Former Tambov District Court judge Elena Drobysheva made 10 decisions in civil cases while on vacation in Sochi. She contacted the secretary via video link and gave appropriate instructions. As a result, a criminal case was opened against her. The judge explained that her colleagues simply could not replace her. “Moscow Evening” looks at how Drobysheva worked in Sochi and what she had to contend with.
How a judge works from a sanatorium
Little is known about Elena Drobysheva. She has worked in the judiciary since 1996 in many different positions. In 2007, she was appointed judge of the Tambov District Court. Her term is not limited, but on April 1, 2022, Ms resign according to your own request.
Soon, law enforcement agencies drew attention to Drobysheva. During the examination, it turned out that in the fall of 2021, the suspect made 10 court decisions while she was on vacation at a sanatorium in Sochi. She just needs to call the secretary via video link and tell him how to solve this or that case.
Drobysheva herself said that during this process she was supposed to be replaced by a colleague, but at the last moment it all failed. Therefore, she had to participate in the proceedings herself.
Drobysheva also noted that initially no one complained about her decisions: they suited everyone involved in the process. The situation has changed as attention has reportedly been drawn to remote proceedings Longtime detractor judge. The woman had long harbored a grudge against Drobyshev for her decision. It was she who could complain to the judge to the FSB and provoke an investigation. However, there is no evidence of this.
What threatens the judge?
Despite the excuses, FSB officials turned to the Higher Qualifications Council (HQJC) and demanded that Drobysheva's immunity be lifted. The woman tries to convince the board that she committed no crime, her decisions were fair, and overall, her actions were not criminal at all.
“I want all of these cases to be reviewed within a reasonable time frame.” She affirmed: “I have no intention of causing harm to people.
Drobysheva is also certain that she only violated the Civil Procedure Code and not criminal law. However, the more learned Court lifted the judge's immunity and allowed the commencement criminal case about the imposition of unjust sentences. In total, the FSB counted 10 such crimes.
“This judge's actions cannot simply be called a violation of procedural rules. Our law does not provide for such a form of teleworking for the judge's work. Because during the proceedings, the judge must retire to the deliberation room, where she must make some decisions without being distracted by other issues. And for our judge to retire to the “deliberation room” in some Lazurnaya hotel is too much, “said Mikhail Ter-Sarkisov, member of the International Bar Association and lawyer, told Vechernaya Moscow.
According to him, Drobysheva faces up to 4 years in prison. But because her case has 10 facts at once and each fact will be considered separately, the final sentence could be much more severe.
— In fact, making an unjust decision is a moderately serious crime. But Drobysheva will be tried in every case she considers remotely. And for each of these charges, she could face up to four years in prison. Maximum total is 25 years. Of course, they won't give her such a term, but they could very well give her 10 years, especially under the current strict President of the Supreme Court, Igor Krasnov. But it is possible that the court will take into account various mitigating circumstances, it can be advanced age, health condition, presence of children, remorse, etc. And then the sentence can be even less than four years in prison. So it all depends on the circumstances,” Ter-Sarkisov said.
Other judges are under investigation
Reforms have begun in the Russian judicial system after death President of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation Irina Podnosova July 22, 2025. Former Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov was elected the new head of the Armed Forces. And Alexander Gutsan, who previously served as plenipotentiary representative of the country's president in the North-West Federal District, was appointed Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation.
Then mass inspections began. In August, the family of the former president of the Supreme Court of Adygea Aslan Trakhov, who held this position for 20 years, was found Real estate worth 2.5 billion rubles The Prosecutor General's Office through the court requested the confiscation of this property because Trakhov allegedly acquired it by corrupt means. Later, even more assets were found from the judge and the result was 214 valuable assets. more than 13 billion rubles.
In September, the Prosecutor General's Office filed a lawsuit against the head of the Council of Judges Viktor Momotov. He was found to have more than 100 assets acquired through corruption. Prosecutors believe the man is linked to the Pokrovskie organized crime group and does business with businessman Andrei Marchenko, who owns the Marton hotel chain. Momotova early firedand his place was replaced by the former chairman of the Moscow City Court Mikhail Ptitsyn.
In November of the same year, Svetlana Maltseva, judge of the Voronezh Regional Arbitration Court, was charged with bribery. Then the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, asked the Higher Qualifications Committee to lift the exemption from seven more judges from St. Petersburg, Kursk region, Kabardino-Balkaria and other regions. They are also suspected of corruption.
In December, criminal cases were opened against him five more judgesthis time from Rostov-on-Don. All are suspected of corruption. One of the defendants, President of the Soviet Court of Justice Elena Kobleva, was able to receive 13 bribes.
