Appeal in Khabarovsk replaced Alexei Ukhov with a suspended sentence for his faith

 RUSSIA


Appeal in Khabarovsk replaced Alexei Ukhov with a suspended sentence for his faith

July 18, 2023 Khabarovsk Territory


On July 18, 2023, the Khabarovsk regional court commuted the sentence of Aleksey Ukhov in his case for faith, replacing the actual imprisonment with a suspended sentence. Although the believer is found guilty, he will not have to go to jail. At the same time, the sentence was retained - 6 years and 6 months.


The 43-year-old believer was charged with "studying and quoting the texts of Holy Scripture." In his appeal against the verdict, he stated: “The court unreasonably recognized as a crime my peaceful practice of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses together with other persons… I lead a peaceful life, respect authority and observe the law, because I am a believer… I was convicted only for my faith in God.”


Referring to the position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which did not prohibit the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and did not assess the legitimacy of the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and the ways of their expression, Ukhov noted: “Despite the liquidation of legal entities, I still have the right to freely practice the religion of my choice, including including reading the Bible and discussing it with others, praying to God, singing songs in praise of God, talking to others about your faith.”


The Khabarovsk Territory is in second place in terms of the number of Jehovah's Witnesses, whom the authorities consider criminals only because of their faith in Jehovah God. To date, 30 people have become victims of religious repression, 12 of whom were sentenced to various suspended sentences and fines, four have already served their sentences.


In April 2023, the human rights organization Amnesty International, speaking about the significant expansion of the scope of Russia's application of legislation on combating "extremism" and "terrorism", noted : "Representatives of some peaceful religious denominations, including Jehovah's Witnesses, are increasingly being unreasonably prosecuted" .


Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan


Brief history of the case


In October 2020, a 5-hour search took place in the house of the Ukhovs — graphic artist Alexei and X-ray technician Lilia — after which Alexei was detained and five days later sent 540 kilometers from the house to Khabarovsk SIZO No. 1 for a forced psychiatric examination. The reason for this treatment of a peaceful believer from Sovetskaya Gavan was the fact that the day before, an FSB investigator opened a criminal case against Ukhov under an extremist article. According to investigators, he "performed actions aimed at reading prayers... studying and citing texts of the Holy Scriptures... and songs-psalms." While behind bars, Alexey was illegally deprived of letters of support from relatives and friends for about 3 months. In July 2021, Alexei was released from the pre-trial detention center on bail, and in August the case went to court. In March 2023, the believer was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in a colony. However, in July, the Court of Appeal replaced the actual imprisonment with a suspended one with the same term.


Criminal case


Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Sovetskaya Gavan

What is suspected:

"performed actions aimed at reading prayers ... studying and quoting texts of Holy Scripture ... and songs-psalms"

Case number:

12007080001000073

Initiated:

October 21, 2020

Current stage of the case:

verdict took effect

Investigating:

Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Khabarovsk Territory

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2(1)

Case number in court:

1-207/2021

Court:

Sovetsko-Gavansky City Court of the Khabarovsk Territory

Judge:

Victoria Anokhina

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