NEW YORK, March 28 - RAPSI. The defense of Russian businessman Vitktor Bout requested the court to release him because his guilt has not been proven, reads the petition, submitted to the U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin.

The document says that the charges should be withdrawn and there is no other alternative, since the minimum sentence for the offence is 25 years in prison, which is too much, considering the case facts. The defense will go on defending its position and impeaching the verdict.

On November 2 the jury of the Federal District Court of New York unanimously found Bout guilty of conspiring to kill U.S. officials and citizens, of acquiring and intending to use anti-aircraft missiles and providing support to terrorists.

Bout claims he is innocent. The prosecutor's office has yet to submit to the judge its proposal on the Russian businessman's punishment. He faces a sentence ranging from 25 year to life imprisonment.