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Russia's Kirov Region governor to remain under arrest at least until August 24 — court

The court has found no grounds for releasing the Kirov Region head either on bail or against the guarantees of some political and public figures

MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. The Moscow City Court rejected an appeal on Wednesday to release Kirov Region Governor Nikita Belykh accused of taking a bribe of €400,000.

"It has been resolved to leave unchanged a resolution of Moscow’s Basmanny Court on choosing arrest for Belykh as a measure of restraint until August 24 and reject an appeals petition by the counsel for the defense," a judge read out the ruling.

Therefore, the court has found no grounds for releasing the Kirov Region head either on bail or against the guarantees of some political and public figures.

The Investigative Committee formally charged Belykh with a large bribe under part 6 of article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code. On June 25, Moscow’s Basmanny Court arrested Belykh for two months.

The Kirov Region head insists he is not guilty and intends to prove this in the course of the investigation or the court hearings.

As a criminal case has been opened against Belykh and he has been arrested, about 20 non-parliamentary parties of the Kirov Region have supported the initiative of the local branch of Russia’s Communist Party (KPRF) to bring a no-confidence vote in the governor. The leaders of the partiers have sent a letter to the federal center, requesting the authorities to dismiss the governor.