Russian law enforcement authorities announced on Friday that they have apprehended the owner of a private rehabilitation facility located near Moscow due to allegations of physical abuse involving minors, one of whom is currently hospitalized in critical condition.

Anna Khobotova, who identifies as a psychotherapist, attorney, and human rights activist, operates a network of rehabilitation centers catering to troubled adolescents in Moscow and surrounding regions, including Sverdlovsk and Rostov.

These centers purport to address various issues such as behavioral disorders, mental health challenges, addictions to screens, and substance abuse.

Khobotova attracted significant media scrutiny earlier this week after police stated that a 16-year-old resident from her rehabilitation center in the Moscow region was admitted to the hospital with multiple injuries to his head, torso, and limbs, in addition to signs that suggested he had been restrained.

The administrator of the center now faces charges of torture, unlawful detention of minors, and additional offenses. An 18-year-old resident of the facility has been placed under house arrest until January 22, 2026, on allegations of involvement in the abuse.

In central Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, authorities have initiated a criminal investigation related to the illegal detention of minors following the discovery of another privately operated rehab center.

The Interior Ministry of the Sverdlovsk region reported that the children, who did not appear to exhibit signs of physical mistreatment during a preliminary examination, would be transferred to a nearby state-run child care facility while medical professionals perform a comprehensive evaluation. It did not specify whether any criminal proceedings would be initiated.

According to the business newspaper Kommersant, a teenager from the Sverdlovsk center alleged that residents faced beatings and were deprived of food.

On Friday, the Moscow region branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee announced the arrest of the “organizer” of the rehabilitation center and indicated that they were interrogating her as part of the ongoing criminal investigation, although they did not mention Khobotova by name.

On Thursday, Russia’s Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for Khobotova, 37, without disclosing the specific charges she faces.