In Three Sessions, the Court Sentenced One of Jehovah's Witnesses From Kholmskaya, 66, to Two and a Half Years in a Penal Colony for His Beliefs

 RUSSIA 


In Three Sessions, the Court Sentenced One of Jehovah's Witnesses From Kholmskaya, 66, to Two and a Half Years in a Penal Colony for His Beliefs

July 8, 2024 Krasnodar Territory


On July 3, 2024, the judge of the Abinsk District Court, Sergey Mikhin, recognized the peaceful believer Valeriy Bailo as an extremist because of discussing the Bible via video conferencing. The man pleads not guilty and can appeal the verdict.


Three months earlier, on April 2, the believer was summoned to the police department in the village of Akhtyrsky. From there he was taken to the Investigative Committee department in Abinsk, where he was interrogated and then sent to the temporary detention facility. The next day, Bailo's home was searched. Electronic devices and literature were seized from him, which he found on the street and brought home to light the stove. Then the believer was placed in a pre-trial detention center.


The case of the believer was received by the Abinsk District Court on June 13. The first hearing came as a surprise to Valeriy. He was given a few minutes to get ready, put in a car and taken to court, so he could not prepare for the trial. And already at the third session, the judge passed a guilty verdict under Part 2 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).


In the pre-trial detention center, Bailo's health condition has deteriorated: chronic diseases have worsened, he needs urgent dental care and knee surgery. The believer and his lawyer repeatedly sent requests for medical assistance to the administration of the pre-trial detention center, but it was never provided.


Before his arrest, Valeriy Bailo lived alone. Soon after he ended up in a pre-trial detention center, his relatives discovered that a large amount of money had disappeared from the house, which had not been seized during the search. In the past, the man has already faced the loss of property. At the time of default, he lost all his savings and, together with his children, whom he raised alone after the death of his wife, was forced to live on the territory of the plant for 7 years without electricity and water.


Valeriy Bailo is not the first Jehovah's Witness whose case was considered by the Abinsk District Court in the shortest possible time, during which it is impossible to delve into the essence of the charge and exercise the right to a full-fledged defense. Vasiliy Meleshko was sentenced to a real term in the penal colony in just 2 sessions, Aleksandr Ivshin—in 4. All 8 Jehovah's Witnesses, whose criminal cases were heard in the Abinsk District Court, received real terms of imprisonment for their faith.


The case of Baylo in Kholmskaya


Case History


In March 2024, a criminal case was opened against Valeriy Bailo under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization. A few days later, the man was summoned to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, after which his house was searched, and the believer himself was placed in a pre-trial detention center. On June 26, 2024, the first court hearing was held, and on July 3, Bailo was sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony.


Criminal case


Region:

Krasnodar Territory

Locality:

Kholmskaya

Suspected of:

"Disseminated the ideology of the extremist organization Jehovah's Witnesses, conducted and listened to lectures based on the religious literature "Jehovah's Witnesses", revealing the religious ideological doctrine of the doctrine of the extremist organization "Jehovah's Witnesses"" (from the decision to bring as an accused)

Court case number:

12402030017000016

Case initiated:

March 28, 2024

Current case stage:

Verdict did not take effect

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-142/2024

Court:

Abinsky District Court of the Krasnodar Territory

 Judge:

 Sergey Mikhin

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