JERUSALEM, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - Jerusalem District Court upheld the decision for Gleb Grozovsky, a Russian priest suspected of sexually abusing children, to remain in custody pending a final decision on his extradition to Russia.
Later the same day, Grozovsky's attorney Haim Azencott said he would lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court of Israel following today's decision. The defense hopes that the Supreme Court will override the decision and order house arrest as a measure of restraint.
On September 22, Gleb Grozovsky was detained by Interpol in Israel, where he had spent one year trying to obtain local citizenship and refusing to return home without guarantees of personal liberty.
On September 23, the priest first appeared before the court, which has twice extended his arrest since that date.
Grozovsky, 34, is suspected of abusing two girls, aged 9 and 12, in June 2013 at a hotel on the territory of the Philadelphia Orthodox travel club on the Greek island of Kos, as well as of committing "a range of similar crimes in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region," according to Russia's Investigative Committee. Last year, he was put on an international wanted list on Russia's request.
The Israeli State Attorney's Office has filed a request for Grozovsky's extradition to Russia and applied for an extension of his custody for the duration of the proceedings.
Grozovsky claims to be innocent.
