Court postponed Berezovsky trial in absentia until July 26

A Moscow court has again postponed for two weeks the hearings in absentia of a $8-million fraud case against Russian fugitive tycoon Boris Berezovsky following a request from his state-appointed lawyer.

"The court ... granted my request to put off the hearings until July 26 because I need time to study the case," Alexander Dudkin said.

Dudkin previously said he needed about a month to study the file against London-based Berezovsky who prosecutors accuse of stealing and laundering the money of Russia`s flagship air carrier Aeroflot.

Dudkin was appointed by the government to defend Berezovsky in court after the billionaire, who denies the charges, ordered his lawyers to stay away from the trial. Berezovsky has not contacted his government lawyer.

Dudkin said it was the first trial in absentia in his experience. "I could have refused the offer, but I decided it was necessary and interesting to agree," he said.

If found guilty, Berezovsky, who has been granted political asylum in Britain, could face up to ten years in prison under Russian law.

Russian authorities have repeatedly demanded the businessman`s extradition but the British authorities have turned down the requests.

Apart from the Aeroflot case, Berezovsky is also facing coup attempt charges in Russia after he openly said he planned to finance an attempt in an interview with the Guardian newspaper. If found guilty, he could be in for 12-20 years in jail.

In addition to Berezovsky, Russia is seeking the extradition of Akhmed Zakayev, a Chechen emissary wanted on terrorism charges. London in turn wants Moscow to hand over Andrei Lugovoi, a former Kremlin guard officer, charged with murdering a former Russian security service officer, Alexander Litvinenko, in London last November.

sections: Politics, Society