The Moscow City Court on August 6 rejected an appeal filed by Aleksandr Kibovsky, a former member of the Moscow municipal government, against his pretrial detention on charges of fraud and bribe-taking. Kibovsky's lawyers requested he be transferred to house arrest. Kibovsky was detained on July 16 and one day later placed in pretrial detention until at least September 16. Investigators allege Kibovsky accepted more than 100 million rubles ($1.1 million) in bribes while serving as the chief of Moscow's Culture Department between 2015 and 2023. Kibovsky pleaded not guilty and said he was willing to volunteer to fight with Russian forces in Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Former Moscow City Official's Appeal Against Pretrial Detention Rejected
Aleksandr Kibovsky is accused of accepting more than $1 million in bribes. (file photo)