The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow extended the arrest of director Zhenya Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk until May 4, 2024

As a result, by the end of the new arrest period, the girls will have spent a year in pre-trial detention - they were detained on May 4, 2023. This was reported by the correspondent of “Such Cases” from the courtroom.

The investigation insisted on arrest due to the fact that the accused could allegedly put pressure on the investigation and witnesses. But the investigation stage has already ended. The defense asked to replace the preventive measure with one not related to deprivation of liberty. The court refused.

Although the trial is open, today no one was allowed into the courtroom, not even relatives of the accused.

“I did not commit the crime charged against me. And she didn’t commit any crimes at all,” Berkovich said.

“I don’t condone terrorism,” Petriychuk said.

Director Zhenya Berkovich and screenwriter Svetlana Petriychuk were arrested on charges of “justifying terrorism” because of the play “Finist Yasnyi Sokol.” The production tells about Russian women who decided to marry radical Islamists and go to Syria.