Interpol falls short of commenting on Russian citizen's detention in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Interpol refused to comment on the detention of a Russian citizen in Armenia, urging media outlets to apply to Armenian or U.S. authorities for a comment.

Russian computer programmer Sergey Mironov was detained in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on Friday, August 26 for alleged money laundering and illegal transfer of military technology, despite having no Interpol record. Mironov's arrest was made following a U.S. government request, his lawyer told RT.

Mironov was arrested by Armenian security forces after arriving in Yerevan with his wife, Mironov's lawyer in Russia, Karen Nersesyan, said, according to RT. After the arrest, he was moved to solitary confinement in Yerevan.

"Mironov was vaguely told that he was being arrested per U.S. request, where he is wanted for alleged money laundering crimes worth $50,000," Nersesyan said.

Nersesyan describes the request as "very strange," since Interpol has no record of Mironov in its international database. Moreover, no one at his work in Moscow is aware of any pending charges against him.

Mironov works as a programmer in Moscow and doesn't have access to any secret materials or technologies, the lawyer said.

"According to the law, he cannot be held in prison past Monday, which is when the Armenian court will decide what to do with him," the lawyer said.

According to Mironov's wife, Yulia, a Russian consul has already visited Mironov. The Armenian authorities have given her a chance to see him as well."