Common Statement of AEB, AmCham, AHK, CCI France Russie, CNCCEF and FRCC on Keeping Baring Vostok Capital Case Defendants in Pre-trial Detention

22.04.2019

The Association of European Businesses (AEB), the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce (AHK), the French-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI France Russie), Comité national des conseillers du Commerce extérieur de la France (CNCCEF) and the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce (SVKK) welcome the release of Michael Calvey, founder and CEO of Baring Vostok investment fund from pre-trial imprisonment to house arrest.

However, we remain deeply concerned at the decision of the Basmanny District Court of Moscow to keep Philippe Delpal as well as three other defendants in the case of Baring Vostok in pre-trial detention until 14 July 2019.

Our Chambers cannot and will not make any statement on the merits of the case. This will have to be assessed by an independent judiciary and we have full trust that this process will come to an objective conclusion.

But we find it inappropriate that criminal procedure measures like lengthy pre-trial imprisonment in Matrosskaya Tishina are being applied to what is in essence a commercial dispute. We note with regret the already heavy impact this case has on the business climate.

We again express our full solidarity with Philippe Delpal, as well as with his wife and two daughters who he has not seen for months. We express the same sympathy to the other detained employees of Baring Vostok and their relatives and family members.

We hope that the necessary adjustments to the legal process will be adopted, so that similar cases will be avoided in the future.

For more information, contact Ekaterina Mukhina, Communications Manager/Press Secretary by e-mail: [email protected] or by phone: +7 (495) 234 27 64