Court Sentenced Pensioner from Magnitogorsk, 63, to Six-Year Suspended for His Faith

 RUSSIA


Court Sentenced Pensioner from Magnitogorsk, 63, to Six-Year Suspended for His Faith

August 23, 2024 Chelyabinsk Region


The Ordzhonikidze District Court of Magnitogorsk issued a guilty verdict in the case of one of Jehovah's Witnesses Aleksandr Salnikov. On August 22, 2024, Judge Olga Prokopenko equated holding peaceful worship services with organizing the activity of an extremist organization.


Salnikov is a man with 40 years of work experience, he has repeatedly received awards for high professionalism, including a certificate of honor from the head of Magnitogorsk. Now Aleksandr and his wife are non-working pensioners, so the inclusion of the believer in the Rosfinmonitoring list, the blocking of his bank and social cards seriously affected the financial situation of the family.


The Salnikovs faced criminal prosecution in April 2023, when law enforcement officers broke into their house with a search. Aleksandr was interrogated and placed in a temporary detention center for two days, and then released on recognizance agreement. Due to the stress, his chronic illness worsened.


In April 2024, the case went to court. During the hearings, it turned out that the witnesses could not indicate how the incitement of religious hatred was expressed by Salnikov. One of them said that during the interrogation the FSB officer used obscene language, forcing him to sign a protocol with testimony.


"I have the impression," the believer commented on his situation, "that in order to avoid criminal liability, I must renounce my religious beliefs or stop expressing them. But this is nothing but discrimination." Another 15 Jehovah's Witnesses from the Chelyabinsk region found themselves in a similar situation.


The case of Salnikov in Magnitogorsk


Case History


Early in the morning in April 2023, several officers of the Magnitogorsk FSB came to search Aleksandr Salnikov’s home. The head of the family, his wife and daughter were questioned. According to the court’s decision, similar events were held on the same morning at seven more addresses. After the interrogation, Salnikov was placed in a temporary detention center for two days, and then he was freed on a written undertaking not to leave the place. The Investigative Committee suspected him of organizing the activity of an extremist organization. In April 2024, the case went to court. In August, he was handed down to six years suspended.


Criminal case


Region:

Chelyabinsk Region

Locality:

Magnitogorsk

Court case number:

12302750017000086

Case initiated:

April 18, 2023

Current case stage:

verdict did not take effect

Investigating:

Leninsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-431/2024

Court of First Instance:

Ordzhonikidzevsky District Court of Magnitogorsk

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Olga Prokopenko

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