The Second Case of Postnikov in Birobidzhan

Case History

On July 2, 2024, Oleg Postnikov from Birobidzhan was sentenced to 5.5 years of suspended imprisonment for participation and involving in the activities of an extremist organization. In March 2025, the FSB opened a second case against the believer, accusing him of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. In April 2025, Oleg's house was searched. The man was placed first in a temporary detention facility, and then in a pre-trial detention center for two months.

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    Dmitriy Yankin, senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case under part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization) against Oleg Postnikov.

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    The court places Oleg Postnikov in a pre-trial detention center.

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    It becomes known that a trial on restriction measure for Oleg Postnikov was held and he was placed in a pre-trial detention center for two months.

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    Oleg Postnikov is alone in the cell. In the first days after his arrest, he experienced problems with blood pressure due to the lack of necessary medications. The believer has the opportunity to take walks. He has already received several letters of support electronically.

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    Oleg Postnikov has been transferred from the medical unit, where he spent more than a month, to the general building. He is kept alone in a double cell. The believer feels fine, continues to exercise, receives letters of support and responds to them. He has a Bible. Parcels with food and medicines are given to him regularly.

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    Letters of support and communication with his wife Agnessa help Oleg not to succumb to despondency. The believer is allowed hour-long walks in the yard, where he breathes fresh air and watches the ants. Due to his sedentary lifestyle in the pre-trial detention center, Oleg tries to support himself with physical exercises and monitor his diet.

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    Judge of the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region Vasilina Bezotecheskikh leaves the petition for her recusal unsatisfied.

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    The defense draws attention to the fact that "the indictment does not contain an answer to the question of why Jehovah's Witnesses believers in Russia cannot belong to the world religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses ... If no one recognized this world community as extremist."

    The court refuses to admit a public defender - the couple of the defendant, motivating this by the fact that she does not have a legal education and skills, although this is not a requirement of the law.

    The lawyer asks that the defendant be next to him, and not in a cage, believing that isolation humiliates human dignity. The court refuses, referring to the current restriction measure.

    During the announcement of the case materials, the defense draws attention to errors in the documents.

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