Sapa's editor-in-chief remanded in pretrial detention for bribery of police officer

Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court has remanded Sapa Media editor-in-chief Alina Dzhikayeva to pretrial detention for two months. She will remain in pretrial detention until June 16. The court's decision followed the investigators' motion for a custodial measure, while the defense insisted on house arrest.

Dzhikayeva's arrest, which took place on April 14 at her home in Vladikavkaz, was based on bribery charges. According to investigators, she allegedly conspired with an officer of the Makhachkala Department of Internal Affairs while in Moscow in July 2020. The purpose was to obtain information about incidents in Dagestan and North Ossetia, including personal data of citizens, for which the bribe was paid.

Alina Dzhikayeva denies any wrongdoing. A police officer, a duty officer from Makhachkala, is also being charged with abuse of office and bribery as part of the investigation. He has confessed. The defense intends to appeal the arrest warrant, given that Dzhikaeva has two minor children.

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