During an interview on aired Spanish National Television (TVE), Mr. Jose Antonio Penichet, the attorney of the Russian Consulate in Las Palmas, raised the question of whether the xenophobic attitude of Las Palmas judiciary is to blame for a flagrantly unjust treatment of the family of Spanish entrepreneur of Russian-Jewish origins, also known as “The Kokorev Case”. Vladimir Kokorev, as well as his wife and son, remain in pre-trial detention in Las Palmas (Spain) on unclear charges and without access to the case file for already over 18 months, with no expectation of a trial or even a formal accusation.

The media outcry was caused by the tape of conversation between judges Salvador Alba, Emilio Moya and Carlos Vielba that was uncovered by Spanish newspaper Canarias 7. The audio log, containing racial slurs against citizens of Russia, Italy and Romania among others, and misogynic expressions is publicly available, and was aired on Spanish national TV stations. So far neither Spanish courts nor Spanish Ministry of Justice has no steps to identify and publicly name the judge who made offensive remarks. “I am confident that if Vladimir had a Spanish family name, he would have not suffer the same treatment,” said Mr. Penichet, pointing out that Kokorev (66) which has no criminal record and voluntary consented to extradition to Spain had suffered a heart attack, minor stroke and prostate cancer.