Russian opponent Alexei Navalny criticizes the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPC) in an interview with the “SonntagsZeitung”. In recent years, the MPC has had close and private contact with representatives of the Russian prosecution service.
This has hampered, if not prevented, important investigations into suspected money laundering cases in Switzerland, accuses Navalny. He cites a boat trip by federal prosecutor Michael Lauber involving a former Russian federal police expert.
The senior Swiss official is also said to have accepted an invitation to a hunting party from a former Russian prosecutor, which would have resulted in his suspended sentence. The applicant appealed and the hearing was held on Tuesday.
Corruption?
According to the Russian opponent, there was nothing to prevent exchanges of letters or emails or personal contact, but not during a hunting trip. He clearly sees corruption in it.
Most of the cases in Switzerland involving Russian or Uzbek citizens have been closed or left lying around, he said. Anyone who claims that personal contact is necessary for the advancement of investigations ignores the customs and habits in Russia: “When you go hunting in Russia with the justice or the government, these are dubious affairs”, says Alexei Navalny.
The latter strongly criticizes the MPC concerning Artiom Tchaïka, son of the Attorney General of Russia Youri Yakovlevitch Tchaïka. A few years ago, Artiom Tchaïka came to Geneva with $ 2 million. No one asked a question, when the media had echoed shortly before the shenanigans and a mysterious death.
Alexei Navalny says he caught the attention of the MPC and hoped for an investigation. The response was that an investigation would not be opened and that there was no need for new documents. “It was frustrating and it hurt us a lot,” said the opponent.
MPC denies
Questioned by the newspaper, the MPC refutes the accusation that cases have been closed for the sake of the Russian side. In the case of Artiom Tchaïka, the Federal Police Office investigated, but did not find any evidence of money laundering or of criminal origin.
Created: 05.31.2020, 1:21 p.m.
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