A court in Moscow on Tuesday upheld U.S. investor Michael Calvey’s house arrest on fraud charges despite the revelation that he has a malignant tumor.
Calvey faces embezzlement charges that he says are being used to pressure him in a business dispute. A Moscow court had ruled last month to extend the house arrest of Calvey, his French business partner Philippe Delpal and three others until Aug. 13.
Calvey’s lawyer told an appeals judge that his client is suffering from a malignant tumor and that keeping him under house arrest violates his rights, the RBC news website reported ahead of Tuesday’s decision.
Moscow's first court of appeals rejected the request to release Calvey and the other defendants from house arrest early.
Calvey himself said prior to the ruling that he has soft tissue sarcoma following a hip arthroscopy on March 20.
“Doctors who observe me are concerned about the low level of vitamin D in my blood and recommend daily walks in addition to medications,” RBC quoted Calvey as saying.
Calvey and other executives at the private equity group Bring Vostok were detained in February 2019 after investigators accused them of embezzling 2.5 billion rubles ($36.4 million).
The case, which the defendants say is an attempt to pressure them in a business dispute over control of mid-sized bank Vostochny, has rattled Russia’s business and foreign investment communities.
Calvey has been under house arrest since April 2019.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
