Alexander Pryanikov, Venera and Daria Dulov at the building of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. August 6, 2020

Alexander Pryanikov, Venera and Daria Dulov at the building of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. August 6, 2020

Alexander Pryanikov, Venera and Daria Dulov at the building of the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. August 6, 2020

Criminal trial

The Sverdlovsk Court Overturned the Conviction of Three Jehovah's Witnesses From Karpinsk

Sverdlovsk Region

On August 6, 2020, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court overturned the sentence of Alexander Pryanikov, Venera, and Daria Dulova, who were conditionally convicted six months ago for a term of 1 to 2.5 years. The case is being returned to the Karpinsky City Court for consideration by another judge.

The Case of Pryanikov and Others in Karpinsk

Case History
In June 2018, Venera Dulova and Aleksandr Pryanikov were detained for talking about the Bible. A criminal case was initiated against them under an article against extremism. A year later, Darya Dulova became the third defendant in the case. In January 2020, they were given suspended sentences ranging from 1 year to 2.5 years. The court of appeal in Yekaterinburg overturned the verdict and returned the case to the court of first instance. This time, the prosecutor requested a more severe punishment, but the court duplicated the first verdict. In March 2022, the court of appeal again overturned the verdict, acquitting the believers. The court cassation upheld this decision. However, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation overturned it in March 2023 and returned the case to the appeal stage, which returned the case to the prosecutor’s office, after which the court of cassation sent it for a new appeal hearing. A fourth appellate decision upheld the verdicts against Aleksandr and Venera. Darya is exempt from criminal liability, as the statute of limitations has expired. All three believers are defendants in another criminal case for their faith.
Timeline

Persons in case

Dulova
Darya
Dulova
Venera
Prianikov
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Sverdlovsk Region
Locality:
Karpinsk
Suspected of:
"Within the jurisdiction of the city of Karpinsk... together with a group of people, being fully aware that the religious organization Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was declared extremist and its activities in the Russian Federation were prohibited, [he] participated in its activities by directly taking part in events, carrying out propaganda of its activities, familiarizing with religious literature."
Court case number:
11802650042000038
Initiated:
July 30, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
СО в г. Краснотурьинске СУ Следственного комитета РФ по Свердловской области
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-11/2021 (1-184/2020; 1-5/2020; 1-167/2019)
Court:
Карпинский городской суд Свердловской области
Case History
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