Photo: Vyacheslav Stepanov and Andrey Sivak

Photo: Vyacheslav Stepanov and Andrey Sivak

Photo: Vyacheslav Stepanov and Andrey Sivak

Legal Victories

The court acquitted the elders of Sergiev Posad, rejecting the unfounded claims of the prosecutor's office

Moscow Region

Despite persistent attempts by the prosecutor's office to recognize the two peaceful believers as "extremists," the court acquitted them again with the right to rehabilitation.

On June 21, 2017, the Sergiev Posad City Court announced the verdict that acquitted Vyacheslav Stepanov and Andrey Sivak, Jehovah's Witnesses from Sergiev Posad (Moscow Region), who had been subjected to unfair criminal prosecution for 4 years. Earlier, on March 4, 2016, the court had already found these believers innocent, but at the request of the prosecutor's office, the criminal case was re-examined by another judge. Wanting to justify the long-term illegal persecution of believers, the prosecutor's office again appealed against the second acquittal!

Jehovah's Witnesses are far from any manifestations of extremism, they consider the persecution of believers on far-fetched charges to be repression.

Case of Stepanov and Sivak in Sergiyev Posad

Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Moscow Region
Locality:
Sergiyev Posad
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "incitement to hatred or enmity committed by an organized group"
Court case number:
Initiated:
April 9, 2013
Case History
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