Thailand revokes visa of Russian pianist Pletnev accused of child abuse.

22/7 Tass 61

HANOI, July 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Thailand has revoked the visa of the
Russian internationally acclaimed pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev
who is facing child molestation charges, the English-language Nation
newspaper reported on Thursday, referring to deputy commissioner of the
Thai immigration bureau Pansak Kasamsan.
"The Thai immigration bureau has blacklisted him on the grounds that
his behavior is detrimental to Thailand," he said. In his words, Thai
visas are automatically cancelled for those who are entered on the
blacklist. It means that even if the charges against Pletnev are
eventually dropped, he will be deported from the country. Although the
revocation of the visa is already in place, an exception allows him to
enter the country while his case is pending.
Pletnev, 53, was arrested early in July in the Thai resort town of
Pattaya, where he owns a house. He was charged of raping a 14-year-old
boy, a crime which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.
He denied the charge and was released on a $9,000 bail until the
criminal charges against him are resolved, with permission to travel
outside of Thailand as long as he returned every 12 days.
Pletnev was in Thailand on Monday and is due back in the country on
July 30. He says he is ready to cooperate with Thai police to clear this
"iniquitous misunderstanding."
-0-ras/usn


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