Convicted Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, should serve his prison term in standard conditions, not as a dangerous criminal, Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika said on Wednesday.
“I have asked [them] to treat him in conditions that would match the crime he committed, therefore he should serve the sentence on general grounds, not as the dangerous recidivist,” Chaika said, adding that he had discussed this issue with his U.S. counterpart, Eric Holder who had expressed “understanding” about the issue.
Holder who was on his visit to Russia on May 29, said that he would study the possibility of transferring Bout and ex-pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who serves a 20-year prison term in the United States for drug trafficking, to Russia.
The U.S. Attorney General also said that he was ready to look into possibilities for softening the prison regime for both Russians.
The U.S. has recently announced plans to transfer Bout to the so-called supermax prison in Colorado, where convicted terrorists and other dangerous criminals are serving their sentences, often in solitary confinement.
Bout, a former Soviet military officer, was found guilty of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, including military officers and employees, conspiring to use anti-aircraft missiles, and selling millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to the Colombian rebel group FARC. He is now serving a 25-year prison term in the Unites States.
Both Bout and Yaroshenko have denied their guilt.