The Verdict in One of the Two Cases Against Yevgeniy Sokolov Has Entered into Force. The Sentence Remained Unchanged - Three Years Suspended

 RUSSIA


The Verdict in One of the Two Cases Against Yevgeniy Sokolov Has Entered into Force. The Sentence Remained Unchanged - Three Years Suspended

August 24, 2024 Amur Region


On August 20, 2024, an appeal in the Amur Regional Court upheld the verdict in the case of Yevgeniy Sokolov in Zeya. The believer could not attend the court hearing in person, so he took part in it via video conferencing.


Addressing the panel of appeals, Yevgeniy stated that Jehovah's Witnesses are citizens who respect the authorities, observe the laws of their country, pay taxes and do not participate in protests. He noted: "We don't pretend to be law-abiding people ... We truly serve God, and our words are not at variance with our deeds."


The believer was criminally charged for "preparing and conducting religious meetings." In this regard, he reminded the court that the right to profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Yevgeniy said: "If I stopped preaching and gathering together, then I would be breaking God's own law. And in this case, there really will be no excuse for me."


Yevgeniy Sokolov is being prosecuted simultaneously in two criminal cases. A second case on similar charges is being heard in court in Voronezh.


The Case of Sokolov in Zeya


Case History


In December 2022, the FSB in Zeya opened a second criminal case against Yevgeniy Sokolov for his religion. The first case was initiated two years earlier in Voronezh. Then the believer's home was searched, and he spent almost five months in a pre-trial detention center. In Zeya, he was banned from certain actions. Sokolov was accused of participating in Jehovah's Witnesses services, where believers discussed Bible teachings with friends. As it turned out, the woman, who pretended to be interested in the Bible, on the instructions of an FSB officer, made hidden audio-video recordings of worship services. The prosecutor requested a punishment for the believer in the form of three years in prison. In May 2024, the court sentenced him to three years of suspended sentence, three months later the appeal approved this decision.


Criminal case


Region:

Amur Region

Locality:

Zeya

Suspected of:

"Carried out the preparation and conduct of religious meetings"

Court case number:

12207100001000065

Case initiated:

December 15, 2022

Current case stage:

The verdict entered into force

Investigating:

Branch of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Amur Region

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-83/2024

Court of First Instance:

Zeisky District Court of the Amur region

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Arina Fedorova


In the photo: Friends came to support Yevgeniy Sokolov on the day of appeal, August 20, 2024.

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