03:31Russia: French musician Marouani says he is victim of 'criminal actions' amid detention and plagiarism row
French musician Didier Marouani held a press conference in Moscow, Wednesday, following his release from police detention earlier in the day, amid accusations and counter-accusations of plagiarism, extortion and slander in an ongoing row with Russian singer Philipp Kirkorov.
Marouani, the founder of the disco group 'Space,' was detained on Tuesday night alongside his lawyer Igor Trunov. Marouani’s legal representative reportedly said Kirkorov had agreed to an out-of-court settlement in a copyright infringement case that had earlier been dismissed by a Moscow court.
However during a planned meeting to discuss the issue, Marouani explained that instead of Kirkorov's scheduled arrival, "after a minute, 60 policemen broke in, and they didn't behave very kindly, they said nobody should speak, they took everybody’s phones and didn't allow us to talk with anyone, and everyone had to be silent."
He added, "so we became the victims of a trap, we became the victims of something very stupid, criminal actions, for eight hours I was a criminal suspect."
Kirkorov's lawyers have said their client had not agreed to the meeting with Marouani and Trunov.
Marouani’s lawyer informed the press that "today, after this press conference, we are going to the offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where they have invited Didier for questioning, what kind of questioning we don't know."
Marouani was released after being held in detention overnight because, as a French citizen he cannot be questioned without the presence of an official from his country's embassy.
Kirkorov's lawyers have denied the accusations in the copyright infringement case, instead accusing Marouani and his lawyer of extortion and slander. The case continues.
03:31French musician Didier Marouani held a press conference in Moscow, Wednesday, following his release from police detention earlier in the day, amid accusations and counter-accusations of plagiarism, extortion and slander in an ongoing row with Russian singer Philipp Kirkorov.
Marouani, the founder of the disco group 'Space,' was detained on Tuesday night alongside his lawyer Igor Trunov. Marouani’s legal representative reportedly said Kirkorov had agreed to an out-of-court settlement in a copyright infringement case that had earlier been dismissed by a Moscow court.
However during a planned meeting to discuss the issue, Marouani explained that instead of Kirkorov's scheduled arrival, "after a minute, 60 policemen broke in, and they didn't behave very kindly, they said nobody should speak, they took everybody’s phones and didn't allow us to talk with anyone, and everyone had to be silent."
He added, "so we became the victims of a trap, we became the victims of something very stupid, criminal actions, for eight hours I was a criminal suspect."
Kirkorov's lawyers have said their client had not agreed to the meeting with Marouani and Trunov.
Marouani’s lawyer informed the press that "today, after this press conference, we are going to the offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where they have invited Didier for questioning, what kind of questioning we don't know."
Marouani was released after being held in detention overnight because, as a French citizen he cannot be questioned without the presence of an official from his country's embassy.
Kirkorov's lawyers have denied the accusations in the copyright infringement case, instead accusing Marouani and his lawyer of extortion and slander. The case continues.