Russian woman sentenced for pimping in Finland is evading prison in Moscow

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Tatyana Viitanen, a woman who was found guilty of providing prostitutes with premises in downtown Helsinki apartments that were owned by the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation, is apparently hiding in Russia in order to evade her Finnish prison sentence.
      The Helsinki District Court sentenced the Russian woman to two years and three months in prison on June 30th 2005 for aggravated pimping. The actions had gone on for a period of more than two years.
      The Court has now ordered her to be placed under arrest immediately after she has been apprehended.
     
"As far as we know she fled to Russia at the beginning of the Finnish Frontier Guard's strike last summer, when there were hardly any Finnish passport inspections for travellers crossing into Russia", reports Detective Chief Inspector Seppo Sillanpää from the Helsinki Police Department.
      Viitanen's counsel Aarno Negru-Vode confirms the information, saying that she is currently staying in Moscow.
      The Frontier Guard strike ended 24 hours before the District Court handed down its sentence on Viitanen, but she was already then behind the eastern border.
     
There is no way Tatyana Viitanen could be delivered to prison unless she herself comes to Finland. Russia does not extradite its citizens to other countries.
      Viitanen filed an appeal to the Helsinki Court of Appeal against her sentence, but did not arrive at the court hearing in January. Consequently, her appeal was not handled.
      However, Viitanen demanded another hearing, saying that because of a sudden attack of illness she had been unable to attend in January. The Court of Appeal announced on Wednesday that there are no grounds for a new hearing.
      Viitanen can still apply for permission with the Supreme Court until June 5th 2006 to file another appeal.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Russian Trade Minister lambasts Finnish media over pimping scandal (28.1.2005)
  Russian woman arrested over suspicion of extensive pimping operation in Helsinki (19.10.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat