Appeal in Khabarovsk Overturned the Conviction of Two Pensioners. The Case Will Be Considered by the Same Court in a Different Composition

 RUSSIA


Appeal in Khabarovsk Overturned the Conviction of Two Pensioners. The Case Will Be Considered by the Same Court in a Different Composition

December 5, 2023 Khabarovsk Territory


On December 5, 2023, a panel of judges of the Khabarovsk Regional Court overturned the sentence of Lyubov Kocherova and Lyubov Ovchinnikova from the village of Knyaze-Volkonskoye — 6 years of suspended sentence for believing in Jehovah God — and sent the case back for a new trial. The court thus granted the prosecutor's appeal.


The case will be heard in the same court that passed the original verdict (Khabarovsk District Court), but with a different composition of judges.


Lyubov Kocherova emphasized in her appeal: "The court did not substantiate in the verdict why the peaceful way of expressing faith in God was regarded by the court as a way of committing a crime." She also noted: "The Constitution of the Russian Federation allows me to believe." Lyubov Ovchinnikova pointed out: "The court verdict is an act of direct and indirect gross religious discrimination."


In an additional appeal, the defense drew attention to the fact that the lower court, when considering a criminal case, did not establish what specific actions directly aimed at continuing the activities of any banned organization were committed by the women. In other words, the court did not identify the crime as such.


Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses continues in the Khabarovsk Territory. The convictions of 17 believers in the region have already entered into force.


Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye


Brief history of the case


Since April 2020, one of the residents of the village of Knyaze-Volkonsky, on instructions from the FSB, began making audio recordings of conversations about the Bible with Lyubov Kocherova and Lyubov Ovchinnikova. Two years later, a criminal case was opened against the pensioners for allegedly attracting and participating in the activities of an extremist organization. They were accused of "asking questions on religious topics related... to understanding the Bible." In March 2023, the case went to court. In August 2023, Kocherova and Ovchinnikova were sentenced to 6 years in prison, but on December 5, the Khabarovsk District Court overturned the sentence and sent the case for a new trial. The case will be reconsidered by the same court of first instance, but with a different composition of judges.


Criminal case


Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Prince-Volkonsky

What is suspected:

“Collectively sang religious songs and prayers, which are a product of the structure of the worldwide organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses” (from the decision to impeach them)

Criminal case number:

12202080023000024

Initiated:

May 26, 2022

Current stage of the case:

trial in court of first instance

Investigates:

Investigative Directorate for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-215/2023

Court of First Instance:

Khabarovsk District Court of Khabarovsk Territory

Judge of the trial court:

Angelina Sviderskaya


In the photo: Lyubov Ovchinnikova and Lyubov Kocherova, July 2023

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