Russian national Viktor Bout's family may visit him in prison in the United States sometime in 2019, but currently they are waiting to obtain the necessary US visas, his lawyer Alexey Tarasov told Sputnik on Monday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) Russian national Viktor Bout's family may visit him in prison in the United States sometime in 2019, but currently they are waiting to obtain the necessary US visas, his lawyer Alexey Tarasov told Sputnik on Monday.
"Viktor is looking forward to his family visiting him likely sometime next year," Tarasov said after meeting with his client in an Illinois prison.
Tarasov explained no specific dates for the visit have been set up yet.
"The visa process has still not been completed," Tarasov said.
Tarasov also noted that Bout is in good spirits and is hopeful he will return to Russia.
"[H]e is grateful for the support that his home country has shown to him," Tarasov said.
Bout, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence after being arrested in Bangkok in 2008 in a joint operation between Thai and US authorities on charges of conspiring to kill US nationals by allegedly agreeing to supply Colombian rebels with weapons.
In 2010, Bout was extradited to the United States where he was jailed, but he has denied all charges.
On September 14, Bout's wife Alla said that the Bout family members passed an interview in the US diplomatic mission and the decision on obtaining visas should be made in 30 days.
