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Russia set to have convicted Bout back home

Russia will continue to use all available political, diplomatic, and legal means to ensure the return of the Russian citizen to Russia

MOSCOW, November 11 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia will work to have its citizen Viktor Bout convicted in the United States back home, the foreign ministry said on Thursday after a meeting of its envoy for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law Konstantin Dolgov with the leadership of the U.S. embassy in Moscow.

“Russia will continue to use all available political, diplomatic, and legal means to ensure the return of the Russian citizen to Russia. The given problem will remain a major aspect of the Russian-U.S. dialogue until it is resolved in a satisfactory manner and in compliance with the norms of the international law and legislation in the sphere of human rights,” the Russian foreign ministry said.

“The Russian side confirmed its position of principle about the unlawfulness of the extradition of the Russian citizen from Thailand to the United States and the ongoing unprecedented psychological pressure on him which puts into doubt the objectiveness of the whole trial of our citizen. Specific attention was paid to the information available in Moscow about further deteriorating custody conditions for Viktor Bout after the jury passed a guilty verdict,” the ministry said.