A court in Adygea sent 68-year-old Nikolai Voishchev to a colony for 3 years

 RUSSIA

A court in Adygea sent 68-year-old Nikolai Voishchev to a colony for 3 years

September 21, 2023 Republic of Adygeya

On September 14, 2023, the judge of the Maikop City Court, Zaurbiy Birzhev, found Nikolai Voishchev guilty of extremism only because of his faith. Considering that the elderly believer has already served 329 days in a pre-trial detention center, he will have to spend another 1.5 years behind bars, despite his serious illness.

During the debate, the prosecutor requested for Voishchev 7 years of imprisonment in a general regime correctional colony with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public organizations for 5 years and with restriction of freedom for 1 year. The judge decided to sentence Nikolai to imprisonment for 3 years in a general regime colony with deprivation of the right to engage in educational activities, as well as activities related to leadership and participation in religious, public associations and organizations for 4 years, with restriction of freedom for 1 year.

Speaking before the court with the last word, the believer said: “The prosecution asks to sentence me to seven years... Because I am an honest person who respects the laws of the country... loves my neighbor as myself. Seven years for being a good neighbor... Jehovah's Witness, observing and using Article 28 of the Russian Constitution. Seven years because I have never committed a criminal act.”

Nikolai Voishchev found himself behind bars back in October 2022. Investigator Zaurbiy Blagoz opened a criminal case against him under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, claiming that he “organized and held secret meetings together with other [Jehovah’s Witnesses].” The arrest was preceded by a series of searches in Maykop.

The accusation against the believer was based on the testimony of two secret witnesses. During interrogation in court, they were only able to confirm that Voishchev is a Jehovah’s Witness, which he did not hide anyway. Witnesses did not hear any extremist calls from him. Another piece of evidence for the prosecution was the psycholinguistic examination of hidden video recordings of worship services in which believers peacefully discuss the Bible. Ruslan Levinsky, who performed the examination, does not have a higher linguistic education. The lawyer provided the opinion of religious scholar Ekaterina Elbakyan, according to whose conclusions “the conclusion of the expert [Levinsky] is not based on the provisions of generally accepted scientific data in the field of religious studies, the conclusions of the expert’s conclusion seem unfounded.”

Even before his arrest, Voishchev was diagnosed with a tumor that required immediate treatment. Also, due to an injury suffered in his youth, Nikolai suffers from severe headaches. The conditions of detention and the lack of proper treatment led to the deterioration of the believer’s health. He still needs medical attention.

Already four Jehovah's Witnesses from Maykop have faced persecution for their faith. The world community and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation stated that “the joint performance of rituals and ceremonies [of Jehovah’s Witnesses] in itself does not constitute a crime under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, despite the liquidation of their legal entities.”

Voishchev case in Maykop

Brief history of the case

In October 2022, Investigative Committee investigator Zaurbiy Blyagoz once again opened a criminal case on extremism against Jehovah’s Witnesses from Maykop. Now Nikolai Voishchev has come under suspicion. A man with a serious illness ended up in a pre-trial detention center only because of his faith. The investigation interpreted the discussion of the Bible with fellow believers via video link as extremist activity. The case came to court in December 2022. The case involved the testimony of two secret witnesses and an examination that the defense considered unscientific. The believer was sentenced to 3 years in prison in September 2023.

Criminal case

Region:

Republic of Adygeya

Locality:

Maykop

What is suspected:

“organized and held secret meetings together with other participants and followers of the religious movement of Jehovah’s Witnesses, through personal communication, telephone conversations and the Internet” (from the decision to bring him as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12202790010000033

Initiated:

October 19, 2022

Current stage of the case:

trial in appellate court

Investigates:

Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Adygea

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-163/2023 (1-801/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Maikop City Court of the Republic of Adygea

Judge of the trial court:

Zaurbiy Birzhev