No Jail for Corrupt Teacher

March 14, 2011

A Moscow district court has convicted a Moscow State University teacher of receiving a bribe of 35,000 euros ($48,000) and handed her a three-year suspended sentence, Interfax said Monday.

Polina Surina, who taught at the university's prestigious school of government, took the money last April from a potential student who wanted fast-track entry, prosecutors told the court.

The case against Surina, whose father headed the school at the time, was thrown out last year but reopened after a video surfaced of her accepting the bribe. It was not immediately clear if prosecutors would appeal Monday's ruling.

(MT)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue