MOSCOW, December 19 - RAPSI. The court has postponed on Monday until December 21 its hearing of an appeal filed by Viktor Baturin, the brother of Russia's richest woman, against his arrest fraud charges, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports from the courtroom.

The hearing opened with a statement made by Baturin's attorney that his client wishes to take part in the appeal consideration and personally supplement the attorneys' arguments.

The prosecutor did not object.

The court has satisfied the application and ruled to provide videoconference communication from the detention center where Baturin has been kept so he can defend his position in person.

The defense has applied to declare his arrest unlawful and release him from custody.

A Moscow district court issued an arrest warrant for Baturin on fraud charges in the amount of 10.8 million rubles ($340,000) in late November.

Earlier, Baturin was given a suspended sentence for real estate fraud.