Furgal's associate released in Georgia on bail
The Tbilisi City Court released Russian citizen Mikhail Timofeev after the intervention of the UN Human Rights Committee. The court set bail and prohibited him from leaving home at night, as well as required him to surrender his passport.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the UN Human Rights Committee ruled to apply temporary measures, under which Georgia must refrain from extraditing Furgal's associate and former assistant, Mikhail Timofeev, to Russia until his complaint is fully considered. Prior to this, the Tbilisi City Court ruled to extradite Mikhail Timofeev to Russia.
Russian citizen Mikhail Timofeev, who is involved in the case of former Khabarovsk Territory governor Sergey Furgal and has been arrested in absentia, was detained in Georgia at the end of January. The Georgian authorities refused to grant him political asylum, as they do not consider his persecution political. Timofeev was held in a prison in Gldani. According to human rights defenders, he lacked access to necessary food and medications due to health issues, as well as communication with relatives. Timofeev was arrested in Georgia based on a canceled Interpol request. In mid-March, the Tbilisi City Court rejected the request for political asylum for Mikhail Timofeev, ignoring the petition of the UN special rapporteur. Human rights defenders are convinced that considering the actual sentences in the "Furgal case", where other defendants received 15 to 20 years of imprisonment, and the quality of medical care in the Russian penitentiary system, Timofeev's extradition would effectively be a death sentence for him.
The Tbilisi City Court released Russian citizen Mikhail Timofeev — former assistant to ex-governor of Khabarovsk Territory Sergey Furgal, reports "News Georgia".
Judge Nana Shamatava chose a measure of restraint for Timofeev in the form of bail in the amount of 50,000 lari (about $19,200). The prosecution fully agreed with this.
The lawyer of the detained, Rusudan Mchedlishvili, confirmed the information, clarifying that the decision was made after the intervention of international bodies.
The court's decision was preceded by a ruling from the UN Human Rights Committee dated September 29. As a temporary measure, the Georgian authorities were prohibited from extraditing or deporting Timofeev to Russia until the full consideration of his case in the committee is completed.
In addition to the monetary bail, the judge imposed a number of additional restrictions on Timofeev. Thus, he was required to surrender his passport to the prosecution, prohibited from leaving the territory of Georgia, and placed under night house arrest — a ban on leaving the residence from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.