COURT IN KIROV FREES
THREE BELIEVERS
AFTER LONG HOUSE ARREST
The criminal case is not
closed
Jehovah's
Witnesses in Russia, 7 October
2019
On 30
September
2019, a court in the Pervomai district of the city of Kirov
released from under
house arrest Evgeny Suborkov, Vladimir Korobeinikov, and Maksim
Khalturin.
Before this, the believers spent from 6 to 9 months in isolation
in their own
homes.
Judge
Aleksei Zhilin
believed that there are no grounds to keep the believers under
house arrest any
longer; they will not be able to hinder proceedings in the
criminal case. The
court also rejected again the argument of the investigator that
the accused
"may continue to engage in criminal activity."
Earlier
the court
mitigated the measure of restriction for another two subjects of
this criminal
case. He released from house arrest Andrei Suvorkov and also
freed from the
SIZO Polish citizen Andzhei Onishchuk on his own recognizance.
The
five Kirov
believers were arrested on 9 October 2018 after widespread
searches in the
homes of peaceful residents, including even some who do not
profess the faith
of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The investigation suspected them of
"group
singing of biblical songs, improving skills of conducting
missionary activity,
and study of religious literature, the so-called Sacred
Scripture (Bible)."
These charges were based on the "extremism" articles 282.2(1)
and
283.2(1) of the Criminal Code of the RF, on the basis of which
the peaceful
residents of Kirov face from 6 to 10 years imprisonment.
The
searches,
detention, and criminal prosecution of profoundly traumatized
the families of
the believers. Some of their relatives are severely ill and
require constant
care.
As of
the present,
12 residents of Kirov oblast are under investigation for faith
in Jehovah.
Kirov law enforcement continues to interpret the peaceful
profession of faith,
which is guaranteed by the Russian constitution, as a serious
crime. (tr. by
PDS, posted 7 October 2019)
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