The High Qualification Collegium of Judges has has authorized the initiation of criminal cases against four Rostov judges.

The High Qualification Collegium of Judges has authorized the initiation of criminal cases against four more judges from Rostov-on-Don, who, according to investigators, were part of a criminal group led by former chairperson of the Sovetsky District Court, Elena Kobleva.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin requested approval from the High Qualification Collegium of Judges of the Russian Federation to prosecute five judges of the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, including Elena Kobleva, who was arrested in 2024. On December 8, the High Qualification Collegium of Judges granted permission to initiate criminal proceedings against Kobleva.

The High Qualification Collegium of Judges (HQCJ) has given permission to initiate criminal proceedings against four judges who currently work or previously worked at the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, RIA Novosti reported on December 8.

According to investigators, retired judges Oleg Batalshchikov and Natalia Tsmakalova, retired magistrate Elmira Ponomareva, and current judge Artur Maslov were part of an organized group led by Elena Kobleva.

Maslov is charged with receiving a bribe on a large scale by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and issuing a knowingly unjust sentence, decision or other judicial act (Article 305 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), Tsmakalova and Batalshchikov are accused of involvement in several episodes of receiving bribes, and Ponomareva is accused of giving a bribe (Article 192 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).