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RUSSIA: UN Working Group condemns detentions. Trial list

Full list of 93 people currently on trial for exercising the right to freedom of religion and belief as Jehovah's Witnesses. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has adopted a wide-ranging Opinion condemning the "ever-growing number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia who have been arrested, detained and charged with criminal activity on the basis of mere exercise of freedom of religion".

Three years after the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation as "extremist" of all Jehovah's Witness associations in April 2017, 93 people are on trial on charges of "continuing the activities of a banned extremist organisation" for exercising the right to freedom of religion and belief. During the coronavirus pandemic fewer raids have been made on homes, but have not stopped.

Demonstrator protests against the jailing of Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen, St Petersburg, November 2019
Tatyana Voltskaya (RFE/RL)
On 1 May 2020, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted a wide-ranging Opinion condemning the raids, arrests, detention and trials of 18 Jehovah's Witnesses, stating it "wishes to emphasize that none of them should have been arrested and held in pre-trial detention and no trial of any of them should take or should have taken place" (see below).

The Working Group noted that the 18 "are part of now ever-growing number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia who have been arrested, detained and charged with criminal activity on the basis of mere exercise of freedom of religion, a right protected by article 18 of the Covenant" (see below).

Court proceedings can be lengthy, and property – such as cars or money – can be seized as surety for any subsequent fines. Employers have fired at least 18 people from their jobs under pressure from state agencies, while other Jehovah's Witnesses are pressured to resign "of their own free will" (see below).

Investigators have also had more than 200 Jehovah's Witnesses' bank accounts blocked, and Jehovah's Witnesses then often encounter problems registering for benefits, buying phone sim cards, and registering and insuring cars (see below).

At least 20 of the 93 people on trial are in their sixties, seventies or eighties. Three of the 93 are currently known to be in detention, despite the risk of coronavirus infection (see below).

Stress relating to the raids and prosecutions is said to have been a factor in the deaths of a 64-year-old and a 61-year-old Jehovah's Witness, both of whom faced trial (see below).

In another case, the FSB security service apparently forced the treatment being given to a Jehovah's Witness in an Ulyanovsk intensive care unit to be stopped (see below).

Jehovah's Witnesses and others in both pre-trial detention and in prisons also face the risk of being tortured. No officials accused in three cases of torture of individuals detained for exercising freedom of religion or belief appear to have been arrested or put on criminal trial, against Russia's legally binding international obligations (see below).

The Russian authorities have also stripped Russian citizenship from three individuals convicted of exercising freedom of religion and belief (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2583), one Muslim in 2019 and two Jehovah's Witnesses in 2020. None of the three appears to be a citizen of any other country.

A full list is below of those facing criminal prosecution for "continuing the activities of a banned extremist organisation" following the 2017 Supreme Court ban on Jehovah's Witnesses whose cases have reached court for trial.

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention condemns detentions and trials

Sergey Yavushkin
Jehovah's Witnesses
On 1 May 2020, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted an Opinion (A/HRC/WGAD/2020/10 (http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session87/A_HRC_WGAD_2020_10_Advance_Edited_Version.pdf)) in relation to 18 Jehovah's Witnesses, most of whom are currently on trial.

The list includes Aleksandr Solovyov, the first to be sentenced (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2493) after the nationwide ban. The others are: Vladimir Kulyasov, Denis Timoshin, Andrey Magliv, Valeriy Shalev, Ruslan Korolev, Viktor Malkov, Yevgeniy Dechko, Vyacheslav Osipov, Valeriy Rogozin, Igor Egozaryan, Sergey Melnik, Valentina Vladimirova, Tatyana Galkevich, Tatyana Shamsheva, Olga Silayeva, Aleksandr Bondarchuk and Sergey Yavushkin.

The Working Group noted that "it is a well-established norm of international law that pre-trial detention should be the exception and not the rule, and that it should be ordered for as short a time as possible". It found that "all 18 individuals were arrested and detained, at different dates and cities in Russia, merely for peacefully exercising their religious beliefs, including by having in their possession religious texts and Bibles, gathering together for worship with fellow believers, gathering money for the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses and worshipping".

The Working Group pointed out: "All the 18 individuals .. have been charged with various forms of ‘extremist activities'. Yet, in view of the Working Group, none of the activities described could be construed as such".

The Working Group stated that "all the activities that they engaged in were the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of religion under article 18 of the Covenant [the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]. These actions were the sole reason for the arrest of all the 18 individuals and the court proceedings against them."

"Moreover," the Working Group continued, "the private homes of all 18 individuals were subjected to searches during which Bibles and religious texts were seized, which the Working Group considers to be a further breach of article 17 ["Right to Privacy"] and 18 ["Freedom of thought, conscience and religion"] of the Covenant."

Aleksandr Bondarchuk (centre) and family
Jehovah's Witnesses
The Working Group "wishes to emphasize that none of them should have been arrested and held in pre-trial detention and no trial of any of them should take or should have taken place."

After condemning the trial process, the Working Group also observed that "all arrests were executed with the presence of large number of police officers and use of force" and this "was carried out with the aim of intimidating the 18 individuals in breach of their presumption of innocence as encapsulated in article 14 (2) ["Right to equality before courts and tribunals and to fair trial"] of the Covenant."

The Working Group then went on to note that "these 18 individuals are part of now ever-growing number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia who have been arrested, detained and charged with criminal activity on the basis of mere exercise of freedom of religion, a right protected by article 18 of the Covenant" [the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights].

43 trials with 93 defendants

Three years after the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation as "extremist" of all Jehovah's Witness associations in April 2017 (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2297), 93 people are on trial on charges of "continuing the activities of a banned extremist organisation" for exercising the right to freedom of religion or belief (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2572). They include two men in Khabarovsk who have already been convicted in a separate, overlapping trial, and six people in Penza who are on trial for a second time after an appeal court overturned their convictions.

The Investigative Committee, the FSB security service, the police, and the National Guard have carried out 897 raids on homes in 52 of Russia's 83 federal subjects (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2572), plus Crimea and Sevastopol, annexed by Russia in 2014 (where there have been three prosecutions resulting in two convictions so far).

During the coronavirus pandemic fewer raids have been made on homes. These have not stopped, however, with searches taking place recently in Primorye Region (three addresses on 12 May), Krasnodar Region (nine addresses on 29 April), and Ivanovo Region (four addresses on 15 April) (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2571).

Court proceedings can be lengthy. As well as the strong possibility of conviction, bringing with it a criminal record and a heavy fine or prison sentence, prosecution and trial can have wider consequences for defendants. Property – such as cars or money – can be seized as surety for any subsequent fines (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2572).

Employers have fired at least 18 people from their jobs under pressure from state agencies, while other Jehovah's Witnesses are pressured to resign "of their own free will" (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2572).

Investigators have also had more than 200 Jehovah's Witnesses' bank accounts blocked, and they then often encounter problems registering for benefits, buying phone sim cards, and registering and insuring cars (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2572).

Elderly people detained, coronavirus risks, FSB force hospital treatment stop

At least 20 of the 93 people on trial are in their sixties, seventies or eighties. The oldest defendant is 85-year-old Yelena Zayshchuk, whom the FSB security service took in for questioning after raiding her home in Vladivostok in April 2018. Her family "do not understand why they are persecuting an elderly and sick person who has done nothing wrong to anyone" (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2571), Jehovah's Witnesses commented.

Three of the 93 are currently known to be in detention, despite the risk of coronavirus infection. One of the cellmates of 66-year-old Yury Prokopyevich Savelyov (who has been in detention since November 2018) works in the detention centre, bringing him into contact with large numbers of people, and he does not have a mask, gloves or shoe covers. On 22 April 2020, however, Savelyov's detention was again extended regardless of his concerns about his "unfavourable sanitary-epidemiological situation". Court chairwoman Yelena Fetisova told Forum 18 that the judge had taken into account everything relevant and had no medical documentation suggesting that Savelyov's detention should not be extended, and that health protection measures in detention was not within the competence of the court (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2571).

Yury Geraskov, who died in Kirov at the age of 64, had not spent any time in detention, but "stress connected with persecution for his faith had negatively affected Yury's health", Jehovah's Witnesses noted. Viktor Malkov, who died in Smolensk at the age of 61, had spent eight months in detention and nearly four months under house arrest. He had suffered from coronary heart disease and kidney problems. "Viktor's health was largely influenced by poor conditions in pre-trial detention centres and the stress associated with criminal prosecution" (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2571), Jehovah's Witnesses noted.

Sergey Mysin is on trial in Ulyanovsk despite serious health concerns. Jehovah's Witnesses say he was discharged early from intensive care in October 2019 after FSB security service officers went to the hospital to insist on his treatment being stopped. Ulyanovsk Region FSB refused to answer any questions from Forum 18 (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2571).

Risk of torture

Jehovah's Witnesses and others in both pre-trial detention and in prisons also face the risk of being tortured. No officials accused in three cases of torture of individuals detained for exercising freedom of religion or belief appear to have been arrested or put on criminal trial (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2554), against Russia's legally binding international obligations.

Investigators in Surgut in February 2019 hooded, kicked, beat and tortured with electric shocks seven Jehovah's Witnesses detained after raids. One of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Sergei Loginov was re-arrested shortly after he called the Investigative Committee's hotline to report his torture (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2489). After 56 days in custody, he was released under specific restrictions on 11 April 2019 (not allowed to go out at night, communicate with others involved in the case, or use the telephone, internet, or post).

In contrast, two of the Investigative Committee officials implicated in the torture of the Jehovah's Witnesses were subsequently given awards, ostensibly for their work in 2018 (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2489).

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Full list of those on trial

Full list of those facing criminal prosecution for "continuing the activities of a banned extremist organisation" following the 2017 Supreme Court ban on Jehovah's Witnesses whose cases have reached court for trial. Two of the 93 living defendants are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses. The list also includes two Jehovah's Witnesses who died in April 2020 after their cases reached court.

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- Amur Region

Blagoveshchensk City Court
Case lodged 6 February 2020; next hearing 9 June 2020

1) Aleksey Aleksandrovich Berchuk, born 17 November 1975 - case opened 22 June 2018;
added to Rosfinmonitoring list 30 August 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

2) Dmitry Mikhailovich Golik, born 26 March 1987 - case opened 22 June 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 30 August 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: Berchuk spent two days in detention in Moscow after his arrest at an airport on 21 January 2019, before being sent back to Blagoveshchensk under travel restrictions; Golik placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Amur Region FSB

- Arkhangelsk Region

Solombalsky District Court, Arkhangelsk
Case lodged 11 February 2020 at October District Court – transferred to Solombalsky District Court on 19 February 2020 for jurisdictional reasons; next hearing unknown

3) Yevgeny Viktorovich Yakku, born 22 February 1980 - case opened 13 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 4 April 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1, Part 1.1, and Part 2

Other information: spent two days in detention before being released under specific conditions; lawyer appealed against transfer to different court – next hearing on 10 June 2020; case investigated by Arkhangelsk Region Investigative Committee

- Bryansk Region

Novozybkov City Court
Case lodged 10 April 2020; next hearing 9 June 2020 (first)

4) Tatyana Viktorovna Shamsheva, born 7 June 1977 – case opened 11 June 2019; detained 11 June 2019; released under travel restrictions 10 February 2020; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

5) Olga Sergeyevna Silayeva, born 11 May 1988 – case opened 11 June 2019; detained 11 June 2019; released under travel restrictions 10 February 2020; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

6) Vladimir Aleksandrovich Khokhlov, born 9 April 1977 – case opened 16 October 2019; detained 24 October 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 11 December 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1 and 282.3 Part 1

7) Eduard Vladimirovich Zhinzhikov, born 9 November 1971 – case opened 16 October 2019; detained on 24 October 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 11 December 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1 and 282.3, Part 1

Other information: Case against the men derived from earlier case against the women, investigated by Bryansk Region Investigative Committee.

- Chelyabinsk Region

Central District Court, Chelyabinsk
Case lodged 4 March 2020; next hearing 2 June 2020 (first full hearing)

8) Dmitry Yuryevich Vinogradov, born 9 September 1963 - case opened 20 January 2020; placed under travel restrictions 20 January 2020; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 5 March 2020; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: case apparently derived from earlier case against Valentina Suvorova, also in Chelyabinsk (see below); case investigated by Chelyabinsk Region Investigative Committee

Metallurgical District Court, Chelyabinsk
Case lodged 7 February 2020; next hearing 3 June 2020

9) Valentina Anatolyevna Suvorova, born 18 January 1948 - case opened 18 March 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 16 January 2020; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: home raided among others on 26 March 2019, but not charged until 5 December 2019; placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Chelyabinsk Region Investigative Committee; accused of deliberately talking to residents about religion, singing hymns, praying, and studying religious literature, according to the indictment

- Ivanovo Region

Furmanov City Court
Case lodged 22 January 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

10) Yevgeny Andreyevich Spirin, born 24 February 1986 - case opened 21 January 2019; arrested 27 January 2019; transferred to house arrest 18 December 2019; released under no restrictions 18 December 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: not on Rosfinmonitoring List; case investigated by Ivanovo Region FSB

- Jewish Autonomous Region

Obluchye District Court
Case lodged 4 March 2020; next hearing 2 June 2020

11) Anastasiya Nikolayevna Sychyova, born 5 May 1977 - case opened 20 November 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 3 March 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

12) Yuliya Fyodorovna Kaganovich, born 5 May 1966 - case opened 10 October 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 24 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 3 March 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

13) Yelena Allanovna Reyno-Chernyshova, born 21 June 1968 - case opened 29 September 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 3 March 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

14) Svetlana Yakovlevna Monis, born 15 July 1977 - case opened 26 September 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; home raided on 17 May 2018, after which her husband Alam Aliyev was detained for 8 days, before being released under travel restrictions (he is also facing charges in a separate case which has not yet reached court); case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 3 March 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

15) Larisa Aleksandrovna Artamonova, born 7 September 1970 - case opened 25 September 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 23 December 2019; next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

16) Artur Sergeyevich Lokhvitsky, born 31 January 1986 - case opened 31 July 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 August 2019; put under travel restrictions 15 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 23 December 2019; next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

17) Yevgeny Anatolyevich Golik, born 27 October 1975 - case opened 30 July 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 23 December 2019; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

18) Igor Olegovich Tsaryov, born 14 May 1974 - case opened 30 July 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 23 December 2019; next hearing unknown (proceedings postponed indefinitely because of pandemic)

19) Yevgeny Viktorovich Yegorov, born 19 February 1991 - case opened 29 July 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

Birobidzhan District Court
Case lodged 23 December 2019; next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

20) Konstantin Viktorovich Guzev, born 16 June 1964 - case opened 29 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case derived from prosecution of Alam Aliyev (not yet on trial); case investigated by Jewish Autonomous Region FSB

- Kamchatka Region

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court
Case lodged 10 February 2020; next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

21) Sergey Mikhailovich Ledenyov, born 23 July 1974 - case opened 2 December 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 22 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: placed under specific restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Kamchatka Region Investigative Committee

Yelizovo District Court
Case lodged 15 January 2020 (previously lodged on 11 September 2019); next hearing 1 June 2020

22) Konstantin Aleksandrovich Bazhenov, born 24 July 1977 - case opened 17 August 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 11 October 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

23) Snezhana Yevgenyevna Bazhenova, born 20 December 1977- case opened 17 August 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 11 October 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

24) Vera Ivanovna Zolotova, born 20 October 1946 - case opened 17 August 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 11 October 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: spent two days in temporary detention after their arrest on 19 August 2018, before Zolotova and Bazhenova were released under travel restrictions and Bazhenov was placed in pre-trial detention (he was also released under travel restrictions after 8 days); case sent back to prosecutors on 14 November 2019 but decision overturned on appeal on 9 January 2020; case investigated by Kamchatka Region Investigative Committee; prosecution witnesses cannot point Bazhenov and Zolotova out in court and one confuses Bazhenov with a lawyer; another prosecution witness claims she was made to sign a statement she did not read

- Kemerovo Region

Factory District Court, Kemerovo
Case lodged 30 March 2020; next hearing 27 May 2020

25) Aleksandr Iosifovich Bondarchuk, born 13 July 1974, - case opened 22 July 2019; under house arrest since 24 July 2019 after two days in detention: added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 August 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2 Part 2; 282.3 Part 1

26) Sergey Nikolayevich Yavushkin, born 4 August 1960 - case opened 22 July 2019; under house arrest since 24 July 2019 after two days in detention: added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 August 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2 Part 2; 282.3 Part 1

Other information: both men's homes raided at 6am 22 July 2019 and their electronic devices seized; case investigated by Kemerovo Region Investigative Committee; cars seized by court order 29 July 2019 "in order to ensure the fulfilment of a court verdict in terms of property penalties in the form of a fine as criminal punishment"

Beryozovsky City Court
Case lodged 15 July 2019; next hearing 1 June 2020

27) Khasan Abduvaitovich Kogut, born 7 May 1983 - case opened 6 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 28 February 2019; spent two days in detention after being summoned to FSB offices 6 February 2019, followed by 202 days under house arrest; released under travel restrictions 26 August 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: home searched 22 July 2018 but not charged until 6 February 2019, after his case was separated from the case against Levchuk and Britvin; case being investigated by Kemerovo Region FSB

Beryozovsky City Court
Case lodged 3 June 2019; next hearing 22 May 2020

28) Sergey Alekseyevich Britvin, born 18 August 1965 - case opened 19 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 22 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

29) Vadim Anatolyevich Levchuk, born 6 February 1972 - case opened 19 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 22 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: spent 524 days in detention, the house arrest since 25 December 2019; case investigated by Kemerovo Region FSB

- Khabarovsk Region

Industrial District Court, Khabarovsk
Case lodged 18 July 2019; next hearing 26 May 2020

30) Maya Pavlovna Karpushkina, born 19 March 1949 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

31) Stanislav Viktorovich Kim, born 5 July 1968 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

32) Nikolai Yuryevich Polevodov, born 10 February 1970 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

33) Svetlana Grigoryevna Sedova, born 8 June 1969 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2,

34) Tatyana Valentinovna Zhuk, born 13 March 1973 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

35) Vitaly Vyacheslavovich Zhuk, born 8 April 1972 - case opened 10 November 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: none on Rosfinmonitoring List; Karpushkina, Sedova, and Tatyana Zhuk placed under travel restrictions after their arrest at a gathering in a rented café on 10 November 2018; Kim – 82 days in detention and 354 days under house arrest before being released under no restrictions; Polevodov – 66 days in detention and 201 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions; Vitaly Zhuk – 66 days in detention and 370 days under house arrest, now no restrictions; case being investigated by Khabarovsk Region Investigative Committee; Kim and Polevodov have already been convicted under Article 282.2, Part 2 and are on probation

- Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region

Uray City Court
Case lodged 30 April 2020; next hearing unknown – none yet scheduled

36) Andrey Vladimirovich Sazonov, born 15 August 1980 - case opened 31 January 2019;
added to Rosfinmonitoring List 10 October 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3 Part 1

Other information: spent 20 days in detention and 178 days under house arrest after his arrest on 6 February 2019, before being released under specific restrictions on 22 August 2019; case investigated by Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region Investigative Committee

- Kirov Region

October District Court, Kirov
Case lodged 21 January 2020; next hearing 29 May 2020

37) Anatoly Mikhailovich Tokarev, born 31 December 1958 - case opened 8 May 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 4 July 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3 Part 1

Other information: placed under travel restrictions on unknown date; case investigated by Kirov Region Investigative Committee

Lenin District Court, Kirov
Case lodged 17 April 2020; next hearing unknown – none yet scheduled

38) Aleksandr Petrovich Shamov, born 4 November 1960 - case opened 26 March 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 30 April 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3 Part 1

39) Andrey Vladimirovich Shchepin, born 11 June 1991 - case opened 26 March 2019; arrested 26 March 2019; released under travel restrictions 28 March 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 30 April 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3 Part 1

40) Yevgeny Georgiyevich Udintsev, born 14 March 1949 - case opened 26 March 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 30 April 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3 Part 1

Other information: Shamov and Udintsev appear to be under no restrictions; case investigated by Kirov Region Investigative Committee

Pervomaysky District Court, Kirov
Case lodged 17 March 2020; next hearing 25 May 2020 (first)

41) Yury Mikhailovich Geraskov, 12 January 1956 – 24 April 2020 - case opened 3 October 2018; on trial at the date of his death under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

42) Maksim Valeryevich Khalturin, born 3 September 1974 - case opened 3 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 November 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

43) Vladimir Aleksandrovich Korobeynikov, born 14 December 1952 - case opened 3 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 November 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

44) Andrzej [Anatolyevich] Oniszczuk, born 3 October 1968 - case opened 3 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 November 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

45) Andrey Sergeyevich Suvorkov, born 26 February 1993 - case opened 3 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 November 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

46) Yevgeny Anatolyevich Suvorkov, born 3 February 1978 - case opened 3 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 November 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

47) Vladimir Petrovich Vasilyev, born 22 November 1956 - case opened 3 October 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

Other information: Oniszczuk spent 330 days in detention before being released under travel restrictions on 3 September 2019; Yevgeny Suvorkov spent 177 days in detention and 181 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions on 30 September 2019; Andrey Suvorkov spent 117 days in detention and 93 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions on 24 August 2019; Khalturin spent 117 days in detention and 193 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions on 30 September 2019; Korobeynikov spent 73 days in detention and 284 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions on 30 September 2019; Geraskov and Vasilyev apparently under no restrictions; Oniszczuk, a Polish citizen, is the first foreigner to be tried since Dennis Christensen (a Dane) and the first in connection with the nationwide ban; case investigated by Kirov Region Investigative Committee

- Kostroma Region

Sverdlovsk District Court, Kostroma
Case lodged 6 February 2020 (originally 25 June 2019); next hearing unknown

48) Sergey Alekseyevich Rayman, born 5 October 1996 - case opened 24 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

49) Valeriya Aleksandrovna Rayman, born 21 May 1993 - case opened 24 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: not on Rosfinmonitoring List; Sergey spent 59 days in detention after their arrest on 25 July 2018, 30 days under house arrest, and 90 days under specific restrictions before being placed under travel restrictions – Valeriya spent 2 days in detention and 79 days under specific restrictions before being placed under travel restrictions; judge sent case back to prosecutors on 25 September 2019, citing violations in the indictment and noting that "in this instance, there is a legal right to the profession of the Jehovah's Witness religion, which was not prohibited by the Supreme Court's decision of 20 April 2017" – decision upheld by appeal court, but prosecutors resubmit case; case investigated by Central District Investigative Department of the Kostroma Region Investigative Committee

- Krasnoyarsk Region

Minusinsk City Court
Case lodged 31 December 2019; next hearing 22 May 2020

50) Dmitry Anatolyevich Maslov, born 7 September 1976 - case opened 19 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 20 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: after two days in detention, put under an obligation to present himself to investigators when summoned; case investigated by Minusinsk District Investigative Department of Krasnoyarsk Region Investigative Committee

Railway District Court, Krasnoyarsk
Case lodged 18 February 2020; next hearing unknown

51) Andrey Garafetanovich Stupnikov, born 17 September 1973 - case opened 3 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 20 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: spent 241 days in detention from the day after his arrest on 3 July 2018, then 124 days under house arrest before being released under specific restrictions on 2 July 2019; case investigated first by Railway District Investigative Department of Krasnoyarsk Region Investigative Committee, then by Krasnoyarsk Region Investigative Committee

- Novosibirsk Region

Lenin District Court, Novosibirsk
Case lodged 22 October 2019; next hearing 18 June 2020

52) Yury Prokopyevich Savelyov, born 1 January 1954 - case opened 7 November 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 18 December 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: in detention at Investigation Prison No. 1, Novosibirsk (including 14 days in a punishment cell in October 2019); not charged until August 2019; case investigated by Novosibirsk Region Investigative Committee

- Omsk Region

Pervomaysky District Court, Omsk
Case lodged 6 December 2019 (originally 24 October 2019 at Lenin District Court but transferred for jurisdictional reasons); next hearing none (proceedings suspended, probably because of pandemic)

53) Gaukhar Magauinovna Bektimirova, born 1 January 1976 - case opened 20 June 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 November 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

54) Dinara Khayrollayevna Dyusekeyeva, born 24 October 1982- case opened 20 June 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 21 November 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

55) Anastasiya Andreyevna Polyakova, born 25 May 1984- case opened 20 June 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 August 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

56) Sergey Valeryevich Polyakov, 28 April 1972- case opened 20 June 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 15 August 2018; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1, 282.3, Part 1

Other information: Polyakovs spent 156 days in detention after their arrest on 4 July 2018 and 91 days under house arrest, before being released under travel restrictions on 4 March 2019; Dyusekeyeva and Bektimirova were placed under an obligation to present themselves to investigators when summoned, on 28 June 2019 and 1 July 2019 respectively; case investigated by Omsk Region Investigative Committee

- Penza Region

Lenin District Court, Penza
Case lodged 9 April 2020 (retrial); 1 July 2019 (original trial); next hearing unknown (proceedings suspended indefinitely because of pandemic)

57) Tatyana Sergeyevna Alushkina, born 12 September 1963 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 30 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

58) Vladimir Aleksandrovich Alushkin, 30 June 1964 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 6 September 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

59) Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kulyasov, born 17 April 1974 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 6 September 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

60) Andrey Aleksandrovich Magliv, 20 June 1984 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 6 September 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

61) Galiya Anvarovna Olkhova, born 5 February 1970 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 30 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

62) Denis Vladimirovich Timoshin, born 23 March 1980 - case opened 11 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 6 September 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: Alushkina and Olkhova placed under travel restrictions after their arrest on 15 July 2018; Kulyasov, Magliv, and Timoshin spent two days in detention and 515 days under house arrest until the end of their first trial on 13 December 2019, followed by travel restrictions – Alushkin spent 184 days in detention and 333 days under house arrest before his sentencing, after which he was again detained until 30 March 2020 (five days after the successful appeal on 25 March 2020); case investigated by Bessonovsky Inter-District Investigative Department of Penza Region Investigative Committee

- Pskov Region

Pskov City Court
Case lodged 26 September 2019; next hearing 1 June 2020

63) Gennady Valerianovich Shpakovsky, born 6 October 1958 - case opened 31 May 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 6 July 2018; arrested in raid on his home 3 June 2018 and placed under travel restrictions; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1, 282.3, Part 1

Other information: case investigated by Pskov Region FSB

- Primorye Region

Nazdezhdinsky District Court
Case lodged 28 April 2020; next hearing 26 May 2020 (first)

64) Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Shut, born 22 November 1947 - case opened 10 February 2020; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 February 2020; under travel restrictions from March 2020; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: originally witness in case against Grigory Bubnov (convicted on 21 January 2020), then suspect in case opened on 1 July 2019 against several Primorye Jehovah's Witnesses, which was later divided; case investigated by Primorye Region Investigative Committee

Pervorechensky District Court, Vladivostok
Case lodged 8 May 2020; next hearing 17 June 2020 (first)

65) Yelena Mikhailovna Barmakina, born 9 October 1967 - case opened 6 August 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 12 September 2019; placed under travel restrictions 13 September 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: case investigated by Primorye Region Investigative Committee

Partizansk City Court
Case lodged 20 January 2020; next hearing 29 May 2020

66) Irina Gennadyevna Buglak, born 25 January 1975 - case opened 19 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: spent 181 days in detention after her arrest on 20 April 2019 and 107 days under house arrest before being released under travel restrictions on 31 January 2020; case investigated by Primorye Region Inestigative Committee

Spassky District Court
Case lodged 16 December 2019; next hearing unknown

67) Dmitry Yuryevich Malevany, born 24 April 1990 - case opened 12 November 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 February 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

68) Olga Alekseyevna Opaleva, born 22 April 1952 - case opened 12 November 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 February 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1.1

69) Olga Aleksandrovna Panyuta, born 11 June 1959 - case opened 12 November 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 February 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1.1

70) Aleksey Borisovich Trofimov, born 23 April 1959 - case opened 12 November 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 February 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: all spent two days in detention after their arrest on 25 November 2018 and 357 days under house arrest, before being released under travel restrictions on 19 November 2019; court proceedings suspended on 7 February 2020 for expert analysis to be carried out

Pervorechensky District Court, Vladivostok
Case lodged 13 June 2019; next hearing 5 June 2020

71) Dmitry Viktorovich Barmakin, born 30 May 1974 - case opened 27 July 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 14 February 2019; arrested 28 July 2018; released under specific restrictions 18 October 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: case investigated by Primorye Region Investigative Committee

Lenin District Court, Vladivostok
Case lodged 2 October 2019; next hearing none – case sent back to prosecutors (prosecution appeal pending)

72) Nadezhda Anatolyevna Anoykina, born 11 January 1958 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

73) Lyubov Aleksandrovna Galaktionova, born 14 July 1942 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

74) Nailya Sunatovna Kogay, born 5 October 1951 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

75) Valentin Pavlovich Osadchuk, born 15 March 1976 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

76) Nina Ivanovna Purge, born 19 June 1940 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

77) Raisa Mikhailovna Usanova, born 28 September 1947 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

78) Yelena Viktorovna Zayshchuk, born 25 August 1934 - case opened 9 April 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 25 July 2018; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: Osadchuk spent 278 days in detention and 77 days under house arrest after his arrest on 19 April 2018, before being released under travel restrictions on 5 April 2019 – other defendants all under travel restrictions throughout; case investigated by Primorye Region FSB; on 16 April 2019, court seizes 26,000 Roubles and a car from Osadchuk; judge sent case back to prosecutors on 12 November 2019 – decision upheld by Primorye Regional Court on 27 January 2020; prosecutors appealed to 9th Cassational Court – hearing postponed until 1 June 2020

- Smolensk Region

Industrial District Court, Smolensk
Case lodged 9 April 2020; next hearing 8 June 2020 (first)

79) Yevgeny Vladimirovich Deshko, born 7 May 1989 - case opened 25 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3, Part 1

80) Ruslan Nikolayevich Korolyov, born 8 August 1982 - case opened 25 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3, Part 1

81) Viktor Ivanovich Malkov, 21 February 1959 – 26 April 2020 - case opened 25 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial at the date of his death under Article 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3, Part 1

82) Valery Anatolyevich Shalyev, born 23 September 1977 - case opened 25 April 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1; ?and 282.3, Part 1

Other information: all detained after arrest on 26 April 2019, then under house arrest (Deshko – 207 days and 117 days; Korolyov 112 days and 220 days; Malkov – 240 days and 87 days; Shalyev – 240 days and 92 days), before being released under travel restrictions; case investigated by Smolensk Region FSB

Sychyovka District Court
Case lodged 21 November 2019; next hearing unknown

83) Natalya Igoryevna Sorokina, born 12 March 1975 - case opened 7 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

84) Mariya Vladimirovna Troshina, born 13 February 1977 - case opened 7 October 2018; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 27 June 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

Other information: spent 193 days in detention and 194 days under house arrest, before being released under travel restrictions on 25 October 2019; case investigated by Smolensk Region FSB

- Ulyanovsk Region

Zasviyazhsky District Court, Ulyanovsk
Case lodged 7 April 2020; next hearing 22 May 2020

85) Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich Ganin, born 8 January 1957 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 30 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

86) Khoren Nikolevich Khachikyan, born 25 April 1985 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 6 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

87) Natalya Aleksandrovna Mysina, born 17 December 1971 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 6 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

88) Sergey Aleksandrovich Mysin, born 21 June 1965 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 6 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

89) Andrey Vladimirovich Tabakov, born 23 January 1973 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 6 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

90) Mikhail Grigoryevich Zelensky, born 7 November 1960 - case opened 24 February 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring list 6 May 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 2

Other information: Khachikyan, Mysina, Tabakov, and Zelensky spent one day in detention after their arrest on 27 February 2019, then 50-55 days under house arrest before being released under specific restrictions; Mysin spent 55 days in detention and 123 days under house arrest before being released under specific restrictions; Ganin was detained for two days after his arrest on 15 May 2019, before being released under specific restrictions; case investigated by Ulyanovsk Region FSB; property seized from defendants – half a million Roubles and a car from the Mysins, 600,000 Roubles from Tabakov, cars from Ganin, Zelensky, and Khachikyan

- Volgograd Region


Tractor Factory District Court, Volgograd
Case lodged 9 January 2020; next hearing 29 May 2020

91) Igor Artyomovich Yegozaryan, born 17 January 1965 - case opened 16 May 2019;
added to Rosfinmonitoring List 19 September 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

92) Sergey Nikolayevich Melnik, born 29 June 1972 - case opened 16 May 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 19 September 2019; on trial under Article 282.2, Part 1

93) Valery Aleksandrovich Rogozin, born 25 March 1962 - case opened 16 May 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 19 September 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

94) Vyacheslav Ivanovich Osipov, born 17 October 1970 (no longer a Jehovah's Witness) - case opened 16 May 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 19 September 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

95) Denis Petrovich Peresunko, born 11 March 1978 (no longer a Jehovah's Witness) - case opened 16 May 2019; added to Rosfinmonitoring List 19 September 2019; on trial under Articles 282.2, Part 1; 282.3, Part 1

Notes: in detention for 226 days after their arrest on 16 May 2019, before being released under specific restrictions on 26 December 2019; case investigated by Volgograd Region Investigative Committee; charges include "the performance of religious songs and prayers to their God"; two other Jehovah's Witnesses also indicted in this case, but investigators find no evidence of an offence committed by Valentina Aleksandrovna Makhmadagayeva and Olga Alekseyevna Medveyeva and close investigation on 27 November 2019 – removed from Rosfinmonitoring List on 12 March 2020

(END)

Full reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Russia (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?query=&religion=all&country=10)

For more background see Forum 18's survey of the general state of freedom of religion and belief in Russia (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2246), as well as Forum 18's survey of the dramatic decline in this freedom related to Russia's Extremism Law (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2215).

A personal commentary by Alexander Verkhovsky, Director of the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis http://www.sova-center.ru, about the systemic problems of Russian anti-extremism legislation (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=1468)

Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments (http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=1351)

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