[25/01/2018 08:09]

ADEN-SABA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has conducted telephone calls with Russian party on Yemeni student Abdullah Ghussais, who is held in Russia prison over charges of having qat leaves, said Yemen's Foreign Minister Abdulmalik al-Mikhlafi.

Al-Mikhlafi also made telephone calls with the student asking about his situation, assuring him of following up his issue until releasing him and then to return to Yemen to spend his term in the country.

Upon directives from President Hadi, the ministry put the student's issue on the top list of its communications with Russian government and has already sent two letters clarifying to Russian authorities that qat is not criminalized by Yemeni law and appointed a lawyer to defend the student.

He noted that the government respects Russian judiciary and effective laws in Russia, pointing out that he sent a letter to his Russian counterpart for activating the treaty of extraditing convicted people between Yemen and Russia. The treaty states that the accused should spent his verdict term in his country.

He noted that his recent talks with Minister Lavrov and a number of Russian officials were about releasing the student and they promised of responding to the demand and activating the treaty.

The student thanked President Hadi, Minister al-Mikhlafi and Yemen's embassy in Moscow.

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