Ufa Court Sentences Two Foreign Nationals to 11 and 6 Years for Kidnapping and Torturing 16 Children

Overview

• The Lenin District Court in Ufa ordered both men to serve their terms in strict‑regime correctional colonies.
• Judges found them guilty of kidnapping minors with aggravating factors, torturing children with cruelty, and organizing illegal migration, including arranging unlawful stays for four foreigners.
• Investigators said the operation ran from February 2023 to July 2024 as a paid boarding program for foreign minors, with parents deceived about treatment and supervision.
• Children were unlawfully confined, beaten, subjected to psychological punishment, moved between rented apartments, and prevented from going outside.
• The case came to light after a teenager escaped in July 2024 and sought help, leading to the rescue of 16 children aged 5 to 15; the defendants, identified by courts as citizens of Tajikistan, did not admit guilt and the verdict has not yet entered into legal force.