In Tatarstan, three Jehovah's Witnesses were sentenced to long suspended sentences. The court found them guilty of extremism for believing in God

 RUSSIA


In Tatarstan, three Jehovah's Witnesses were sentenced to long suspended sentences. The court found them guilty of extremism for believing in God

September 6, 2023 Tatarstan


On September 5, 2023, judge of the Nizhnekamsk City Court of the Republic of Tatarstan Sergei Kamenov imposed 6 years of suspended imprisonment on Denis Filatov, Stanislav Klyuchnikov and Dmitry Yarchak, who has been disabled since childhood. The court considered prayers and singing religious songs extremism.


The verdict has not entered into force and can be appealed. Believers insist on their complete innocence.


In November 2020, the Investigative Directorate of the Russian Federation Investigative Committee for the Republic of Tatarstan opened a criminal case and conducted a series of searches in Nizhnekamsk. An investigation began against the three men, which lasted 14 months. In January 2022, the case went to court, where it was considered for another 19 months. All this time, the believers were under recognizance not to leave. Several witnesses summoned to court for questioning stated that they testified to the investigator under pressure and threats from security forces, and one woman reported that the investigator arbitrarily wrote into the protocol words that she did not utter. The main part of the accusation is based on the testimony of a secret witness.


Speaking in court, believers explained that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Klyuchnikov said: “I believe that the preliminary investigation authorities incorrectly and arbitrarily interpret the decision of the Supreme Court. And it is their misinterpretation, and not the crime I allegedly committed, that is the reason that I am in the dock today.” Denis Filatov added: “The episodes of participation in religious services charged against me can only indicate the exercise of the right to profess one’s religion and use ways of expressing faith that were not prohibited.” Dmitry Yarchak also said: “By showing peace and observing the law, I exercise the right guaranteed by Art. 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation."


In Tatarstan, 13 more people faced persecution for their faith in Jehovah God. One of them, Konstantin Sannikov , was sentenced to real imprisonment for a term of 6 years and 6 months.


Case of Klyuchnikov and others in Nizhnekamsk


Brief history of the case


In the fall of 2020, 12 apartments of peaceful believers in Nizhnekamsk were invaded by FSB officers and riot police. The investigator opened a criminal case under an extremist article. The reason was that the security forces “revealed the methods of activity inherent in the religious organization Jehovah’s Witnesses” - singing songs and prayers. Since August 2021, Dmitry Yarchak, who suffers from cerebral palsy, as well as Denis Filatov and Stanislav Klyuchnikov, have been under recognizance not to leave. Their case went to trial in January 2022. Several witnesses stated that they testified to the investigator under pressure and threats from security forces, and one woman reported that the investigator arbitrarily wrote into the protocol words that she did not utter. Part of the accusation is based on the testimony of a secret witness. In September 2023, the court sentenced Denis Filatov, Stanislav Klyuchnikov and Dmitry Yarchak to 6 years of suspended imprisonment.


Criminal case


Region:

Tatarstan

Locality:

Nizhnekamsk

What is suspected:

according to the investigation, “creating and conforming to a favorable image [of the believer], singing special songs, hymns, prayers”

Criminal case number:

12002920022000071

Initiated:

November 12, 2020

Current stage of the case:

trial in appellate court

Investigates:

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

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-17/2023 (1-254/2022)

Court:

Nizhnekamsk City Court of the Republic of Tatarstan

Judge of the trial court:

Sergey Kamenov


In the photo: Denis Filatov, Stanislav Klyuchnikov and Dmitry Yarchak.

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