A Tajikistan-based blogger named Salmon Rajabzoda faced arrest after a series of online videos in which he mocked and insulted girls of Slavic appearance. The information was confirmed by the press service representing the capital city’s prosecutor’s office in a statement circulated through a Telegram channel. The case has drawn attention to how online expression is handled by authorities in the region and the potential penalties for content that targets protected groups or violates public order rules.
According to the published update, the court imposed a measure to restrict Rajabzoda’s movements while the investigation continues, placing him under house arrest. This preventive measure is intended to ensure that the suspect remains available for questioning and does not interfere with the investigative process or influence witnesses as the case proceeds. Officials emphasized that the legal proceedings are moving forward under the supervision of the appropriate regional prosecutorial authority to maintain procedural integrity and accountability.
The supervisory authority also noted that the investigation is being conducted under the oversight of the Simonovsky Interregional Prosecutor’s Office. This level of oversight suggests that the case involves aspects that cross administrative boundaries and require coordination between multiple jurisdictions, ensuring a rigorous review of the actions accused and the justification for any charges brought by the state. The involvement of a higher prosecutorial office underlines the seriousness with which the case is treated and the expectation that investigative steps will be documented and compliant with established law.
In a separate development from Moscow, two other young bloggers, Vladislav Belokopytov and Maxim Grishin, received administrative detention for ten and seven days respectively after violating safety rules on the Moscow metro. The incident involved them standing on the roof of a train car as it approached a station, moving along the roofs of successive cars while cameras recorded the actions. Belokopytov also reportedly removed two bulbs from a chandelier, highlighting how seemingly minor acts can escalate into administrative violations when public safety rules are breached and the camera coverage is extensive. The authorities cited part 3 of article 11.15.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which governs safety violations in public transit environments, as the basis for the penalties. The case illustrates the broader focus on maintaining safety standards in densely trafficked urban transit systems and the swift enforcement that follows violations captured on video.
Earlier this year, a separate courtroom decision in Bryansk involved a case against a young woman who had burned her passport. She was subsequently placed under house arrest as part of the judicial sentence, illustrating how authorities apply house arrest in cases thought to involve personal safety, security concerns, or the risk of flight. The Bryansk outcome underscores recurring themes in regional enforcement where the balance between freedom of movement and legal constraints is resolved through detention measures that aim to prevent potential evasion of proceedings while investigations are ongoing. Observers note that these cases reflect a broader pattern of how authorities respond to actions performed in public or semi-public spaces, particularly when the acts are recorded and disseminated online.