The Court Considered Three Pensioners From Barnaul Extremists and Gave Them Suspended Sentences for Their Beliefs

 RUSSIA 


The Court Considered Three Pensioners From Barnaul Extremists and Gave Them Suspended Sentences for Their Beliefs

May 13, 2024 Altai Territory


On May 13, 2024, the Leninskiy District Court of Barnaul found Mikhail Reshetnikov, 74, Yuriy Kolotinskiy, 69, and Anatoliy Sarychev, 74, guilty of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. Judge Lyubov Kurushina sentenced them to 2 years and 3 months of suspended imprisonment each.


Believers received such punishment because of their participation in peaceful worship services that are not prohibited by law. They do not agree with the verdict and have the right to appeal against it.


In May 2021, a special operation codenamed "Armageddon" took place in Barnaul and surrounding cities. One of the searches took place at the home of labor veteran Mikhail Reshetnikov, and a criminal case was opened against him. In the fall of 2022, new defendants appeared in the case: Yuriy Kolotinskiy, a labor veteran and group III disabled person, and Anatoliy Sarychev. Both were included in the Rosfinmonitoring list and placed under recognizance agreement.


Throughout the trial, which lasted about a year and a half, the prosecution tried to prove that peaceful believers are dangerous criminals. To this, Anatoliy Sarychev objected in his last plea that they only enjoyed "the legal right to religion provided for in Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation." Mikhail Reshetnikov noted: "Dear court, we acquaint people with the principles from the Word of God. Is this extremism?" Yuriy Kolotinskiy emphasized: "We listened to the recordings of worship services in court, which are held peacefully and with dignity. And what is discussed at them can be called the prevention of extremism."


All the defendants said that during the trial they were supported by friends who came to the courthouse in any weather, greeted and escorted them to each hearing with applause and encouraged them with warm words.


At the moment, 9 Jehovah's Witnesses are being persecuted for their faith in the Altai Territory. Of the 807 believers persecuted by Russian law enforcement officers, 215 are over 60.


The case of Reshetnikov and Others in Barnaul


Case History


Pensioner, labor veteran Mikhail Reshetnikov became one of the victims of the police special operation “Armageddon”, which took place in May 2021 in Barnaul and surrounding cities. The security forces searched the believer’s apartment, seizing greeting cards from his wedding, electronic devices and personal records. After the search, the investigator interrogated him in the FSB building and placed him under recognizance agreement. Two days earlier, a criminal case was opened against the believer for participating in the activities of an extremist organization. Later, in October 2022, the investigation opened a criminal case under the same article against pensioner Anatoliy Sarychev and labor veteran Yuriy Kolotinskiy. They also were given a recognizance agreement. In December 2022, the criminal case went to court. Testimony against the believers was given by a secret witness. In May 2024, the court handed down a sentence of 2 years and 3 months of suspended imprisonment.


Criminal case


Region:

Altai Territory

Locality:

Barnaul

Suspected of:

According to the investigation, "carried out activities to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses Barnaul, including through conversations ... as well as direct participation in events held by representatives of this organization.

Court case number:

12107010001000020

Case initiated:

May 25, 2021

Current case stage:

Verdict did not take effect

Investigating:

Branch of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Altai Territory

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-3/2024 (1-68/2023; 1-826/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Leninsky District Court of Barnaul, Altai Territory

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Lyubov Kurushina


In the photo: From left to right: Anatoliy Sarychev, Yuriy Kolotinskiy with his wife Nataliya, Antonina and Mikhail Reshetnikov. May 2024.

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