But the court took no notice.

The Ingodinsky district court in Chita today turned down the complaint of Platon Lebedev’s defence team against the unlawful separation and instigation of a criminal case, concerning the allegation of money-laundering through the accounts of the Open Russia foundation. It was this very episode that served as a pretext for transferring Platon Lebedev all the way from the far Northern Yamal peninsula to the eastern Siberian city of Chita.

In the accusations later brought against him, however, there was already no mention of Open Russia.

After yesterday’s hearing Lebedev and his lawyers decided that they would not participate in a continuation of Wednesday’s “farcical” proceedings. Today members of his defence team were silently present in court. Platon Lebedev was brought to the courtroom from the remand centre but also refused to say a word.

The defence intends to lodge a complaint against today’s court ruling.