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Court slaps house arrest on stage director Serebrennikov accused of embezzling $1.1mln

Kirill Serebrennikov has been placed under house arrest until October 19

MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. Moscow’s Basmanny Court has slapped house arrest until October 19 on stage director Kirill Serebrennikov convicted of embezzling 68 mln rubles ($1.1mln) bankrolled to implement the Platform project, a TASS correspondent reported from the courtroom.

"The court has found as justified house arrest as a measure of restraint for Serebrennikov with regard to the testimony given by former chief accountant of Seventh Studio, Maslyaeva, who "directly pointed to Serebrennikov" as the organizer of the criminal scheme," the judge said.

"The court has placed Kirill Serebrennikov under house arrest as a measure of restraint until October 19," the judge announced the decision. He will be held under house arrest at 17, Prechistenka St, Moscow. While the judge was reading out the ruling, people who had gathered under the windows shouted "Shame!"

Serebrennikov is prohibited from leaving his house, going to work, talking to mass media, using internet and e-mail, which are standard restrictions under house arrest. The court also banned him from taking part in the filming. Lawyers for Serebrennikov appealed to Moscow’s Basmanny Court, asking to allow him to visit his workplace in Moscow and the filming in St. Petersburg, but the court declined the motion, a TASS correspondent reported. "The decision to allow Serebrennikov leave his flat lies with the prosecution," the judge announced the verdict.

Kirill Serebrennikov will also have to wear an ankle bracelet, a law enforcement source told TASS.

"After employees of the Corrective Service receive the judge’s ruling verified with an ink stamp, they will explain the rights and obligations according to the restrictions imposed by the court. After that, control and monitoring equipment - mobile (a bracelet) and fixed (basic) devices - will be installed at the address specified in the court’s ruling, which will help the Corrective Service employees to monitor his location and behavior," the source explained.

Apart from this, the Corrective Service employees will visit the detained at least twice a week, as well as drive him to the prosecutor and the court. In any case, the detained has the right to call the ambulance, police and the Corrective Service.