.Thai authorities continue to insist on Bout extradition legality.

18/11 Tass 108

BANGKOK, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - Thai authorities insist that the
extradition of Russian citizen and alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout was
lawful, and regret of the criticism from official Moscow.
Thai Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said on
Thursday that the "issue with the businessman's extradition was decided
completely and in accordance with law."
"Thailand's court is independent, and in the case with the Russian
citizen Viktor Bout the decision was made without political pressure and
interference by third parties," he pointed out.
In addition, Thongphakdi said that the kingdom does not agree with
criticism of official Moscow. "The Thai Foreign Ministry expresses regret
over Russia's position in this matter," he said.
Russian citizen Viktor Bout was extradited to the US authorities on
November 16, immediately after the kingdom's cabinet approved his
extradition.
"There is no doubt that the illegal extradition of Viktor Bout is a
consequence of unprecedented political pressure exerted by the US
government and judicial authorities on Thailand," the Russian Foreign
Ministry said in a statement. "All this can be characterised only as
interference in the administration of justice and it calls into question
the independence of Thailand's judicial system and decisions made by the
Thai authorities." "It is deeply regrettable that the Thai authorities
succumbed to political pressure from the outside and carried out the
illegal extradition of Bout," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Russian businessman's lawyer Lac Nitiwat Wichan called the move
"totally illegal, because the court had not completed the legal procedures
and the businessman had immunity." The defence lawyer announced his
intention to prosecute "all those officials involved in Bout's
extradition."
-0-ezh/kud