Court in Yugorsk Acquitted Jehovah's Witnesses Ivan Sorokin and Andrey Zhukov

 RUSSIA


Court in Yugorsk Acquitted Jehovah's Witnesses Ivan Sorokin and Andrey Zhukov

August 7, 2023 Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area


On August 7, 2023, Judge of Yugorsk District Court of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area—Yugra Yuriy Klyupa completed the consideration of the case of Ivan Sorokin and Andrey Zhukov and delivered a verdict of not guilty. The believers were found not guilty of extremism. The prosecutor asked the court to appoint Sorokin 9 years, and Zhukov —8.5 years in a penal colony.


In August 2020, a series of searches took place in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. 16 people were interrogated, Sorokin and Zhukov were sent to the temporary detention facility, and a day later they were released under recognizance agreement. A criminal case was initiated against them under Parts 1 and 1.1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization and involvement in it). For 15 months, this criminal case was investigated by the Investigative Committee for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area—Yugra. In November 2021, it went to court, which considered the case for 1 year and 9 months.


After the criminal prosecution began, Sorokin and Zhukov were included in the list of extremists of Rosfinmonitoring, practically depriving them of the opportunity to fully provide for their families—Ivan Sorokin, 45, has two children, one of whom is a minor, and Andrey Zhukov, 50, has two minor children, the youngest child is not yet 3 years.


This is the third acquittal of Jehovah's Witnesses by Russian courts under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In November 2021, the Pervorechensk District Court of Vladivostok found Dmitriy Barmakin not guilty, and in June 2022, the Porkhov District Court of the Pskov Region fully acquitted Aleksey Khabarov. Unfortunately, both of these sentences were canceled, and the cases were sent for a new trial, as a result of which Dmitriy Barmakin was sent to a penal colony for 8 years in April 2023.


Another acquittal was issued in October 2020 under Part 1 of Art. 280 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public calls for extremist activities) against Yuriy Zalipayev, who was later awarded compensation for illegal criminal prosecution. In criminal cases against another 21 believers, the charges were dropped.


Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk


Brief history of the case


In August 2020, in the cities of Yugorsk and Sovetsky (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), searches were carried out at 9 addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses, 16 people were taken away for interrogation. Andrei Zhukov and Ivan Sorokin were prosecuted for organizing the activities of an extremist organization because of conversations about the Bible with friends. The believers were placed in a temporary detention facility, and the next day they were released on bail. A few months later, their accounts were blocked, which became a serious difficulty for the Zhukov family in connection with the birth of their second child. In August 2021, Zhukov and Sorokin were also charged with involvement in the activities of an extremist organization. In October of the same year, the case went to court. Witnesses for the prosecution invited to the hearing stated that the defendants are peace-loving people, and they did not hear calls for unlawful actions from believers. In August 2023, the court fully acquitted the believers.


Criminal case


Region:

Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area

Locality:

Yugorsk

What is suspected:

“were developing the basic plans of a local religious organization… they were organizing conspiratorial gatherings of members of an extremist organization for the purpose of conducting religious rites and sermons” (from the decision to open a criminal case)

Case number:

12002711023058534

Initiated:

August 17, 2020

Current stage of the case:

trial in appellate court

Investigating:

SU IC RF for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1)

Case number in court:

1-2/2023 (1-14/2022; 1-149/2021)

Court:

Yugorsky District Court of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra

Judge:

Yuri Klyupa

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