The Appeal in Krasnoyarsk Upheld the Verdict Against Yuriy Yakovlev. Six Years and Two Months in a Penal Colony for Believing in Jehovah God

 RUSSIA


The Appeal in Krasnoyarsk Upheld the Verdict Against Yuriy Yakovlev. Six Years and Two Months in a Penal Colony for Believing in Jehovah God

May 24, 2024 Krasnoyarsk Territory


Yuriy Yakovlev, a 57-year-old Jehovah's Witness from Sosnovoborsk, will go to a penal colony for holding peaceful worship services and reading the Bible — following the appeal hearings in the Krasnoyarsk Regional Court on May 21, 2024, the verdict entered into force.


In March 2023, Yakovlev was sentenced to 6 years and 2 months in a penal colony. He has been behind bars for over 2 years. Addressing the court of appeal, the believer said: "In the course of the case, it was not revealed what harm I caused and who suffered. The Bible says, "Love your neighbor." That's what I followed. I am ready to go to the end for my faith and suffer."


"The court of first instance relied only on evidence that I am a believer who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses," Yuriy said in his appeal. As pointed out by the defense, during the trial, no extremist goals and motives were proven in the actions of the believer, and the verdict does not quote any extremist statements by Yakovlev.


To date, 31 Jehovah's Witnesses in the Krasnoyarsk Territory have faced criminal prosecution for their religious beliefs. Fourteen of them have already received sentences ranging from fines to lengthy suspended sentences and real sentences.


At the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on October 28, 2021, where explanations were given regarding crimes of an extremist nature, it was stated that believers can continue to jointly profess religion, perform worship services or other religious rites and ceremonies, if they do not contain signs of extremism (clause 20).


Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk


Case History


In March 2022, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Yuriy Yakovlev, a resident of Sosnovoborsk. The next day, the believer was searched, and later arrested and placed in a pre-trial detention center. The accusation was based on hidden audio recordings of worship services and conversations with friends on biblical topics. The investigation considered such actions as “determining the time of meetings through online broadcasts”, “pastoral work” and “directing preaching activities” to be organizing the activities of an extremist organization. The investigation lasted 71 days. In June 2022, the case went to court. Although during the trial it was only proved that Yakovlev was a Jehovah’s Witness, in March of the following year the believer was sentenced to 6 years and 2 months in a general regime colony. In May 2024, the appeal upheld this verdict.


Criminal case


Region:

Krasnoyarsk Territory

Locality:

Sosnovoborsk

Suspected of:

"General management of the organization, timing of meetings through online broadcasts, pastoral work, leadership of preaching activities"

Court case number:

12202040018000019

Case Initiated:

March 28, 2022

Current case stage:

The verdict entered into force

Investigating:

SO of the Berezovsky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-5/2023 (1-89/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Sosnovoborsky City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Anastasia Ivanova

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