On 2 October, the Russian Public Prosecutor's Office requested the State to get cash, another assets and movable and immovable assets of Timur Turlov, president of FIDE, and associated entities. The value of the claim is expected to scope hundreds of millions of dollars, and the trial interview is scheduled for October 15. A suit does not prejudge the defendants.
Russian D.A. demands wealth
The suit went to the Twerski territory Court in Moscow. How stated Interfax, citing law enforcement representatives, Russia's lawyer General wants to take over the state's cash, another assets and movable and immovable assets with a full value of hundreds of millions of dollars. At this stage, it is the prosecution's claim, not a final court ruling.
The defendants are Timur Turlov, Freedom Holding Corp., Freedom Finance Europe Ltd., W-Empirical Holding Corp. and entrepreneur Arkady Szczukin, portrayed by Russian media as Turlov's business partner. The first trial interview was scheduled for October 15. The publically available information does not yet explain the legal basis for all requests or those specifically considered by the Russian prosecution to be subject to seizure.
This caution is necessary. The suit itself proves no of the defendants' guilt. However, the Russian State has made a request of large value, and so the substance goes beyond a simple economical dispute.
Turlov just took over FIDE
The case hits the businessman respective days after his election as president of the global Chess Federation. FIDE announced the election of Timur Turlov on September 26. In the second circular of the vote, he received 110 votes and replaced Arkady Dworkowicz, erstwhile Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, who led the federation since 2018.
Turlov is the founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, he renounced Russian citizenship and remained a citizen of Kazakhstan. The group decided in 2022 to exit the Russian market, and the sales of its business ended in 2023.
Freedom Holding told Russian media that he was analyzing the suit and did not realize its grounds. The company besides stated that it is not active in Russia and that there are no assets there. This position stands in clear tension with the prosecutor's request. Only procedural papers and further decisions of the court will show what Moscow is basing the claim on.
State force doesn't end at the border
Russia has long been expanding its legal capacity to exert force on people and capital outside its own territory. In August we described Act to block assets and part of services to Russians abroad. This does not mean that this act is the basis for the suit against Turlov. However, it shows the direction: the Russian state is building a wide instrumentarium to scope for assets and exert economical pressure.
Kazakhstan remains closely connected economically with Russia and at the same time tries to conduct its own policy towards war. This hard balance was seen erstwhile Astana appealed for the freezing of the front in UkraineWhile the Kremlin was preparing society for long wartime activities. The suit against the citizen of Kazakhstan and the head of the planet sports federation will so be watched far outside Moscow.
For Poland, the proposal is practical. Russian hazard is not limited to rockets, sabotage and propaganda. It besides includes courts, prosecutor's office, assets and dependencies left after years of conducting business in Russia. Polish companies and institutions must treat vulnerability to Russian jurisdiction as a real threat to capital and security. In the state of law, confiscation requires a clear basis, clear evidence and an independent court. In Russia, all case should be judged with double caution.
Source: Interfax, FIDE, RBK, Wiedomosti, Kresy.pl.
