Russian pianist charged with raping a 14 year-old boy

Moscow (dpa) – A Russian pianist charged with raping a 14-

year-old boy in Thailand returned to the South-East Asian country on

Saturday, his spokeswoman said.

Mikhail Pletnev flew back from Moscow, where he was allowed to

return on July 8 for a concert after promising Thai authorities he

would come back to resolve matters.

The 53-year-old concert pianist denied the charges against him,

Pletnev’s spokeswoman Svetlana Shaplygina told the Russian news

agency Interfax.

   Pletnev – a renowned pianist, composer and founder of the

Russian National Orchestra – was arrested on July 5 in Pattaya, a

beach resort 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, on charges of

raping the Thai boy.

   He was released the following day on bail of 300,000 baht

(9,375 dollars).

   Pattaya court, which initially barred Pletnev from leaving the

country, later agreed to his lawyers’ request that he could travel to

Russia on condition he return by July 18.