After a Retrial of the Case, the Court in Knyaze-Volkonskoye Sentences One of Jehovah's Witnesses Valeriy Rabota to Six Years Suspended for Talking About the Bible

 RUSSIA

After a Retrial of the Case, the Court in Knyaze-Volkonskoye Sentences One of Jehovah's Witnesses Valeriy Rabota to Six Years Suspended for Talking About the Bible

July 10, 2024 Khabarovsk Territory

After a year and three months of legal proceedings, Valeriy Rabota, 62, received a suspended sentence. On June 10, 2024, the judge of the Khabarovsk District Court, Maria Luzhbina, equated participation in peaceful worship services with extremism.

The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against the believer in the spring of 2022. During this time, he spent two days in a temporary detention facility, 116 days in a pre-trial detention center and 100 days under house arrest. During the months spent in prison, Valeriy's chronic diseases worsened. Later, while under house arrest, he suffered a stroke. The case went to court in March 2023. Eight months later, at the final stage of the trial, Judge Angelina Sviderskaya recused herself and the hearings began anew.

Valeriy Rabota was accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving others in it. However, the linguistic examination indicates that the believer did not encourage extremist actions, but only "reading and studying the material under discussion." This idea was emphasized by the lawyer: "My client is being tried solely for the ways in which his faith is expressed... Actions related to participation in religious services with fellow believers and the dissemination of one's beliefs are based not only on the Constitution of the Russian Federation, but also on the Bible, the source of moral norms and natural law."

FSB officer Stanislav Martyn, who feigned an interest in the Bible to collect information about believers, during interrogation denied that Rabota had persuaded him to join the activities of any organization. Witnesses for the prosecution spoke positively about Valeriy. One of the interrogated, an FSB officer associated with the believer's case, stated that he "was not a witness to any crime on Valeriy's part." Some of the interrogated persons spoke of falsifications in their written testimonies and pressure from the investigation. The defense pointed out violations of the law by experts, for example, religious scholar M. B. Serdyuk assessed the actions of the believer from the legal side, going beyond the limits of her authority.

In the Khabarovsk Territory, authorities opened 19 criminal cases against 41 of Jehovah's Witnesses. One of the believers died under investigation, and courts have already passed sentences on 20 people.

The Case of Valery's Work in Knyaz-Volkonsky

Case History

In March 2022, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under an extremist article against Valeriy Rabota from the village of Knyaze-Volkonskoye. His house was searched, after that the believer was taken away for interrogation and placed in a temporary detention facility, and two days later the man ended up in a pre-trial detention center for “unwillingness to cooperate” — to incriminate himself and fellow believers. In June 2022, despite the investigator’s demand to extend Valeriy’s detention, the judge softened the preventive measure, sending the believer under house arrest, where he suffered a stroke. In March 2023, the case went to court, and in November, the prosecutor requested that the believer be sent to a penal colony for 6 years. A month later, the judge recused herself, and the case was sent for a new trial with a different composition. In June 2024, Valeriy was given a 6-year suspended sentence.

Criminal case

Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Knyaz-Volkonskoye

Court case number:

12202080023000009

Case initiated:

March 1, 2022

Current case stage:

Verdict did not take effect

Investigating:

Komsomolsk-on-Amur Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-10/2024 (1-223/2023)

Court of First Instance:

Khabarovsk District Court of Khabarovsk Territory

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Maria Luzhbina

In the photo: On the day of Valeriy’s sentencing, relatives and friends came to support him. July 2024.