PARIS, October 29. /TASS/. The Paris Court of Appeal has granted approval to a US request for the extradition of Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, detained in France in late June, a TASS correspondent reported on Wednesday.
"Grant the request for the extradition of <...> Kasatkin," the judge announced, adding that the ruling must now be approved by the country’s prime minister, after which the Russian national may be sent to the United States.
The Russian player’s lawyers have the right to file an appeal against the court’s decision.
One of Kasatkin’s lawyers, Adrien Billemaz, told TASS after the verdict that the defense now has a 10-day period to lodge an appeal.
"The Investigative Chamber [of the Court of Appeal] delivered its decision, endorsing his extradition. Kasatkin has 10 days to contest this ruling in the Court of Cassation," Billemaz stated, noting that the final decision on the appeal rests with his client.
Kasatkin was arrested at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport on June 21 at the request of US authorities. He is suspected of being involved in a hacker group responsible for ransomware attacks targeting US companies and federal agencies.
The Investigative Chamber at the Paris court, having reviewed on July 9 a request for release filed by Kasatkin's lawyer, decided to keep the athlete in custody after lengthy deliberations, despite assurances from his lawyer that he would remain in France and not skip bail.