Penza, 20 July 2017. PenzaNews. Preliminary hearing in the criminal proceedings against the former acting principal of the Penza State Technological University Vasily Moiseev and seven university members was held in the Oktyabrsky area court of Penza on Thursday, July 20.

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It was scheduled for 15:30 and held behind closed doors.

At about 16.20 during a break, Vasily Moiseev and several other people left the court house.

The former head of the university refused to give any comments.

“I don’t answer these questions,” Vasily Moiseev said in response to the PenzaNews correspondent’s request to say if he admits his guilt.

The current principal of the Penza State Technological University Victor Usmanov, who also participated in the preliminary hearing, was short spoken as well.

“I can’t comment [on the criminal case against the university’s staff] in any way,” he noted.

The preliminary hearing finished at around 18.00.

As the spokesperson of the Oktyabrsky area court Olga Gnidina told PenzaNews, the first session of the case is scheduled for Thursday, July 27.

“Some questions were resolved. […] One motion was upheld – the criminal case against [Valery] Avrorov was dismissed due to the amnesty granted to him,” the agency interlocutor explained.

She said that the criminal case of abuses in the Penza State Technological University will be reviewed according to a special procedure.