Investigators Request Absentia Arrest of Belarusian Rower Who Became a Mercenary

MOSCOW, June 4. Investigation filed petitions in the Basmanny Court of Moscow for the arrest in absentia of Pavel Shurmey, a participant in two Olympics as part of the Belarusian rowing team, and four other foreigners under the article on mercenarism in an armed conflict, the court reported.
«The court received petitions from the investigation to select a preventive measure in absentia in the form of detention in relation to Fraser D.R., Gat I., Shurmey P.A. and Varshanidze S.,” said the agency’s interlocutor.
The court also received a petition for arrest in absentia of Badri Chopliani, a member of the Georgian National Legion, the authorities added. They are charged with Part 3 of Art. 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict or hostilities).

Pavel Shurmei is a Belarusian rower, participant in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. In Belarus, a criminal case has been opened against him for participating in an armed formation on the territory of a foreign state, the local Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. The media wrote that he was fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.