Sergei Furgal demanded that his case be heard by a jury

Former head of Khabarovsk Krai Sergei Furgal will insist on having his case heard by a jury, TASS reports, citing his lawyer Mikhail Karapetyan.

Sergei Ivanovich has just signed a protocol on familiarization with the materials of the criminal case. He insists on his innocence and has stated that the trial should be held with the participation of a jury.

According to the lawyer, in the near future the materials will be sent to the Prosecutor General's Office for approval of the indictment, and then to the court for consideration on the merits.

• Jury trials acquit defendants much more often than regular courts. Thus, in 2017, juries returned acquittals in 17% of cases, in 2018 - in 25%. Professional judges acquit defendants in only 0.2-0.3% of cases.