A Bulgarian court ruled on Wednesday to deny bail to Annadurdi Hajiev, a member of Turkmen opposition movement Watan, who was detained in Bulgaria last month.
Hajiev was arrested in the Black Sea port of Varna, where he has lived for the past six years, at the request of Turkmen authorities.
The Varna district court ruled to keep Hajiev under arrest until April 2, pending an extradition request by Turkmen authorities.
The court also reiterated it would refuse to extradite Hajiev if there is any suspicion he faces prison time because of his political convictions.
It is the second time Hajiev, a former deputy governor at the Turkmen central bank, is arrested in Bulgaria on accusations of having appropriated USD 41 M from the country's central bank. The Varna district court refused to extradite him in 2002.