DUSHANBE, November 8, 2011, Asia-Plus – Ghulom Boboyev, a lawyer representing pilots of Rolkan Investments Limited, denounced the ruling handed down at the Qurghon Teppa city court today and vowed to appeal against the verdict.
“The defense considers that the pilots are not guilty of smuggling (Article 289 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code) and illegal border crossing (Article 355),” said the lawyer. “The charge of violation of international air carriage rules is also disputable.”
The Russian Embassy in Dushanbe is also displeased with the sentence passed on the pilots on November 8. Dmitry Kabayev, Counselor, Russian Embassy in Dushanbe, says Russian diplomatic mission expected another decision of the court. “We intend to uphold interests of our citizen in the future as well,” said Kabayev, “The Republic of Tajikistan is a strategic partner of the Russian Federation and we hope for positive solution of the issue.”
We will recall that the Qurghon Teppa city court sentenced Captain Vladimir Sadovnichiy (national of Russia) and Captain Aleksey Rudenko (national of Estonia), working for Rolkan Investments Limited, to 10 ½ years in prison each on November 8. The sentence followed their conviction on charges of violation of international air carriage rules, smuggling and illegal border crossing. The court also ruled that they will serve their terms in a high-security penal colony. Both aircraft and the contraband aircraft engine were confiscated.
