A Perm district court opened hearings Monday into a fire at the Khromaya Loshad nightclub that killed 156 in December, Interfax reported.
Eight officials and members of the club’s staff are charged with negligence and fire safety violations that led to the fire. Prosecutors asked to extend the detention of five suspects for six more months, a move that the defendants appealed. The court was to rule on the issue Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Spain promised to extradite the ninth suspect in the case, the club’s co-owner Konstantin Mrykhin, “in the nearest future,” a spokesman for the Investigative Committee said Monday. Mrykhin was detained in Spain last month.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
