Photo: Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk in the courtroom

Photo: Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk in the courtroom

Photo: Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk in the courtroom

Criminal Investigation and Trial

In the Kemerovo region, Vadim Levchuk and Sergey Britvin were released under house arrest after 521 days behind bars

Kemerovo Region

On December 23, 2019, the Kemerovo Regional Court changed the decision of the Berezovsky City Court on the next extension of the detention period for 3 months of Vadim Levchuk and Sergey Britvin. On the night of December 26, they were transferred to house arrest, the hearing on the merits continues.

The trial for their faith against Vadim and Sergey began on June 13, 2019 (the first court hearing took place on July 30, 2019). The hearings are being held in the Berezovsky City Court of the Kemerovo Region under the chairmanship of Judge Irina Vorobyova. Believers are tried for participating in worship services, interpreting this as "organizing the activities of an extremist organization."

Law enforcement officers of the Kemerovo region are trying to convince the court that the peaceful practice of religion according to Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation is a continuation of the activities of the liquidated religious organization.

Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky

Case History
In January 2021, the sentence came into force for two miners from the city of Berezovsky - 4 years each in a general regime colony due to the fact that they profess the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Both have families. At the time of Vadim Levchuk’s arrest, his son was a minor. Sergey Britvin has a disability group II. The persecution began in July 2018, when a wave of searches took place in the city, after which the Central District Court of Kemerovo placed both in a pre-trial detention center. While the investigation and trial were going on, the believers spent almost 2 years in prison. The case of Britvin and Levchuk was investigated by the FSB. No casualties or damage were identified. The believers were found guilty of organizing the activities of an extremist organization only because they communicated with friends on spiritual topics. The state prosecutor recommended that the court appoint 6.5 years in prison for each. The believers pleaded not guilty, insisting that practicing their religion is not prohibited by law. On December 30, 2021, they were released from the colony, having served their sentence in full.
Timeline

Persons in case

Britvin
Sergey
Levchuk
Vadim

Criminal case

Region:
Kemerovo Region
Locality:
Beryozovsky
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as participation in the activity of an extremist organisation (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11807320001000380
Initiated:
July 19, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Kemerovo Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-139/2019
Court:
Берёзовский городской суд Кемеровской области
Judge:
Ирина Воробьёва
Case History
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