case involving Aeroflot was initiated a few days after Berezovsky's interview with The Guardian. After Berezovsky called the case “a farce” and refused to allow his lawyers to participate in it, the Savelovsky Court postponed further hearings until July 12 and will appoint a state defender for him
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 03, 2007
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