Media Ban Extended in Halil Arslanov Case as Court Moves to Closed Hearings
The criminal proceedings involving Halil Arslanov, formerly a deputy chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, are set to proceed without media access and public attendance. This development was reported by TASS, which cited the court in its bulletin.
According to the court, the petition from the prosecutor’s office was granted, and it was decided that the cases of Kh. A. Arslanov and the two other defendants would be heard behind closed doors. The tribunal scheduled the next session for June 24 at 14 00.
Confirming the decision, the State Prosecutor’s Office explained that materials in the case included items classified as official secrets, which warranted the closure of the proceedings.
The case also involves other figures connected to the operations of the armed forces. These include Colonel Pavel Kutakhov, who headed a department tasked with improving the technical framework of the RF Armed Forces control system, military retiree Igor Yakovlev, and a pre trial agreement concerning a former Arslanov deputy, Major General Alexander Ogloblin. Ogloblin has already been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
Earlier reporting indicated that the investigative phase in the Halil Arslanov matter, which involves allegations of bribery and fraud, had concluded. The timeline shows Arslanov was detained at his residence in February 2020. He faces charges of embezzling about 6.7 billion rubles and accepting bribes totaling around 12 million rubles. Arslanov continues to maintain his innocence.
The ongoing proceedings reflect scrutiny of senior military channels and the handling of financial and managerial duties within the Russian Armed Forces. The court’s ruling to proceed behind closed doors underscores the sensitive nature of the materials involved and the measures taken to protect national security interests while the case unfolds.
Observers note that the outcome of these hearings could influence how similar cases involving high ranking military officials are managed in the future, particularly in the context of transparency, governance, and the treatment of official secrets in high profile investigations. The next steps will hinge on the evidence presented, the legal arguments raised by prosecutors and defense teams, and the overarching framework of military justice that governs such matters.