One of Jehovah's Witnesses Maksim Zinchenko Sentenced to 2 Years of Forced Labor in Crimea for Talking About the Bible

 CRIMEA


One of Jehovah's Witnesses Maksim Zinchenko Sentenced to 2 Years of Forced Labor in Crimea for Talking About the Bible

April 18, 2024 Crimea


According to the decision of the Nakhimovsky District Court of Sevastopol, Maksim Zinchenko was sentenced to two years of forced labor for participating in peaceful worship services. Judge Valeriy Kuznetsov announced this decision on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.


A year earlier, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Zinchenko. The security forces searched Maksim's house in Feodosia, then took him to Sevastopol, where, after interrogation, he was sent to a temporary detention center for two days. The court later placed him under house arrest for 8 months.


The charge brought against Zinchenko of participating in the activities of an extremist organization was based on hidden recordings of worship services, during which, according to the investigation, the believer "preached sermons" and "actively participated in the study of religious literature." At one of the court hearings, Maksim commented on this as follows: "From the cited facts of the accusation, I see that the presence of extremism in my words and deeds [in the opinion of the investigation] is not a crime, but only the name of my religion and the fact that I am not ashamed to be Jehovah's Witness." The believer believes that his right to worship God freely has been illegally restricted. He has the right to appeal the court's decision.


According to Zinchenko, he and his wife felt supported throughout the process: "Karina and I feel so much love and care of friends from all over the world—video messages and assurances of love from different countries, strong support at the courtroom . . .". He also noted that he appreciates the practical help provided by friends.


In Crimea, 10 Jehovah's Witnesses have already been sentenced: nine men are serving sentences in penal colonies, another received a suspended sentence.


Case of Zinchenko in Sevastopol


Case History


In May 2023, in Feodosia, officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB searched the apartment of the Zinchenko spouses, who had been under surveillance since 2020. A criminal case has been initiated against Maksim Zinchenko. The investigation considered reading and discussing Bible verses with friends to be participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Two days after the search and interrogation, the believer was placed under house arrest. The charges were based on video recordings of four worship services of Jehovah’s Witnesses made by secret FSB agents, as well as the testimony of a secret witness. In June 2023, the case went to court. In February 2024, the court found Zinchenko guilty and sentenced him to two years of forced labor.


Criminal case


Region:

Crimea

Locality:

Sevastopol

Suspected of:

"Aware of the public danger and illegality of their actions aimed at undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the state ... acting out of extremist motives... took active steps ... expressed in repeated participation in religious meetings ... preached at meetings... actively participated in the study of religious literature"

Court case number:

12302670004000034

Case initiated:

May 17, 2023

Current case stage:

Appeal

Investigating:

Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-345/2023

Court of First Instance:

Nakhimovsky District Court of the city of Sevastopol

 Judge of the Court of First Instance:

 Valery Kuznetsov


In the photo: Maksim Zinchenko and his wife Karina near the court before the sentence.

Comentarios

Publicar un comentario

Entradas populares de este blog

Jehovah's witnesses can refuse blood transfusions, decides the Supreme Court (STF).

 BRASIL  Jehovah's witnesses can refuse blood transfusions, decides the Supreme Court (STF). 26/09/2024 The thesis that determines the state the cost of alternative treatments that are available from the Unified Health System (SUS) and that do not involve blood transfusion was fixed. The Supreme Court (STF) ruled on Wednesday (25/9) that medical patients can refuse blood transfusion for religious reasons. The plenary discussed extraordinary appeals (REs) 979742 (topic of General repercussion 952) and 1212272 (topic of General repercussion 1069), which deal with the right to perform surgery without blood transfusion for patients Jehovah's witnesses, a religion that does not accept this type of treatment. In RE 979742, the position of Rapporteur Minister Luís Roberto Barroso prevailed. In his vote, the president of the Supreme Court allowed Jehovah's witnesses to refuse blood transfusions, as long as this refusal meets requirements such as the patient being of legal age, capa...
Leer más

Appeal in Moscow Toughens the Punishment for One of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Terms for Two Other Believers Remain Intact

 RUSSIA Appeal in Moscow Toughens the Punishment for One of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Terms for Two Other Believers Remain Intact October 4, 2024 Moscow On October 3, 2024, the verdict against Anatoliy Marunov, Sergey Tolokonnikov and Roman Mareyev came into force. At the same time, the Moscow City Court added two months to Tolokonnikov's term. Three believers received from four and a half to six and a half years in prison. "The court criminalized the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses," the believers' lawyer said in the appeal. "The result was that the court declared the peaceful and socially harmless practice of religion a crime." Roman Mareyev stressed that the decision of the first instance violates Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religion. He also noted: "The court did not establish the presence of motives of religious hatred or enmity in my actions, and did not establish agai...
Leer más

Appeal in Samara Upholds the Conviction of Aleksandr Dolganov — Three Years in Prison for Faith in Jehovah God

 RUSSIA Appeal in Samara Upholds the Conviction of Aleksandr Dolganov — Three Years in Prison for Faith in Jehovah God October 1, 2024 Samara Region On September 27, 2024, the panel of judges of the Samara Regional Court agreed with the decision of the first instance in the case of Aleksandr Dolganov. Although the term of punishment for the believer, 35, remained the same, the appeal counted the time under house arrest against the punishment at the rate of 1 day of house arrest for 1 day of colony. According to this decision, Dolganov should serve his sentence a month and a half earlier. Earlier, the Avtozavodskiy District Court of the city of Tolyatti considered it a crime for Dolganov to hold services of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the believer, this contradicts the explanations of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, so he appealed the verdict. Addressing the panel of judges, Dolganov said: "Bible principles taught me to be a kind, caring, patien...
Leer más