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ITAR-TASS, Russia
Aug 23 2005
Nigeria president pledges to UNESCO to take care of Russia sailors
MOSCOW, August 23 (Itar-Tass) - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo
will take care of Russian sailors who are kept in custody in this
country. He made these pledges in a message addressed to the Paris
UNESCO headquarters after an address of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Ara Abramyan.
`I bear in mind your concerns and intention to quickly settle the
situation,' the president emphasized. He noted that after the
proceedings and the pronouncement of the sentence `political steps
may be made or possible exchange of prisoners may be considered.'
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and head of the Union of Russian Armenians
Ara Abramyan is taking part actively in the efforts to return the
sailors to the homeland. The Russian side handed over to Nigerian
lawyers all necessary documents for their release under guarantees of
the embassy.
`The formalities that the Nigerian court demanded from the Russian
side are fulfilled,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said. `At present,
the point is that these documents should pass through relevant
Nigerian instances,' the ministry said.
The Russian sailors are kept in custody in the strict regime prison
Kiri-Kiri. They are accused of oil smuggling. The tanker African
Pride flying the Panamanian colors and belonging to the Greek company
Azora-service was detained on October 8, 2003, 18 miles off Lagos on
suspicions of crude smuggling.
The hearings of the case began in the Nigerian federal court in March
2004. Only some crewmembers of the tanker, including 12 Russian
sailors were charged with attempted oil smuggling from the country.
The defendants refused to plead guilty.
The youngest crewmember is 25 years old, and the oldest is 65 years
old. All of them need qualified medical aid. They recovered from
malaria, are exhausted and sick with gastroenteritis.
Aug 23 2005
Nigeria president pledges to UNESCO to take care of Russia sailors
MOSCOW, August 23 (Itar-Tass) - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo
will take care of Russian sailors who are kept in custody in this
country. He made these pledges in a message addressed to the Paris
UNESCO headquarters after an address of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Ara Abramyan.
`I bear in mind your concerns and intention to quickly settle the
situation,' the president emphasized. He noted that after the
proceedings and the pronouncement of the sentence `political steps
may be made or possible exchange of prisoners may be considered.'
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and head of the Union of Russian Armenians
Ara Abramyan is taking part actively in the efforts to return the
sailors to the homeland. The Russian side handed over to Nigerian
lawyers all necessary documents for their release under guarantees of
the embassy.
`The formalities that the Nigerian court demanded from the Russian
side are fulfilled,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said. `At present,
the point is that these documents should pass through relevant
Nigerian instances,' the ministry said.
The Russian sailors are kept in custody in the strict regime prison
Kiri-Kiri. They are accused of oil smuggling. The tanker African
Pride flying the Panamanian colors and belonging to the Greek company
Azora-service was detained on October 8, 2003, 18 miles off Lagos on
suspicions of crude smuggling.
The hearings of the case began in the Nigerian federal court in March
2004. Only some crewmembers of the tanker, including 12 Russian
sailors were charged with attempted oil smuggling from the country.
The defendants refused to plead guilty.
The youngest crewmember is 25 years old, and the oldest is 65 years
old. All of them need qualified medical aid. They recovered from
malaria, are exhausted and sick with gastroenteritis.