Appeal in Samara Upheld the Verdict of Four Believers: 7 Years in Prison

 RUSSIA 


Appeal in Samara Upheld the Verdict of Four Believers: 7 Years in Prison

May 22, 2024 Samara Region


On May 20, 2024, the Samara Regional Court upheld the harsh sentence of Aram Danielyan, Denis Kuzyanin, Sergey Polosenko and Nikolay Vasilyev, who will have to spend 7 years in a general regime colony for peaceful religious activities.


In the appeal, the defense drew the court's attention to the fact that the believers were charged with organizing the activities of a Samara legal entity liquidated by a separate court decision in 2014. Therefore, the verdict could not be based on the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, issued only a few years later, in 2017. The peaceful performance of religious songs, prayers, and the pronunciation of the name of God, Jehovah, cannot be considered as evidence of extremist actions. Despite the arguments of the defense, the court rejected the complaint of the defendants, who were present at the hearing via video link from the pre-trial detention center.


The court's decision deprived believers of the opportunity to take care of their families and fully participate in the upbringing of children. Aram Danielyan has a son who is not yet three years old, and Denis Kuzyanin has a daughter of primary school age. Despite the difficulties, the believers and their wives try not to lose their positive attitude.


Russian courts continue to send Jehovah's Witnesses to colonies — as of April 2024, 158 believers had received prison sentences. 30 of them must spend 7 years or more behind bars.


The case of Polosenko and Others in Samara


Case History


In December 2021, at least 10 homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Samara. In one of the apartments, the security forces tortured and beat believers. Three men were arrested and taken into custody. An investigator of the FSB of Russia opened a criminal case against Sergey Polosenko, Denis Kuzyanin, Nikolay Vasiliyev and Aram Danielyan, who was detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center three weeks later, on charges of continuing the activities of the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” in the Samara region. After about 300 days of imprisonment, the believers were released from custody under a ban on certain actions. In April 2023, the case went to court. In January 2024, the prosecutor requested that the believers be sentenced to 9 years in prison. At the same hearing, the court sent them to jail for 7 years. In May, the appeal court left the ruling in force.


Criminal case


Region:

Samara Region

Locality:

Samara

Court case number:

12107360001000081

Case initiated:

December 14, 2021

Current case stage:

The verdict entered into force

Investigating:

Federal Security Service of Russia in the Samara Region

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-7/2024 (1-105/2023)

Court of First Instance:

Samara District Court of Samara

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Dmitry Derunov


In the photo: Relatives and friends came to support the defendants on the day of the appeal.

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