Prosecutor Overturns Exemption for Foreign Drunk Driver

In July 2022, the Leninsky District Court of Chelyabinsk found the foreigner guilty under Part 1 of Article 264.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — driving while intoxicated. The imposed penalty of community service was later replaced with imprisonment because the convicted person evaded performing the community service.

In October 2025, a court ruled to release the man from serving his sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for executing the verdict. However, the prosecutor«s office protested this decision: it was discovered that the citizen had been hiding from justice, had left Russia, and was on the wanted list.

According to Article 83 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the statute of limitations is suspended if the convicted person intentionally evades punishment. The foreigner did not appear before the penal enforcement inspection, and his non-extradition by another state and failure to arrive to serve his sentence, in the opinion of the supervisory authority, do not indicate conscientious behavior.

The court of cassation, having considered the submission of the regional prosecutor«s office, overturned the decision to release. The case has been sent for a new trial.