The Primorsky District Court has reversed the prior ruling against Artyom Samsonov, a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Primorye, who was found guilty in a child molestation case and has sent the matter back for a fresh hearing. This update is reported by DEA News with reference to Elena Oleneva, the court’s press secretary.
According to the investigation and court records, between June 1 and July 31, 2018, Samsonov was at a Vladivostok recreation center on a day when he interacted with the son of a friend, who was 11 years old. During that visit, the deputy showed the boy a private object and described its alleged purpose, an incident that has been central to the dispute.
On September 20, 2022, in Vladivostok, the Soviet District Court sentenced Artem Samsonov, a deputy aligned with the Communist Party in Primorye, to 13 years in prison on charges related to molesting a minor. The defendant maintained his innocence, arguing that the accusations were false and possibly politically motivated.
Samsonov and his lawyers contested the case, filing a complaint with the Primorsky District Court alleging a breach of the secrecy of the negotiating room. Following a review, the charges were reinstated and the matter was brought back before a district court, ultimately being reassigned for a fresh trial with a new panel as of February 8.
According to Oleneva, the judgment against Samsonov was annulled, and the criminal case was moved from the stage of preparation for trial in the same court to a new trial in a different judicial composition. The official noted that the detention order was replaced with three months of house arrest, resulting in Samsonov’s release from custody.