An appeal in Krasnoyarsk upheld Alexander Filatov's sentence of 6 years in prison for believing in Jehovah God

 RUSSIA


An appeal in Krasnoyarsk upheld Alexander Filatov's sentence of 6 years in prison for believing in Jehovah God

August 31, 2023 Krasnoyarsk Territory


On July 20, 2023, a panel of judges of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Court, chaired by Tatyana Lukyanova, confirmed the conviction of 38-year-old Alexander Filatov. The father of two young children has already been transferred to colony No. 31 in the village of Industrialny (Krasnoyarsk).


Filatov was convicted on charges of “organizing the activities of a banned extremist organization,” but essentially for discussing the Bible with his fellow believers. He still insists on his innocence of extremism and has the right to appeal the verdict in cassation. In his appeal, the believer stated that the court violated his rights guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation: “I committed the actions underlying the conviction within the framework of freedom of religion.”


The defense pointed out that the court did not apply the clarifications of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, according to which believers have the right to hold religious services if they do not contain signs of extremism. Alexander Filatov stated: “The presence of extremist goals and motives in my actions has not been proven. The verdict does not contain quotations of extremist statements.”


The persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has been going on for more than 6 years and is gaining momentum, despite condemnation from the world community. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory alone, 30 believers faced criminal prosecution for their faith. The courts have already sentenced almost half of them: five were sent to prison, four received suspended sentences, and three were given large fines.


Filatov case in Krasnoyarsk


Brief history of the case


In July 2021, the Krasnoyarsk Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Alexander Filatov, who at that time lived in Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Territory). Just because of his religion, he was accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. After a search, the believer was detained and taken 5,000 kilometers away to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Filatov's accusation was based on the testimony of two secret witnesses. In January 2022, the criminal case was brought to court, and in December 2022, Judge Gruzdev sentenced Filatov to 6 years in a general regime colony. This is exactly the punishment the prosecutor requested. In July 2023, an appeal confirmed the believer's sentence.


Criminal case


Region:

Krasnoyarsk Territory

Locality:

Krasnoyarsk

What is suspected:

according to the investigation, “committed actions of an organizational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, expressed in the leadership of this organization, the direct holding of religious meetings”

Case number:

12102040005000127

Initiated:

July 9, 2021

Current stage of the case:

verdict took effect

Investigating:

SO of the RF Investigative Committee for the Oktyabrsky district of Krasnoyarsk

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2(1)

Case number in court:

1-207/2022 (1-865/2021)

Court of First Instance:

Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnoyarsk

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Sergei Gruzdev

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