Baku Court Revokes Arrest of Former Russian Judge

The Baku Court of Appeals has revoked the arrest of former judge Elena Khakhaleva, who is wanted in Russia and charged with fraud. Instead of being held in custody, she has been placed under police supervision, reports NewsBox.

Elena Khakhaleva, a former judge from the Krasnodar region currently under an international search warrant, avoided extended detention in Azerbaijan. The Baku Court of Appeals reviewed her appeal and decided to cancel the 40-day arrest which had been imposed on January 24th. Now, Khakhaleva remains under law enforcement surveillance but without confinement.

Her detention occurred at Baku airport during passport control. According to APA agency sources, her arrest was tied to an extradition request from Russia. However, the former judge refused to voluntarily return to her home country, claiming that the criminal case against her is politically motivated.

Khakhaleva gained wide recognition after her daughter's extravagant wedding in 2017, which featured performances by Russian pop stars Nikolai Baskov and Valeriy Meladze. According to lawyer Sergey Zhorin, the event cost two million dollars, although the judge herself claimed the expenses were significantly lower, around 3.5–4 million rubles.

In 2020, Khakhaleva was prematurely stripped of her judicial powers, and a year later, she left Russia. She is facing charges related to fraud and official misconduct.