French court could review ruling on Belenkaya case - lawyer
A lawyer for Irina Belenkaya, a Russian woman embroiled in a custody battle with her estranged French husband over their daughter, has said a French court`s decision to award custody to the father could be reviewed.
Three-year-old Elise Andre was snatched from her father in Arles, southern France, on March 20 by three attackers, one of who Jean-Michel Andre said was Belenkaya. He was severely beaten in the attack.
Belenkaya, 36, was arrested on April 13 in Hungary attempting to take her daughter across the border into Ukraine. Irina was held in Hungary until late May, when she was flown to France to stand trial.
A French court announced a decision on Friday granting custody rights to Andre, and allowing Belenkaya to see the girl three times a month.
The court has, however, refused to meet the demands of Jean-Michel to be present at these meetings.
"We hope that the court`s decision will be annulled, and that a just decision will be taken," Anatoly Kucherena told RIA Novosti, adding: "I think that there is a strong possibility of this."
The lawyer said an appeal against the decision will be filed next week, and that: "Irina has the same rights to raise the child as Jean-Michel Andre."
Kucherena said the court`s decision was based on the fact that the girl`s mother has no permanent accommodation or job in France.
"We will take this into consideration. I think that Irina will find a job and will be able to rent a flat," he said.
Belenkaya said she had managed to see her child only twice since she returned to France, but that these meetings were short, and she had failed to establish real "human contact" with her.
The couple has been embroiled 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 divorce in 2007.
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