ASIATODAY.ID, ST. PETERSBURG — Indonesia has moved to deepen its legal and judicial cooperation with Russia, while simultaneously approving the extradition of a Russian national sought by Moscow, signaling a new phase in bilateral law enforcement relations between the two countries.
Indonesian Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has authorized the extradition of a Russian citizen currently in Indonesia, following a formal request from the Russian government.
“The extradition of a Russian citizen was recently approved and signed by President Prabowo Subianto,” Supratman said during a meeting with Russian Prosecutor General Aleksandr V. Gutsan in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
The announcement came as Indonesia and Russia signed a new legal cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) treaty signed six years ago.
According to Supratman, Russia has submitted seven MLA requests to Indonesia since the agreement entered into force. Of those requests, one has been fulfilled, three remain under document-completion procedures in Russia, one was rejected, and two were withdrawn by Moscow.
The newly signed cooperation framework expands collaboration in information sharing, data access, legal research, and expert exchanges between the two countries’ judicial institutions.
The signing ceremony took place at the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office in St. Petersburg as part of Supratman’s bilateral visit to Russia and his participation in the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF).
The strengthened legal partnership reflects growing engagement between Jakarta and Moscow beyond traditional diplomatic and economic ties, particularly in transnational crime investigations, extradition matters, and cross-border judicial cooperation.
The extradition approval also underscores Indonesia’s willingness to utilize international legal mechanisms to address criminal cases involving foreign nationals, amid increasing global efforts to combat transnational crime networks.
For Russia, the development represents a significant step in securing stronger legal cooperation with Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a key regional player. (AT Network)
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