An appeal in Sevastopol upheld the sentence of three local Jehovah's Witnesses. They will serve long sentences in prison for their faith in God.

 CRIMEA


An appeal in Sevastopol upheld the sentence of three local Jehovah's Witnesses. They will serve long sentences in prison for their faith in God.

October 12, 2023 Crimea


On October 11, 2023, the judicial panel of the Sevastopol City Court upheld the sentence of 60-year-old Vladimir Maladyka, 53-year-old Evgeniy Zhukov and 52-year-old Vladimir Sakada - 6 years in a general regime colony. The verdict came into force, but can be appealed in cassation.


In his appeal, the lawyer stated that Maladyka, Sakada and Zhukov “were convicted only for professing beliefs based on the Bible and peacefully practicing their Christian faith.” At court hearings, they did not deny that they were Jehovah's Witnesses and, together with family and friends, sang songs praising God, turned to him in prayer and discussed the Bible. But at the same time, the believers explained that their goal was to practice their religion, help people, and show kindness and love to others.


According to the defense, the conviction of Maladyka, Zhukov and Sakada “clearly demonstrated that if they do not renounce their religious views, they will continue to be prosecuted.” At the same time, the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017 did not oblige citizens to change their faith and their usual forms of professing it.


27 believers from Crimea have already been subjected to criminal prosecution. Because of their convictions, 12 people were sentenced to 6 or more years in prison , and two more received suspended sentences. The world community and human rights activists consider the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses to be unjust and call on the Russian Federation to stop criminal cases and release prisoners of conscience.


Case of Zhukov and others in Sevastopol


Brief history of the case


In October 2020, security forces conducted searches of believers in Sevastopol. The day before, the FSB opened a criminal case against Vladimir Maladyka, Evgeny Zhukov and Vladimir Sakada. They were accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization only because of their faith in Jehovah God. The charges were based on video recordings of 4 worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses made by FSB agents. The believers spent a day in a temporary detention facility, then the court sent them to a pre-trial detention center. In April 2021, the case went to trial. During the hearings, FSB officer Dmitry Shevchenko, who conducted surveillance of the believers, stated that no signs of extremism or facts of inciting religious hatred were identified in their actions. During the investigation and trial, the men spent more than a year and 4 months in a pre-trial detention center and more than 8 months under house arrest each. In October 2022, the court sentenced them to 6 years in prison in a general regime colony. An appeal upheld the decision a year later.


Criminal case


Region:

Crimea

Locality:

Sevastopol

What is suspected:

According to the investigation, “they supervised liturgical meetings, familiarized people with the Holy Scriptures, performed acts of mercy... disseminated information in society touching on scientific, social, historical topics” (from the decision to bring them in as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12007350001670043

Initiated:

October 1, 2020

Current stage of the case:

Verdict took effect

Investigates:

Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-13/2022 (1-228/2021)

Court:

Nakhimovsky District Court of Sevastopol

Judge:

Olga Berdnikova


In the photo: From left to right: Vladimir Sakada, Evgeny Zhukov and Vladimir Maladyka attend the appeal hearing via video conference call.

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