[
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2004 12:41:48 PM ]
TOKYO: Lawyers for
former chess champion Bobby Fischer and the government exchanged documents
Tuesday in the first court hearing on his legal battle against deportation to
the United States.
Fischer, who is wanted in the United States on charges of violating
international sanctions against
Yugoslavia, has
filed a lawsuit against an order to deport him. He has been detained by
Japanese authorities
since July 13.
The court session in Tokyo on Tuesday was brief, with attorneys exchanging
documents containing their arguments and evidence. The next session was
scheduled for Jan. 29.
"Our ultimate goal is to reverse his deportation order to the United States,"
said Masako Suzuki, one of Fischer's lawyers. "He is detained under harsh
conditions and we also want to win his release as soon as possible."
Fischer is wanted by the United States for violating international sanctions
when he played a rematch in Yugoslavia in 1992 against longtime rival
Boris Spassky.
He won and took home $3.5 million in prize money.