Albanian authorities forbid a Russian citizen wanted by Moscow for “masquerade”

A court in Tirana made a decision Thursday to detain a Russian citizen for 15 days, pending review of Moscow's request for his extradition to Russia for “magification”.

Albanian police said Russian national Aleksandar Bobovnikov, 57, was arrested at the “International Airport, Mother Teresa” in Rinas, given the exchange of data between Interpol Tirana and Interpol Moscow.

A new court hearing regarding Moscow's request for his extradition to Russia is expected to be held after 15 days.

Bobovnikov's lawyer, Boris Hoffman, told reporters in Tirana that his client traveled from Germany to the Albanian capital days ago along with a group of friends.

Hoffmann voiced confidence that the charges against him are <x0political and groundless”, and that they link “with the fact that he has opposed Russia's fight against Ukraine”.

He did not mention any evidence that the charges against him have to do with the opposition to Ukraine's Russian occupation.

Albanian police did not reveal when exactly Bobovnikov, who is an Israeli resident according to her, was arrested, but appeared before the tribunal in Tirana on Thursday.

The prosecutor had sought 40 days' detention for him, but the court ruled for 15 days.

Another defence lawyer, Ardian Visha, told the media that the Court of Tirana asked the ministry that Albania's justice should be expressed if the issue has political nature.

Asked by Radio Free Europe what evidence they presented in this regard, he said “the decision of the Florence Appeals Court, which has therefore refused his arrest/extradition”. /rel