IN
KHABAROVSK,
PROSECUTION ASKS 3 YEARS INCARCERATION FOR READING EXCERPT FROM
CHRIST'S SERMON
ON THE MOUNT
Sentence
will be
announced on 2 September
Jehovah's
Witnesses
in Russia, 30 August 2019
On 30
August 2019,
speaking in the debates in the Zheleznodorozhny district court
of Khabarovsk,
assistant prosecutor Anatoly Grigorenko stated that Valery
Moskalenko, who has
already been in a SIZO for 13 months, should be sent to a penal
colony of
general regime for three years merely for the fact that he
professes faith in
Jehovah God. Before the SIZO, Valery lived with his elderly
mother and provided
her daily care that she sorely needs.
The
episode of
Moskalenko's life that the local department of the FSB
considered to be a crime
was a meeting of friends in a conference hall of a hotel, during
which he read
words from the Gospel: "Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow:
they do not toil nor spin, but I tell you that even Solomon in
all his glory
was not dressed like any of them. If God clothes the field
plants that are
today and will be thrown into an oven tomorrow, then will he not
really clothe
you, who have little faith? Therefore never worry and say: 'What
is there for
us to eat?' or 'What to drink?' or 'What to wear?'" Moskalenko
explained
to the court that his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount bore
an exclusively
peaceful character. He discussed how to overcome worry because
of economic
difficulties.
The
attorneys spoke
during the debates of the sides. Upon the conclusion of the
debates of the
sides the defendant addressed the court with his final word,
after which the
judge departed to a conference room for establishing the
verdict. (tr. by PDS,
posted 30 August 2019)
EXPERT
FINDS CALL
FOR CONTINUATION ON VIDEO OF KHABAROVSK JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Khabarovsk
Territory Today, 13 August 2019
In Khabarovsk, a high-profile judicial process is
continuing on the
accusation of 52-year-old Valery Moskalenko of organizing the
activity of the
religious movement of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is forbidden
in Russia (part 2
of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the RF), the news
agency Khabarovsk
Territory Today reports.
We recalled that earlier the news agency wrote that
Moskalenko was
arrested on 2 August 2018 in Khabarovsk during a search and he
was subsequently
placed in a SIZO.
On 13 August, in a regular court session, a witness
for the
prosecution, a psychologist of the emergency service, Alena
Paevshchik spoke.
In the capacity of an expert, she had conducted a complex
psycho-linguistic
expert analysis of materials seized in Moskalenko's home and
in homes of other
participants of the organization during searches.
"During the expert analysis, I analyzed video files
that were on
three disks. On them is recorded several events in which the
defendant
Moskalenko participated. They occurred in the period from 18
March to 21 April
2018 in a single location in the Erofei hotel complex," Alena
Paevshchik
said. The expert said the analysis showed the presence in the
speeches of calls
for the continuation of activity. She noted that in one of the
recordings the
words from one of the participants, "our organization is
forbidden in many
countries of the world," are heard.
Two attorneys for the defendant called as a witness
Moskalenko's
stepsister. "My brother is a good person, for whom Jesus is an
example. He
is a mentor and support for me," Liudmila said.
During the session, Valery Moskalenko himself was
calm, and he smiled
sometimes. He abstained from commenting.
Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the RF
(Arranging the activity of
an extremist organization) provides for a punishment in the
form of huge fines
and deprivation of liberty for up to ten years. (tr. by PDS,
posted 30 August
2019)
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