13 March 2020

I am not surprised by yesterday’s decision of the Meshchansky Court convicting me.

The investigations in Russia have not been independent, objective, open-minded or fair, and I knew that I would not receive a fair trial on the charges resulting from these investigations. I therefore did not participate in this trial.

However, as anticipated, the trial was characterised by a series of flagrant and fundamental breaches of fairness reflecting a clear failure to even try to independently and impartially consider the allegations.  Yesterday’s decision stands in clear contrast to other decisions by non-Russian judicial and investigative bodies which considered the allegations against me. Interpol withdrew a red notice against me while other non-Russian bodies have either determined that such evidence offered by the Russian authorities was completely insufficient to ground any action, or that there is worrying evidence of political interference in the investigation against me. 

I will continue to vigorously defend all actions against me in front of courts where I am confident of a fair and impartial hearing.

Andrey Borodin

In connection with the planned reappointment of Yuri Chaika as Prosecutor General of Russia and in addition to the recently published high-profile investigation by the Anti-corruption Foundation I would like to share another interesting story from the biography of this outstanding statesman.

According to the RBC article published in August last year, in 2014 the son of Prosecutor General Igor Chaika organized a highly profitable (thanks to multibillion-rouble government contracts) business of removal and disposal of refuse in Moscow. It was not arranged from scratch. The assets and equipment of the enterprise were made by the assets of existing companies, which up to 2014 had been on the balance sheet of… Bank of Moscow. Continue reading →