RF embassy in India worried over tough sentences on Rus tourists

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7/9 Tass 275

NEW DELHI, September 7 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian embassy in India on
Tuesday expressed concern to the Indian authorities over tough sentences
passed on Russian tourists who infringed the visa regime during their stay
in India.
Russia's charge d'affairs in India Andrei Sorokin said the Russian
embassy "is concerned over the increase in the number of cases when harsh
punishment, such as long terms of imprisonment, was imposed on Russian
citizens who infringed the visa regime during their stay in India." "We
have made this concern of ours known to the Indian Foreign Ministry," he
said.
In June and early September 2010 two Russian citizens, Alexander
Solomein and Ilya Rusanov, who were vacationing in the Indian State of Goa
were arrested for the violation of India's migration laws and sentenced to
the prison terms of one year and the fine of 10,000 Indian rupees (about
220 US dollars). The names of 15 Russian citizens who are now under
investigation or against whom court rulings were passed for expired visas
are on the list that has been handed over to the Indian authorities.
"It seems the experience of decades of friendship and cooperation
between our states and peoples is a reliable and favourable basis for
resolving any questions," Sorokin said. He expressed hope that the Indian
authorities would show benevolent attitude to the destinies of Russian
citizens who happened to infringe the visa regime.
-0-saf/usn