Prosecutors in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia have asked a court to sentence Alan Adyrkhaev, chief doctor of the Pravoberezhny Central District Hospital, to four years in prison over the deaths of nine female patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case was reported by local outlet KrylyaTV, citing Sergei Bronitsky, who represents some of the victims’ families.

Adyrkhaev is charged with negligence resulting in the deaths of two or more people. The victims’ families had asked the court to impose the maximum sentence of seven years. According to Bronitsky, prosecutors took into account Adyrkhaev’s positive character references, mitigating circumstances and the fact that he had no previous criminal record.

The case concerns deaths in the hospital’s maternity ward during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between September and December 2021, nine women with coronavirus died at the hospital, along with eight newborns. One child whose mother died survived. Another patient was left with a severe disability and remains in a vegetative state; her child also survived.

Adyrkhaev denies the charges. His defence argues that some of the women were admitted in a terminal condition and that some spent only a short time on ventilators. It therefore disputes the prosecution’s suggestion that problems with medical equipment could have affected the outcome of their treatment.

Adyrkhaev has said he repeatedly informed the North Ossetian Health Ministry verbally about inadequate equipment at the hospital. Soslan Tebiev, who headed the ministry at the time, has said he was not told about any critical situation and that the reports concerned only technical difficulties.

According to KrylyaTV, medical workers who testified for the prosecution said they had warned Adyrkhaev, including in writing, about faulty equipment, staff shortages and problems with laboratory test results. Relatives of some patients were reportedly forced to pay for repeat tests at private clinics.

Representatives of the victims have also raised concerns about the failure to carry out autopsies on some of those who died. The defence argues that this makes it difficult to establish the exact causes of death, while the victims’ representatives hold the hospital management responsible for the absence of autopsies.

Adyrkhaev is charged under Article 293, Part 3 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which covers negligence resulting in the deaths of two or more people. He remains chief doctor of the Pravoberezhny hospital. The verdict is expected at the end of August.