MOSCOW, August 27 (RAPSI) - Ex-board member of Inter RAO energy holding Karina Tsurkan charged with espionage and her defense have finished studying case materials, according to her attorney Ivan Pavlov.

As the only proof, investigators use a faint copy of a document allegedly received during Russia’s intelligence activities from an undisclosed source abroad, the lawyer told RAPSI on Thursday. Therefore, it is not clear how the prosecution will propose a court to check the evidence fairness, he stated. Defense will demand to suppress this evidence as incompetent, Pavlov added.

The case papers will be soon forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for indicting, according to the attorney.

In January, the First Court of Appeals changed a restrictive measure of Tsurkan from detention to a restraining order. She was in particular banned from leaving home at night, communicating with witnesses in the case and using communications tools. The Second Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction in February overturned a lower court’s order on the release of Tsurkan. The woman was retaken into custody in the courtroom.

In November 2018, the court seized bank accounts of the woman amounting to 500 million rubles.

According to attorney Ivan Pavlov, investigators believe that in August 2004 Tsurkan became an agent involved in confidential and unofficial cooperation with a Moldovan secret service.

In April 2015, while staying in Moscow she allegedly received a digital version of a document on project prepared by the Ministry of Energy. The project was allegedly related to the actions of Russian energy companies in the sphere of international cooperation. In September of the same year, she allegedly transferred the document to a secret service.

Tsurkan could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The woman denies wrongdoing and claims that she does not know representatives of foreign secret services and did not see the document in question. She also asked to provide her evidence in the case.

Aside from being the holding’s board member, Tsurkan also headed its trading department.