MOSCOW, January 25 (RAPSI) – A court in Simferopol has released three Uzbek nationals charged with extortion from detention following intervention by Russia’s ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova, according to the rights commissioner’s press service.

The defendants have been placed under house arrest, the statement reads.

Moskalkova has supported a motion by defense seeking softening of the restrictive measure due to the defendants’ elderly age, health condition, first crime and permanent residence.

According to the ombudsman, four citizens of Uzbekistan were arrested and detained in November 2017. Later, one of them was placed under house arrest.

Currently, all of them are under house arrest.

The defendants stand charged with extortion; one of them is additionally accused of illegal acquisition, delivery, sale, keeping, transport or bearing of weapon.