Bout to wait up to 45 days for an appeal hearing

Russian businessman Victor Bout remains in a Thai jail. Prosecutors have filed a last-minute appeal against a Bangkok court decision to reject a U.S. request for his extradition.

Bout’s lawyer has reported receiving the prosecutor’s bid for appeal near noon Moscow time. The prosecutor’s office now has 30 days to submit the appeal itself. After the bid is submitted, Bout’s counsel has another 15 days to submit their answer. Then the Court of Appeal will rule without any court sessions.Bout was detained in March, 2008, accused of supplying weapons to terrorist organizations.However, on August 11, 2009, he was found not guilty by a Thai court, and had the appeal not been submitted, Bout would have been free to leave.Bout may still be released on bail. According to his wife Alla Bout, the court will decide on this on August 17-18.Meanwhile, Bout’s counsel is preparing a lawsuit against the Thai prosecutor’s office for issuing a double order for arrest and forgery.