A Moscow judge today ordered the “hooliganism” case against Alexander Lebedev to be sent back to the prosecutor’s office because of “violations”.
Judge Sergei Kostyuchenko took more than an hour to accept a plea by Mr Lebedev, whose son Evgeny owns the Evening Standard and Independent. The full trial — which will now be delayed — could see Mr Lebedev jailed for up to five years in a case critics see as having political overtones.
Mr Lebedev is accused of “hooliganism based on political hatred” after punching businessman Sergei Polonsky during a 2011 TV talk show. Mr Polonsky was not at today’s preliminary hearing in Moscow.
He is in detention in Cambodia under investigation for holding the crew of a boat at knifepoint before forcing them to jump into the sea.
Before the hearing Mr Lebedev said: “I think it is made up from start to finish.” Critics say the case is linked to Mr Lebedev’s ownership of investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta which frequently exposes corruption in Russia’s ruling circles.
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