KIEV, August 22 - RAPSI. Ukraine will not extradite to Russia an individual suspected of plotting to kill President Vladimir Putin before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issues a decision on the lawfulness of his extradition, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said on Wednesday.
"We will wait for the court's judgment, and then the Prosecutor General's Office will make a decision," the Ukrainian National News agency quoted Pshonka as saying.
In February, the Russian and Ukrainian security services reported the arrest of the suspects in the case. Adam Osmayev, who was born in Chechnya, had been placed on an international wanted list and was wanted by the law enforcement authorities since 2008. He has been charged with terrorist crimes. The suspects were allegedly planning to assassinate Putin after the election.
The Odessa Regional Appeals Court dismissed Osmayev's extradition appeal and upheld the decision by the Prosecutor General's Office to transfer him to Russia.
However, Osmayev submitted an application to the ECHR, which in turn advised Ukraine to suspend the extradition proceedings. The court will hear the application on a priority basis.
According to Ukrainian prosecutors, the ruling was forwarded by diplomatic mail. The court has accepted Osmayev's application and granted him the status of an individual challenging a local court ruling.