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Professors of two universities held in Moscow on suspicions of taking a bribe for entering postgraduate course

Moscow investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have launched criminal proceedings against Deputy Dean of Education in one of Departments of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Mikhail Basharatyan and Director of Philosophy and Political Science Department in Academy of labor and Social Relationships, Viktor Baris. They are suspected of a crime under paragraphs “a” and “c” of part 5 of article 290 of the RF Criminal Code (bribe-taking on a large scale by a group of people under a preliminary conspiracy).

According to investigators, this year in October the suspects demanded from a young man a bribe of 30 thousand euros for joining a postgraduate course in Academy of Labor and Social Relationships, comfortable studying conditions, writing and subsequent defense of a PhD thesis in Lomonosov Moscow State University. The young man reported the situation in law enforcement bodies and all further events happened under control of officers of Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Activity Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs jointly with policemen of territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Having decided on the procedure of payment, one of the suspects administered entrance philosophy and political science examinations for the young man, who didn’t have enough knowledge to pass them. On 30 October as was agreed the suspects received a bribe of 1 million rubles and were apprehended.

In the near future investigators are going to decide on custodial pre-trial restraining measure against the suspects. At present investigating actions are underway to establish all the circumstances of the incident. Investigation is to be continued.