The Moscow Simonovsky Court has ordered the seizure of 11 apartments belonging to journalist Andrei Karaulov, who is identified as a foreign agent in Russia, as part of interim measures in a criminal case under investigation. This outcome was disclosed in an appeal ruling issued by the Moscow City Court and published by TASS. Source: TASS.
The ruling of the Simonovsky District Court was upheld by the Moscow City Court, which rejected Karaulov’s appeal through his counsel. Source: TASS.
The document notes that the district court permitted the seizure of AV Karaulov’s 11 residential properties across multiple addresses, prohibiting any sale, donation, rental, or other transfers of ownership, and restricting the use of the property for the benefit of third parties. Source: TASS.
The decision also indicates that despite Karaulov’s claims, investigators suspect him of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which concerns operating a business without proper registration. He has been placed on a federal wanted list, and authorities are seeking information about his location and the progress of the investigation. The document states that the journalist denies guilt and argues that there is insufficient evidence to prove criminal conduct. Source: TASS.
A Moscow inspector from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Karaulov leased the 11 apartments to others. Law enforcement views these properties as instruments used to commit offenses, which explains their seizure. Source: TASS.
Additionally, two more criminal cases were opened against the journalist on charges of defamation brought by Rostec chairman Sergei Chemezov and director Nikita Mikhalkov. Karaulov told TASS that he was undergoing medical treatment abroad in the United Arab Emirates and did not intend to evade the investigation, though he currently cannot travel for medical reasons. Source: TASS.
Earlier, it was reported by researchers that Russia may require between 390,000 and 1.1 million migrants annually to maintain its population levels. Source: TASS.