Polonsky’s release on bail possible only closer to late January

BANGKOK, January 8 (Itar-Tass) — A release on bail from the Cambodian prison of businessman Sergei Polonsky and another two Russian citizens is possible only closer to late January, lawyer of the Russian citizens Virakbot Suong Khun said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass by phone from Sihanoukville on Tuesday.

“On Wednesday, representatives of the court will go to the vessel, where the incident broke out to gather evidence, then the detectives will interrogate the injured parties,” Suong Khun said. “The court intends to obtain the maximum possible information in the criminal case” from the injured parties and suspected offenders, he said. “Only after this the lawyers will be able to file a petition for a release on bail, and I believe that this will happen at the end of January,” the lawyer noted. He did not dwell on the details of the criminal case, because the investigation continues.

Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky and another two Russians Konstantin Baglai and Alexander Karachinsky, who were detained in the Cambodian resort city Sihanoukville, face from one to three years in prison on the accusations against them, Russian Consul in Cambodia Pavel Seskanov told Itar-Tass earlier. “Three Russians were detained and were brought to the prison in Sihanoukville. The Sihanoukville prosecutor extended the term in arrest indefinitely so far,” Seskanov said.

“Polonsky, Baglai and Karachinsky are charged under two criminal articles for the deliberate physical damage to health and illegal keeping of people,” Seskanov said. “The Russian citizens did not agree with these charges and did not plead guilty,” he pointed out. “It depends only from the court what decision will be taken,” the Russian consul said.

“They are being kept in the prison in normal conditions, no privileges were given to them,” Seskanov commented on the terms of keeping the Russians in Sihanoukville. “The detained Russians have no complaints and remarks over the terms of their keeping in arrest,” the Russian diplomat said.

The Russian businessman wrote down on his Facebook page that he intends to seek for a prosecutor’s investigation of this criminal case. “I would have been released in 15 minutes, if I had pleaded guilty. But I will be set free only in case of my full acquittal, because I am innocent,” Polonsky said on his Facebook page.

The businessman and his acquaintances were detained in Cambodia on December 31. The police found that the Russian citizens attacked with the knife the sailors, who were trafficking them on an island. The businessman claimed that he and his friends were detained for launching rockets and fireworks during the New Year celebrations. The Russians failed to produce the identity documents to the servicemen, who rushed to the incident site upon hearing the noise in the sea.