The case of Rostov judge Kobleva has been transferred to the Krasnodar Regional Court.

The Supreme Court has changed the jurisdiction of the case of Rostov judge Elena Kobleva, accused of accepting a bribe from a businessman. The case has been transferred to the Kuban Regional Court.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the High Qualification Collegium of Judges of Russia (HQCJ) approved the arrest of former chairperson of the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, Elena Kobleva, and in July 2024, the Moscow City Court remanded Kobleva into custody.

The Supreme Court has changed the jurisdiction of Elena Kobleva's case, which was filed with the Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar, a representative of the unified press service of the Krasnodar courts reported. "Kobleva's case is being heard by the Krasnodar Regional Court. The Supreme Court has so decided," 161.ru quoted him as saying today.

In addition to Kobleva, there are two other defendants in the case: entrepreneurs Vladimir Bozhenko and Nikolai Studenikin. The first is accused of bribery, and the second of acting as an intermediary, the publication writes.

The criminal case was initially scheduled for trial in the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, but at the preliminary hearing, the court decided to refer the case to the 4th Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction for a change in jurisdiction. In February, the cassation court transferred the case to the Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar, believing that hearing the case in Rostov-on-Don, where Kobleva held office, could raise doubts about the objectivity of the trial, the Rostov-based publication Panorama reported in May.

According to the case file on the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don website, the case of Kobleva, Bozhenko, and Studenikin was transferred to a judge on January 20, 2025. A preliminary hearing was scheduled that same day, and it took place on January 28. At this hearing, the case was "sent to the appropriate jurisdiction," according to the case file.

The case was received by the Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar on May 12, according to the case file on the court's website. On May 13, the case was transferred to a judge, and on May 16, it was "sent to the appropriate jurisdiction."

The Krasnodar Regional Court, according to the case file on the court's website, registered the case on September 3. After the hearing was scheduled, it was adjourned three times (October 22, 27, and 29), and adjourned three more times (October 8, November 5, and 12) due to the defense attorney's absence due to illness. The next hearing date is set for November 20.

As a reminder, in May 2023, Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin asked the High Qualification Qualification Commission (HQC) to approve the initiation of criminal cases against Elena Zolotareva, head of the Rostov Regional Court, her deputy, Tatyana Yurova, and Georgy Bondarenko, chairman of the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Rostov-on-Don.

The commission agreed, after which Moscow's Basmanny Court arrested Zolotareva and Yurova. Bondarenko was stripped of his powers and position and also sent to pretrial detention. The judges are charged with accepting large bribes. According to investigators, Yurova acted as an intermediary in the transfer of bribes to Zolotareva. Bondarenko is also charged with acting as an intermediary in bribery. One episode concerns the receipt of 10 million rubles for a decision in a criminal case, two more episodes involve the sum of 2 million rubles, and the other two involve one million rubles each.

In April, the Supreme Court of Russia upheld the decision to transfer the case of Elena Zolotareva and other Rostov judges to the Pervomaisky District Court of Krasnodar, and in June this court began hearing the case.

The criminal prosecution of Rostov judges will not lead to a mass review of the sentences they handed down, but the convicted can challenge them in the Qualification Collegium of Judges, lawyers previously indicated.