Belenkaya released, may see child, can return to Russia
Russia`s Irina Belenkaya, embroiled in a high-profile custody battle for her daughter with her estranged French husband, has been released from custody by prosecutors in France and can return to Russia until her trial.
Belenkaya was handed over to French police in Hungary on Wednesday and arrived in the southern French town of Aix-en-Provence to appear in court over the kidnapping of her daughter.
She was arrested on April 13 in Hungary while attempting to take her three-year-old daughter Elise across the border into Ukraine. The child returned to France with her father, Jean-Michel Andre.
During her short court appearance, the French authorities ruled that Belenkaya be released until a possible trial. As part of the conditions of her release she will be required to report regularly to a police station and is prohibited from visiting some French regions, but can return to Russia.
Olivier Rothe, the French prosecutor in the case, told journalists that Belenkaya "was free to return to Russia." The woman is still in France awaiting a possible reunion with her daughter, who she has not seen for almost six weeks.
"Thanks to everyone who supported me, many thanks to [lawyer] Anatoly Kucherena, to my country and my friends, unfortunately, I am afraid that I am not worthy of such attention," Belenkaya said soon after her release.
The lawyer of Jean-Michel Andre said he was also satisfied with the court`s ruling.
"This decision is appropriate for this situation. The priority is that the girl is reunited with her mother. I hope that we have turned a significant page in this complicated case," Victor Gioia said.
The couple has been entangled in a bitter custody battle resulting in Elise being "kidnapped" back and forth three times in the past two years. Andre was awarded custody by a French court after their split in 2007.
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