Lawyer Asks Paris Court To Check Russian National Vinnik's Mental Health Over Suicide Risk

Frederic Belot, the French lawyer of Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik, who has been in detention since 2017 charged with money laundering, has requested the Court of Appeal in Paris to carry out a psychological examination of his client for suicide risk, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the courtroom on Tuesday

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2021) Frederic Belot, the French lawyer of Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik, who has been in detention since 2017 charged with money laundering, has requested the Court of Appeal in Paris to carry out a psychological examination of his client for suicide risk, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the courtroom on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the Paris court began considering the appeal against a court verdict in the Vinnik case delivered last December. Back then, a Paris court found Vinnik guilty of money laundering as part of an organized group, sentenced him to 5 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 Euros ($122,000). The verdict was challenged by Belot and public prosecutors.

"We ask to conduct a psychological examination ... There is a risk of suicide," Belot said during the hearing, noting that Vinnik has been in detention for a long period, was on a hunger strike, and could face 50 years of imprisonment in the US.

The Russian national was arrested during a trip to Greece in summer 2017 and handed over to France. He is also wanted in the United States for running a digital Currency exchange, which the Department of Justice says was used by cybercriminals to launder illegal proceeds.

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has since appealed to the Greek and French authorities, requesting Vinnik's extradition.