In Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, an 81-Year-Old Woman and Her Fellow Believers Sentenced to Suspended Terms for Discussing the Bible

 RUSSIA 


In Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, an 81-Year-Old Woman and Her Fellow Believers Sentenced to Suspended Terms for Discussing the Bible

July 31, 2024 Khabarovsk Territory


On July 30, 2024, the Nykolaevsk-on-Amur City Court found Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko, Vladislav Markov, and Nadezhda Korobochko guilty of extremism because of reading the Bible together. Judge Roman Zhukov sentenced the believers to suspended sentences. The decision has not come into force.


Igor Kletkin and Nikolay Kononenko received 6 years of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of 4 years, Nadezhda Korobochko — 5 years and 3 years of probation. The court separated the case of Vladislav Markov into a separate proceeding.


"The accusation against me is based on an erroneous interpretation and application of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated April 20, 2017 and on erroneous conclusions of expert examinations," Nikolay Kononenko said at one of the court hearings.


The case of 81-year-old Nadezhda Korobochko is based on an audio recording of just one meeting for worship, at which she spoke briefly on spiritual issues. The elderly believer noted: "The prosecution was interested only in the formal aspect — the very fact of the gathering of believers to discuss doctrines. However, neither the investigator nor the prosecutor even tried to get to the bottom of what these meetings were about. Otherwise, they could have made sure that I had not committed any unlawful acts."


She told what she had to go through during the criminal prosecution: "The search was the most difficult for me, because at that time I was sick, I had high blood pressure — a hypertensive crisis." The recognizance not to leave also created additional difficulties for Nadezhda, since she could not go to the regional hospital in Khabarovsk to install a pacemaker.


Four believers noted that relatives, friends and fellow believers help them maintain a positive attitude by sending them cards and messages with words of love. Despite the verdict, the believers do not lose heart. "I am greatly strengthened by the example of our brothers and sisters. Everyone has a positive impact on me," said Igor Kletkin.


The case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur


Case History


In October 2021, in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, security forces searched the homes of peaceful Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were charged with extremism only because of their religion. Igor Kletkin and Vladislav Markov spent 2 days in a temporary detention facility. The investigator opened a criminal case against them, as well as Nadezhda Korobochko, for participation in extremist activities. The indictment was based on information gathered from surveillance, covert audio recordings of believers’ conversations, conflicting testimony from a secret witness, and falsified testimony from other witnesses. The case went to court in December 2022. In July 2024, the court sentenced Kononenko, Kletkin and Korobochko to suspended sentences: the men received six years each, Nadezhda Korobochko — five years.


Criminal case


Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Nikolaevsk-on-Amur

Court case number:

12102080010000053

Case initiated:

October 11, 2021

Current case stage:

Verdict did not take effect

Investigating:

Nikolaev-on-Amur Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)

Court case number:

1-3/2024 (1-54/2023; 1-413/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Nikolaevsky-on-Amur City Court of the Khabarovsk Territory

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Roman Zhukov


In the photo: Left: Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko and Nadezhda Korobochko outside the courthouse, June 13, 2024. Right: Vladislav Markov.

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