Six Chechen security officers involved in the abduction of entrepreneur and blogger Areg Shchepikhin from Moscow's Yaroslavsky station have not faced any restrictive measures, according to information obtained by "Agency."
No court proceedings appear to have been initiated against the Kadyrov-affiliated officers, and their current status remains unclear. The outlet suggests the suspects may never have been formally charged.
The Telegram channel Baza reports that the Chechen officers were released without bail, though this claim lacks independent verification. Mediazona has observed that Moscow courts are withholding all details about the case, noting that Shchepikhin's own case file has yet to appear in official records.
On May 5, Russia's Investigative Committee announced that the six abductors had been charged under criminal statutes for kidnapping (Article 126) and abuse of authority (Article 286). Meanwhile, Shchepikhin was placed in pre-trial detention for two months, facing accusations of publicly advocating extremism (Article 280, Part 2) and inciting hatred (Article 282, Part 2, Section "a").
The charges stem from video content allegedly containing "evidence of provoking violence against a national/ethnic group, along with degrading statements."
The incident occurred on the evening of June 3, when Kadyrov-aligned officers seized Shchepikhin from the railway station, transporting him in the trunk of a vehicle with emergency lights to an undisclosed location. He was released hours later. While Shchepikhin stated he was not "severely tortured," he reported being extensively questioned, with visible injuries suggesting physical assault.