MOSCOW, December 16 - RAPSI. The Supreme Court's Military Board has adjourned until December 19 its hearing of an appeal against the court judgment in the human trafficking case, defense counsel of the key defendant, Main Intelligence Directorate Lt. Col. Dmitry Strykanov, told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com).

The board decided to postpone the case to allow all the parties time to present their cases.

The Investigative Committee's military department earlier reported that the defendants have been charged with trafficking 129 women from Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Russia to European and Middle Eastern countries from 1999 to 2007. A total of 13 people, including six Russians, five Moldavians and two Israeli, were prosecuted in the case.

Strykanov was detained on March 14, 2007 on suspicion of human trafficking. In May the police arrested three foreigners on the same charges.

The criminal ring members were charged with human trafficking, involving women (including under-age) into prostitution, forgery and illegal migration.