In the photo: Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva

In the photo: Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva

In the photo: Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva

Unjust Verdicts

Novozybkov Court Sentenced 4 Jehovah's Witnesses to Jail, But Released Them Because They Have Already Served Their Time

Bryansk Region

On September 3, 2020, the Novozybkov City Court sentenced Vladimir Khokhlov and Eduard Zhinzhikov to 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment and 1 year of restraint, and Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva to 1 year of imprisonment and 6 months of restraint. But, since they have already served their time in a pre-trial detention center, they were released.

None of the believers pleaded guilty to extremism. One of them, Vladimir Khokhlov, addressing the court with the last word, said: “I am accused of committing crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and state security. I consider this to be unfounded statements, since it is directly opposite to everything I believe in and how I act” (the full text of the speeches with the last words of Eduard Zhinzhikov,Tatiana Shamsheva, and Olga Silaeva is also available).

The criminal prosecution of four civilians from Novozybkov began in June 2019. After a series of raids, 42-year-old Tatiana Shamsheva and 31-year-old Olga Silaeva were the first to be imprisoned. They were accused of “spreading the ideology of the religious organization“ Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia ”by conducting conversations with residents of Novozybkov and Klimovo” (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Four months later, in October 2019, a criminal case was opened against the 42-year-old father of a minor child, Vladimir Khokhlov, and 47-year-old Eduard Zhinzhikov. They gathered to pray and discuss the Bible with their fellow believers, which the security officials considered a threat to the security of society and the state (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Homes of Vladimir and Eduard were searched again, and the believers themselves were detained and later sent to a pre-trial detention center.

“The accusation of Yahweh worshippers has already been finalized”—speech of the lawyer

Tatyana and Olga spent 8 months in custody and in February 2020 were released from the detention center under the recognizance agreement. Vladimir and Eduard were imprisoned for almost a year—until the recent court verdict.

“Courts unreasonably send believers to prison. The sentence to four Jehovah's Witnesses from Novozybkov seems mild, but it is nevertheless an accusatory one. People spent many months behind bars on the basis of fictitious accusations,” Yaroslav Sivulsky, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, commented on the court's decision.

Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov

Case History
On September 3, 2020, the Novozybkovsky City Court found Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva guilty of extremist activities and sentenced them to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 15 months, followed by restriction of freedom and a ban on holding leadership positions. Since the believers had already spent about a year behind bars, they were released right in the courtroom. All of them ended up in jail after mass raids by armed security forces in 2019 in the Bryansk region. The security forces considered the usual communication of believers on religious topics to be a “criminal conspiracy”. However, during the court session it turned out that “information and files relevant to the criminal case were not found.” Due to the stress experienced, Vladimir Khokhlov suffered a hypertensive crisis, and Eduard Zhinzhikov and his wife lost an unborn child. In October 2020, the appeal upheld the verdict. In December 2021, this decision was upheld by the Court of Cassation.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Bryansk Region
Locality:
Novozybkov
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they held talks in public places and living quarters with residents in order to promote the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, involved other people in this activity by persuasion, and raised money
Court case number:
11902150006000035
Initiated:
October 16, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
The First Department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the IC of Russia in Bryansk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-64/2020
Court:
Новозыбковский городской суд Брянской области
Case History
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