I am the director of the theater, he must work

The court sent Sophia Apfelbaum, a new person involved in the case of the Seventh Studio. Reporting Sasha Sulim

On October 27, the Russian Basmanny Court sent the director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater (RAMT) Sofya Apfelbaum for house arrest for two months. She was detained the day earlier after interrogation in the Investigative Committee as part of the Seventh Studio case . Apfelbaum, like other defendants in the case, was accused of fraud on an especially large scale (part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to investigators, in 2012-2014, when the Apfelbaum headed the Department of state support in the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, she conspired with director Kirill Serebrennikov and provided his company with state subsidies.

On the morning of October 27, the first floor of the Basmanny Court building began to be filled with a support group of Sophia Apfelbaum - relatives, friends, students and colleagues; Her parents also came. At ten in the morning, the lawyer of Apfelbaum Irina Vorovinova came to the court. How much the meeting will begin exactly, no one knew.

Waiting dragged on for three hours. Sitting near the hall, the mother of Sophia Apfelbaum Zinaida recalled how on May 23 they came to their searches - the Apfelbaum was registered with his parents, but lives with her husband and son at another address. “They even found her school notebooks, which I have long forgotten about. Sonya then said to me: “It’s digging under [Cyril] Serebrennikov, I have no attitude towards this.” She is an excellent student in life, ”she said. Looking at the watch, the mother of Sophia Apfelbaum added: “He is with the grandson - he is 13 years old - today is the offset for the guitar, and I will have time to work soon” (she teaches music).

Near the parents of Apfelbaum, the artistic director of Ramta Alexei Borodin was sitting. In a conversation with Medusa, he called what was happening “game”: “Sofia Mikhailovna and I have been working for two and a half years, and I simply do not know a more noble and honest person. I am sure that she has nothing to do with it, her work in the Ministry of Culture, like everything she does, she did honestly. ”

The rector of the Moscow Art Theater School, actor Igor Zolotovitsky called his girlfriend and subordinate-Apfelbaum teaches at a studio school-one of the best theater analysts in the country. “Today I am exciting and anxious. I do not understand jurisprudence, but is it really impossible to give a person to work, why put him under house arrest? " - Zolotovitsky was indignant.

“I do not understand how to continue and work if people like Sofya Mikhailovna take into custody,” Irina Zolina, director of the Stanislavsky Electrotheater, admitted to Medusa. - You honestly and conscientiously give yourself to your favorite business, and then they plant you. This is destruction. "

“This is the madness and Kafkianism, which for some reason has become a reality,” Dmitry Mozgova, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Theater Workers of Russia, told Medusa. - For work in the Ministry of Culture, Sofya Mikhailovna knew all of Russia. They could call her from any region, she always connected and tried to help. ”

Before you have a Sophia Apfelbaum into the hall, the bailiffs warned her friends that it was forbidden to shout slogans and applaud in court - and that a fine was relied on for this.

- And how much should you pay? -someone asked from the crowd.

“I think this is a stupid question,” the bailiff answered calmly.

The audience discussed the former Minister of Economic Development of Alexei Ulyukaev-a meeting on the election of preventive measures to him also took place in the Basmanny Court-and the former general director of Gogol-Center, Alexei Malobrodsky. On the morning of September 27, information appeared that the former general director of the Gogol Center was transferred to another pre-trial detention center (later it turned out that we were talking about different blocks of the SIZO SASSISK SILE). "Maybe you want to sit down?" - asked Dmitry Mozgovoy. "Why are you inviting me to sit in court?" He cut in response.

Judge Arthur Karpov began the meeting at 13:30. The prosecutor Malofeev and investigator Lavrov (they did not name their names in the process) read their petitions - about the election of a preventive measure in the form of house arrest. They indicated that Apfelbaum was accused of a particularly serious crime - fraud on a particularly large amount (part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the investigator, the accused did not plead guilty, but actually said that "the lack of proper control over the expenditure of the money of the Seventh Studio company was the result of his negligent performance of her duties." The prosecution pointed out that the Apfelbaum was proved by the testimony of witnesses, including the former accountant of the Seventh Studio, Nina Maslyaeva. According to Lavrov, if the Apfelbaum remains free, she can put pressure on witnesses and prevent the investigation.

Sofya Apfelbaum asked the court not to put her under house arrest: “I am the director of the theater, he must work, but I undertake to do everything that the investigation wants.”

The lawyer Irina Vorovinova asked her client to free her client on bail of a million rubles. At the same time, the Fertinova thanked the investigation for the fact that it did not ask the court the conclusion of the Apfelbaum in custody: "This, of course, is a compromise, but my client is a person with a brilliant reputation, a workaholic who tries to improve life in our country." The defender assured the court that the Apfelbaum was innocent, did not intend to hide and was not going to meet with witnesses.

In response, the investigator read out a fragment of the correspondence of Sophia Apfelbaum and Alexei Malobrodsky to the court. In the message, which was sent on May 25, 2017, Apfelbaum proposes to discuss the creative and financial plans of the Platform for 2012-2013. Also in the same message, Apfelbaum wrote that Ekaterina Voronova should drive up to the meeting. Voronova is the producer of the Seventh Studio, now she is wanted.

Apfelbaum asked the judge to give her the opportunity to explain under what circumstances she sent this message: “On May 25, Less Brusk was still questioned, and I had no intent. I wanted him to remind me, because in the creative and financial report some things are called differently. And we have never met with Voronova since then. ”

Anticipating the outcome of the meeting, Uvrianova asked the judge in advance permission to walk.

Judge Karpov decided to conclude an Apfelbaum under house arrest before December 26, refused to walk and forbade to communicate with someone except close relatives, a defender, use the Internet and perform in the media.

At the exit from the court, Porovinova told reporters that the court decision did not suit either her or her client and they plan to file a complaint with the Moscow City Court. “Although I have little hopes for him,” the lawyer admitted.

Sasha Sulim