MOSCOW, December 8 - RAPSI. A New York court partially dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by Russian State Deputy Ashot Yegiazaryan against U.S. citizen Pyotr Zalmayev, the court decision reads. The Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) has received a copy of the decision.

Earlier, Yegiazaryan was deprived of his parliamentary immunity in Russia, as he is under investigation on fraud charges and faces 10 years in prison. He has been on the federal wanted list since November 2010 and on the international wanted list since late December. The State Duma consented to his arrest in the United States in March.

In April, the deputy filed a lawsuit against Zalmayev to declare information that he published in Jewish Journal as defamatory. Zalmayev sought to prevent Yegiazaryan from receiving asylum in the United States.

In his response to Yegiazaryan's claim, he sought to dismiss claims under four of five charges. The charges dealt with articles and letters written by other journalists and human rights activists who requested not to grant Yegiazaryan asylum. The plaintiff found that the texts were written under Zalmayev's influence. The court sided with the defendant and refused to consider four charges.

At the same time, the judge partially upheld Yegiazaryan's appeal to dismiss several claims by Zalmayev in his counter defamation lawsuit.

The Russian investigative bodies believe that Yegiazaryan and three accomplices purchased 20 percent of Centurion Alliance's shares worth a total of 1.57 billion rubles ($50.45 million).

A criminal case on fraud charges has been initiated against Yegiazaryan. He may face up to 10 years in prison.