Baring Vostock case: Russian justice lifts Philippe Delpal's house arrest
Philippe Delpal leaving a courtroom in Moscow, Russia on Tuesday March 24, 2020 (illustrative image).
(AP Photo / Alexander Zemlianichenko
Text by: Daniel Vallot Follow
3 min
This is another encouraging sign for Philippe Delpal, the French businessman accused in a fraud case in Russia.
Russian justice decided this Thursday to lift his house arrest, as well as that of his boss Michael Calvey and their Russian co-defendants.
The five men are prosecuted in a fraud case which they dispute.
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From our correspondent in Moscow,
Philippe Delpal will have to stay in Moscow, and will always be deprived of certain freedoms.
But he covers the possibility of leaving his home where he had been under house arrest for over a year.
The decision of the Russian Supreme Court also concerns the employer of the Frenchman, the American Michael Calvey, and three of his Russian co-defendants.
Entangled for more than a year and a half in a
fraud affair that
they dispute, the five men see their situation improve somewhat.
However, many restrictions were maintained, as confided to RFI Cécile Delpal, the wife of the French businessman.
“
He still has no right to the telephone, still no right to the Internet… But at least he will be able to go for a walk, only in Moscow since every evening at 8 pm he will have to return to the home where he is registered.
"
Amicable settlement
The Baring Vostock affair is not over: Philippe Delpal and his associates remain accused of fraud.
But the legal outlook has become somewhat clearer in recent weeks, because an amicable settlement has been found, in civil matters, with the Russian businessman who is at the origin of the charges.
This could pave the way for a “symbolic” sentence for the accused.
What put an end to a procedure which was a source of tension between Paris and Moscow, and which considerably darkened the business climate in Russia.
“
Of course we are relieved of this step,
concludes Cécile Delpal.
But we do not forget that Philippe still risks ten years in prison and that the trial will soon arrive.
"
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