Russia's request to extradite Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva, who was arrested in Albania on suspicion of espionage, has taken an unexpected turn.
A source from the Department of Foreign Relations at the Ministry of Justice told Tch journalist Muhamed Veliu that Timoveva, when she was informed of the extradition request, refused to willingly accept her return to her country. Top Channel has seen her statement where she says.
Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva: I don't want, I don't want to be extradited to Russia, as Russia wants me based on its court decision, but I risk being subjected to other punishments for actions that are not violations of the law but against the person mine will be done in this way. This is due to the fact that I was against the attack on Ukraine. Regarding Putin's political stance on the war in Ukraine, I have come out openly on social networks.
Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva, when she was interviewed about the issue of extradition, explained the reasons for her opposition to this request of Russia.
Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva: If I will be extradited to Russia, I will be persecuted because of my social, political beliefs, national affiliation, respect for the separation between states. My person is not safe in the Russian state as they seek to convict me in a case where I am a witness.
This statement of Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva has been added to the file of the extradition request that is expected to be examined by the Elbasan court.
A few weeks ago, Top Channel reported that Russia forwarded to Albania the request for Timofeva's extradition, on the charge of committing the criminal offense of "Illegal obtaining of information that constitutes a state secret".
The personal security measure "arrest in prison" has been set for her and she has been declared wanted by the Russian Federation.
At the end of August last year, Svetlana Valerevna Timoveva together with Mikhail Zorin and Fedis Alpatov tried to enter the former military plant in Gramsh and threw pepper spray at the military guards of the facility.
After the arrest and accusations of espionage, they were sentenced to prison, a measure that was also upheld by the Durrës appeal.
Investigations into their activity have been postponed by the prosecutor's office of Elbasan in anticipation of taking the case to trial.