RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Jehovah's Witnesses' attorney tries to persuade court about their legal rights

ZALIPAEV DEFENSE POINTS OUT ILLEGALITY OF PROSECUTION OF BELIEVERS

Kavkazskii Uzel, 24 November 2018

 

The defense of the head of the Jehovah's Witnesses* organization in Maiskii, Yury Zalipaev, summoned to court 37 witnesses and intends to prove the illegality of his prosecution, inasmuch as the prohibition of the Jehovah's Witnesses* organizations does not entail a prohibition of their religion, the lawyer declared.

 

As Kavkazskii Uzel has written, Yury Zalipaev is charged with inflaming religious hostility and with calls for extremist activity. Zalipaev himself does not acknowledge his guilt. At the court session on 21 November an agent of the power structures, Sergei Svetikov, was not able to explain telephone calls to witnesses and corroborators from his number.

 

According to the account of the prosecution, during preaching in the Kingdom Hall, Yury Zalipaev not only spoke disparagingly about Muslims and Orthodox persons but also urged other Jehovah's Witnesses* to beat them. Zalipaev also distributed religious literature included in the Federal List of Forbidden Materials, according to the prosecution. The defense insists that the forbidden literature was planted in the room for worship services.

 

At the 22 November session of the Maiskii district court, the prosecution in the Zalipaev case concluded the presentation of evidence. At the session, materials of the criminal case were introduced, Yury Zalipaev's attorney, Anton Omelchenko, told a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent.

 

The attorney said that the "court examined the materials of the case concerning an administrative violation of law according to which the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses* was fined in connection with the forbidden literature discovered in the house of worship.

 

A statement of one of the witnesses in the Zalipaev case coincided verbatim with a statement of a prosecution witness in a similar case of a former head of a Jehovah's Witnesses* organization in Prokhladny, Arkady Akopian, Omelchenko reported earlier. Akopian was charged with extremism and insisted on his innocence. The defense considered the prosecution of Akopian to be without basis and politically motivated. The cases of Akopian and Zalipaev, the attorney affirms, were a basis for the prohibition of Jehovah's Witnesses* on the federal level.

 

"After the consideration of the cases of administrative violations of law, witnesses changed their testimony, adding their assertion that Zalipaev, like Akopian, spoke disparagingly about Muslims and cited the example of terrorism actions in the Caucasus and he accused Orthodox priests of misuse of donations and other unseemly deeds," Omelchenko explained.

 

The prosecution announced the end of its presentation of evidence. At the next session, which is scheduled for 7 December, the court plans to question witnesses for the defense. The defense, announcing the summons and questioning of 37 witnesses, suggested the viewing of a video made during the operational activities in the house of worship of Jehovah's Witnesses* in Maiskii.

 

The attorney emphasized that the practice of prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses* is illegal; on the official level it is maintained that the prohibition of legal entities of the organization does not entail a prohibition of the religion of the Jehovah's Witnesses,* the profession of which is permitted as it was previously.

 

"In practice, believers from various regions are being criminally prosecuted if they assemble together or share their religious convictions with others," the attorney told a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. [. . .]

 

Omelchenko called attention to character evidence that people who knew him gave for Zalipaev. "They speak of him as of a good person, ready to help the needy and absolutely free of conflicts," the attorney said.

 

The defense attorney said that Zalipaev worked in a school, but several years ago he had a hand injury and resigned, after which he provided for residents the services of a welder and locksmith. The court sessions always are attended by several persons who support the defendant. Sometimes they come from other cities; in particular, the 22 November session was attended by a woman resident of Prokhladny. 

 

*The organization has been ruled to be extremist and its activity in Russia is forbidden by court decision.

(tr. by PDS, posted 26 November 2018)


Background articles:
Jehovah's Witness leader on trial in south of Russia
September 12, 2018
Jehovah's Witness on trial in southern Russia
August 27, 2018
Jehovah's Witness on trial in Caucasus
July 26, 2017

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