The Court of Cassation Did Not Change the Verdict of the Believers From Kazan

 RUSSIA 


The Court of Cassation Did Not Change the Verdict of the Believers From Kazan

August 15, 2024 Tatarstan


On August 13, 2024, the Sixth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Samara upheld the sentence of the Bochkarevs and Tatyana Obizhestvit: for women—from 2 to 2.5 years suspended, for Andrey Bochkarev—3 years and 1 month in a penal colony. The term is considered to be served, taking into account the stay in a pre-trial detention center.


In the cassation appeal, the believers pointed to the fact that the conviction was based on assumptions, and not on evidence, that the defendants committed any extremist actions or made statements inciting hatred towards another nation or religion. They emphasized that Jehovah's Witnesses treat people of other religions with kindness, love and tolerance.


The court once again recognized it as a crime for the defendants to study the Bible in the circle of friends and with other people. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the European Court of Human Rights have ruled that meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses and their joint performance of rites do not constitute a crime.


The case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan


Case History


In January 2020, Tatyana Obizhestvit hosted guests at her home. Suddenly, the security forces rushed in. After a search of her home, 15 people were taken away for interrogation. Among them were two women over 80 years old and two children. A criminal case was opened against Tatyana, as well as Andrey and Leysan Bochkarevs under an extremist article only because they believe in Jehovah God. The believers spent 2 days in the temporary detention facility, after which the women were placed under house arrest, and the man was placed in a pre-trial detention center. In April 2021, the case went to court. Two secret witnesses were present in the materials: one posing as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the other claiming that he had been “offered to join an organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” In February 2023, Tatyana Obizhestvit and Leysan Bochkareva received suspended sentences of 2 and 2.5 years, respectively. Andrey Bochkarev was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month of actual imprisonment, but was released in the courtroom, since he actually served this term in a pre-trial detention center. The appeal and cassation upheld this decision.


Criminal case


Region:

Tatarstan

Locality:

Kazan

Court case number:

11901920041000244

Case initiated:

December 27, 2019

Current case stage:

The verdict entered into force

Investigating:

SCh Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Republic of Tatarstan

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Court case number:

1-23/2023 (1-46/2022; 1-280/2021)

Court of First Instance:

Vakhitovsky district Court of Kazan

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Yuri Arsenyuk


In the photo: Andrey and Leysan Bochkarevs near the court of cassation on a day of hearing, August 13, 2024.

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