Press Release, 3.04.2025

Photo: Konstantin Smirnov at a court hearing via video link / Photo by Vid Sboku

On 3 April, the Ryazan Regional Court upheld the decision of the court of the lower instance to extend the arrest for Konstantin Smirnov, the Editor-in-Chief of the Vid Sboku (Side View) online media and deputy of the Dubrovichi rural settlement from Yabloko, until 30 May. Konstantin Smirnov participated in the hearing via a video conference from the pretrial detention centre.

Smirnov has been held in the Ryazan pretrial detention centre since 31 January on charges of alleged extortion from the Acting General Director of the Capital Repairs Fund Alexei Rogotovsky. Smirnov does not admit guilt.

The Sovietsky District Court of Ryazan had previously extended Smirnov’s arrest for another two months. The defence had asked to change his preventive measure to house arrest. It should be noted that at the hearing in the Sovietsky Distrcit Court on 27 March, the investigator did not answer the question of the defence and Konstantin Smirnov about how he, being under house arrest, could flee from the trial and interfere with the investigation.

During the hearing of Smirnov’s appeal in the regional court, the public prosecutor asked the court to leave Smirnov in custody, repeating the arguments of the investigation, including that he could flee from the trial. Konstantin Smirnov and his defence stated that the trial court had superficially considered the case and asked to change a preventive measure for Smirnov to any measure not related to imprisonment.

However, the regional court upheld the decision of the court of the lower instance on extending the arrest.

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