Russian citizen accused of spying seeks political asylum in Albania

Timofeeva, 33, from Russia, was arrested on 20 August 2022 along with two other citizens -- Mikhail Zorin, 23, from Russia and Fedir Applatov from Ukraine -- after attempting to enter the weapons plant facilities in Grams and throw neuro-premative spray at two soldiers guarding the military facility.

She is being held in custody at the women's prison in Tirana, while the case against her is judged at the Elbasan Court, as the area where the event took place, Gramshi, is included in the district.

The Russian citizen's defence lawyer on March 10th has addressed the asylum request to the Regional Directorate of Border and Migration, Tirana. The request comes three months after Moscow requested its extradition, as it is charged with “illegal information access, which constitutes state secret”.

If I return to the Russian Federation, I will be persecuted because of my own political beliefs”, the 33-year-old Russian claimed.

Her defence lawyer, Isuf Shehu, stressed that this Russian national can be persecuted in her country.

There is reason to think that it will be subjected to persecution or discrimination or wild, inhuman, degrading, or human rights violations. The return of this citizen to Russia would be contrary to the prevention of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment”, the demand handed over to Albanian authorities.

The defence also points out that Russian authorities are using an old criminal prosecution (of 2018) that they have exploited to reopen because they are familiar with its anti-war positions in Ukraine, expressed on social networks. Further highlighted is the fact that Svetlana's former husband is a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin's policy, and political beliefs have been the main cause of their division.

In the call for political asylum, reports of several international organisations -- stressing that Russia does not respect fundamental human rights and freedoms -- as well as the fact that Russian Federation General Prosecutor Igor Viktorovich Krasnov, who has signed the requirement for its extradition, is in the United States' <x0-seconds blackist”.

The lawyer emphasises that the Law for asylum in the Republic of Albania envisions guaranteeing asylum rights for foreign citizens who refuse to return to their country and remembers that under a decision by Albania's Council of Ministers in 2022, Russia is not part of the list of third safe states.

Three spying indictees, Svetlana Timofeeva, Mikhail Zorin and Fedir Applatov, were caught photographing the Gramshi plant, while in their personal belongings some materials of some important points known as critical military infrastructure were found in Albania. The military plant in Gramsh has army weapons inside it and is the object of the particular importance preserved by the Albanian Army.

They were placed in prison custody and charged with “Target due to task” The same degree of security went into effect by the Court of Appeals after their signing. Two Russian and Ukrainian citizens again complained in the Supreme Court. Fedir Alpatov's request was denied, while the complaint by Svetlana Timofeeva and Mikhail Zorin has not yet been reviewed by the Supreme Court. The three accused of spying and their lawyers object to the charges.