MOSCOW, January 15 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has ruled that detention of the president of All-Russian Society of the Deaf Valery Rukhledev charged with embezzling over 50 million rubles (over $800,000) be replaced with house arrest until April 17, according to the court’s press service.

The defendant has been released from custody in the courtroom.

In May 2018, Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court ordered Rukhledev be placed under house arrest. In March 2019, the defendant was put in detention because of repeated violations of the house arrest conditions. According to investigators, he attempted to exert pressure on the witnesses.

Investigators claim that the defendants stole more than 50 million rubles from the budget of All-Russian Society of the Deaf by selling the organization’s property between 2012 and 2014. Zimbatova pleaded guilty in full, according to case papers.

Rukhledev was elected as the society’s president in 2003. The next election will be held in 2020, the organization’s website says.