The Federal Security Service (FSB) – the successor to the KGB, the NKVD and Cheka – arrested Aviv last July on suspicion of “exchanging precious stones and unlawful possession of diamonds.” Russian law prohibits the export of raw diamonds mined in Russia, unless they are polished locally.
This was not the first time an Israeli diamond merchant was arrested under similar circumstances, but in all of the other cases they received long sentences, sometimes more than 10 years, which they served to the end; one even passed away in a Russian jail.
Jewish Diamond Dealer Released from FSB Custody
St. Petersburg, Russia — Israeli diamond dealer, Rafael Aviv, represented by Attys. Mordechai Tzivin and Gil Wojakowski, was released last week from a long period of custody during which he was held without trial by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) – the successor to the KGB, the NKVD and Cheka – arrested Aviv last July on suspicion of “exchanging precious stones and unlawful possession of diamonds.” Russian law prohibits the export of raw diamonds mined in Russia, unless they are polished locally.
This was not the first time an Israeli diamond merchant was arrested under similar circumstances, but in all of the other cases they received long sentences, sometimes more than 10 years, which they served to the end; one even passed away in a Russian jail.