A video from the Moscow courtroom shows blogger Elena Blinovskaya being led into detention after a court session. She will stay in pre-trial detention through April 26. The images came from a Telegram channel associated with the Courts of general jurisdiction of Moscow.
The Moscow Zamoskvoretsky District Court cited repeated violations of the terms of her house arrest as the reason for the change in preventive measure, moving Blinovskaya from house arrest to detention until April 26, 2024, according to the court’s official statement.
Blinovskaya appeared before a judge on January 22. Investigators stated that she breached the conditions of house arrest by organizing a party with 15 attendees, including a key witness with whom she was forbidden to communicate. If convicted on all counts, she could face a substantial prison term potentially reaching up to 16 years.
Investigators also noted Blinovskaya’s alleged involvement in violations linked to Article 187 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers illegal turnover of means of payment, with two distinct grounds cited by prosecutors.
Earlier, on April 27, 2023, Blinovskaya was detained as she attempted to leave Russia for international travel. This incident led to the opening of a criminal case against her for alleged tax evasion.
On December 14, the Moscow City Court approved an extension of her house arrest provided that 918 million rubles in taxes remain unpaid by January 26, 2024.
Reports have indicated that Blinovskaya has not acknowledged guilt regarding a new charge, and the case continues through the judicial process.