00:06, 6 August 2013

In Sochi, Nikolai Yarst's advocates file complaint against court's decision to extend his home arrest

On August 5, advocates of Nikolai Yarst filed a complaint to the judicial board on criminal cases of the Krasnodar Regional Court against the decision to extend the home arrest of the journalist.

On May 23, Nikolai Yarst, the journalist of the "Russian Public Television", was detained in Sochi. According to the investigators' information, staff members of the UVD (Interior Department) found a package with drugs in the car, at the journalist's and his colleague's place. Nikolai Yarst denies all charges of drug possession and associates his prosecution with his professional activity.

"At the court session, it was revealed that the materials do not include any evidence proving the involvement of Nikolai Yarst to the incriminated crime. Moreover, the court has examined the prosecutor's resolution to return the criminal case for the further investigation, and the resolution implies that the information about Nikolai Yarst's purchase of drugs was not confirmed," Alexander Popkov, an advocate of Nikolai Yarst, stated in his interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Till present, the date for the consideration of the complaint has not been announced.

Author: Svetlana Kravchenko

Source: CK correspondent