Umeå District Court decided on Monday that the 18-year-old man must undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The man is charged with over 70 serious crimes linked to the sadist network 764.
The court stated that convincing evidence had been presented for several of the charges. Prosecutor Jenny Östling said the decision aligns with her assessment.
The trial, which has been held behind closed doors for six weeks, is now paused. It will resume in mid-August once the evaluation is complete.
The 18-year-old, who calls himself ”Chai” online, denies the crimes. His lawyer Emily Töyrä argues that the evidence has shortcomings and that her client is prejudged.
The man was arrested in April 2025 and has been detained for nearly 15 months. He is suspected of, among other things, attempted murder, rape and gross animal cruelty via the internet.
