Polonsky wants to seek Cambodian citizenship

Photo: RIA Novosti

Jan 12, 2013
Voice of Russia, Interfax

Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky intends to seek Cambodian citizenship after being released from the Cambodian prison, Polonsky's former business partner on foreign projects Sergei Vladi told Interfax on Saturday.

"Sergei Polonsky has sent a letter to the king of Cambodia in which he apologized for the problems he has caused and apologizes to the people of Cambodia.

He says it was a misunderstanding and says he has some complaints about the living conditions in prison. He also said he will ask the king to grant him citizenship after his name is cleared of the accusations of the crimes he did not commit," Vladi said. The Cambodian chancellery has confirmed the receipt of the Russian businessman's letter, he said.

Vladi also said Polonsky intends to continue his business in Cambodia after he is acquitted.

A controversial Russian real estate tycoon, Sergei Polonsky, and his two friends may soon be released from a Cambodian prison after their alleged victims agreed to settle for a compensation, Polonsky’s ex-partner Sergei Vladi has told journalists in a telephone interview.

“It looks like the lawyer has brokered an agreement between the ship’s crew and Sergei Polonsky, according to which they will accept his apologies and some cash compensation,” Mr.Vladi said.

Polonsky’s former business partner said he didn’t know the exact sum that is to be paid to the sailors but added it wasn’t “shedloads of money.”

Sergei Vladi also told the media Polonsky was going to move for the case retrial.

A Cambodian court is not going to consider a release on bail of Russian tycoon Sergei Polonsky and two other Russian nationals yet, their defense attorney told reporters in a phone interview from the Cambodian city of Sihanoukville on Friday.

“The magistrate is still probing the case. The court won’t be able to start bail-out process of Sergei Polonsky and his friends until the end of investigation,” a lawyer said on the conditions of anonymity.

On Wednesday, the three Russian nationals replaced their defense attorneys and the official interpreter, handing over their case to a fresh team of lawyers.

Over the past two days, the investigative magistrate tasked police with arraigning the alleged victims and inspecting the vessel where the incident took place.

Sergei Polonsky and two other Russians have been charged with intentional violence and illegal detention.