A 35-year-old foreigner will stand trial in absentia in Russia's Leningrad Oblast on charges of sexually abusing and torturing underage girls, regional law enforcement authorities said.
The investigative management department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Leningrad Oblast reported to news outlet Lenta.ru that the criminal case, accompanied by an approved indictment, has been officially sent to court for sentencing in absentia.
According to law enforcement officers, the suspect repeatedly committed violent acts against underage girls between 2016 and 2019. Investigators said that the accused used physical violence and intimidation against the young victims throughout that timeframe.
International search and arrest warrant
The suspect has been declared wanted on an international search list after fleeing justice. Following a formal petition from the investigative team, a Russian court previously approved a preventive measure ordering that he be placed in custody in absentia.
The indictment charges the man under two specific provisions of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He faces charges under Article 132, which addresses violent sexual acts committed against a person under 14 years of age. Additionally, he is charged under Article 117, which covers the torture of two or more people, specifically including known minors who are in a helpless condition or dependent on the offender.
Legal process and regional context
Leningrad Oblast is a federal subject located in northwestern Russia surrounding the city of Saint Petersburg. Criminal investigations involving severe offenses against children in the region fall under the jurisdiction of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, the state agency responsible for overseeing major statutory crimes.
Under Russian judicial procedure, an in absentia proceeding allows a criminal court to hear evidence, render a verdict, and pass sentence against an accused individual who remains outside the country or evades arrest. The case will now be considered by the court in Leningrad Oblast, where judges are scheduled to deliver a judgment in the defendant's absence.
