Moscow, Russia – The Lefortovsky District Court in Moscow arrested Bellingcat journalist Hristo Grozev in absentia for two months on charges of illegally crossing the state border of the Russian Federation. The term will be calculated from the time of his extradition to Russia or from the time of his detention on the territory of the country.
According to the map in the court database, the investigation request for Grozev’s arrest was received on April 21. The same day, the court granted him. The fact that the journalist became a defendant in a criminal case on illegal border crossing had not previously been reported. The FSB investigator, who came to the meeting on the case of Grozev’s arrest in absentia, said he was not allowed to comment as an official. The article against which the journalist is charged provides for a fine of up to 200,000 rubles, hard labor or imprisonment for up to two years.
In December 2022, the Russian Interior Ministry put Khristo Grozev on the wanted list under a certain criminal article but did not provide details. RIA Novosti citing a source wrote that Grozev was accused of spreading “fake news” about the Russian military.
Hristo Grozev is the executive director of the Bellingcat investigative project.
Previously, journalist Hristo Grozev decided not to return to Austria due to a possible threat from Russian special services.
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