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Lawmaker vows Russian senator’s rights will be fully defended by all means

Any future action will be determined after a thorough legal analysis of the French court’s decision, Konstantin Kosachev said

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/. The rights of Russian Senator Suleiman Kerimov, whom France is charging with money laundering and tax evasion, will be protected to the fullest extent possible, and what course of action will be taken will depend on an analysis of the French court’s ruling, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev told TASS on Thursday.

"It is obvious that Suleiman Kerimov’s rights and interests as a Russian citizen and a Federation Council member will be fully and fiercely defended. Any future action will be determined after a thorough legal analysis of the French court’s decision. The Federation Council will be conducting its own work in this area, and awaiting the corresponding findings and recommendations from the Russian Justice and Foreign Ministries," Kosachev explained.

He added that any steps should be legally adjusted, goal-oriented and coordinated between various branches of power.

Kerimov was arrested at Nice airport overnight into Tuesday. The incident sparked a backlash from Russian politicians. Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said that Kerimov’s detention had unleashed "a hunt for Russian politicians."

Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre told TASS that Kerimov would not be jailed, but had to remain on the territory of the Alpes-Maritimes department until the end of the investigation, with bail set at 5 mln euros.