Court decision over Lema Susarov adjourned

The court hearing into the appeal lodged by Oleh Levytsky, lawyer representing Lema Susarov, was adjourned on Tuesday until 23 June. The appeal is against the decision by the Prosecutor General to extradite Susarov, an ethnic Chechen, to Russia.  That decision dates back to July last year, however Susarov applied for refugee status, and his application was turned down in January 2008.

As already reported, Susarov has been recognized as a mandate refugee by the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees first in Azerbaijan, then in Kyiv.  Finland has offered to give him asylum.

It is not clear why the Ukrainian authorities are so slow to understand the importance of this case not just for one man, but for Ukraine’s reputation.