In the photo: Victor Stashevsky

In the photo: Victor Stashevsky

In the photo: Victor Stashevsky

Criminal trial

A Sevastopol prosecutor is demanding a seven-year imprisonment for Viktor Stashevskiy charging him for believing in Jehovah God

Crimea

On March 22, 2021, during the debate in the Gagarinskiy District Court of Sevastopol, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 7 years in prison for the 54-year-old Viktor Stashevskiy. On March 29, the believer will deliver the last word, after which the court can pronounce a sentence on him.

In May 2019, the investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Y. A. Andreev, opened a criminal case against Viktor Stashevskiy, calling the peaceful believer "the ideological inspirer of an extremist organization." Such serious accusations were leveled against the believer for the fact that he, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, prayed and discussed biblical topics with fellow believers. Viktor is not charged with any other - real - crimes.

To date, 10 Crimean Jehovah's Witnesses have become victims of unjustified criminal prosecution for the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses. Two of them are already serving time in a penal colony.

The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol

Case History
In May 2019, an FSB investigator opened a criminal case against Viktor Stashevskiy for organizing the activity of an extremist organization. He was accused of “promoting the ideas of Jehovah’s Witnesses, holding meetings, and carrying out religious performances.” The case involved the testimony of a secret witness. After eight months of court proceedings, the hearings began anew in connection with the resignation of the judge. In March 2021, the court sentenced Stashevskiy to 6.5 years in a general regime colony. The appeal upheld this verdict. Since September 2021, the believer has been in Penal Colony No. 9 of the Krasnodar Territory. There, Stashevskiy was accused of malicious violation of the order due to numerous penalties, most of which he did not even know about. In May 2024, the court ruled to change the type of correctional institution for the believer to prison for the rest of his term (a period of three years), and in June the appeal approved this decision. In September 2024, Viktor Stashevskiy was transferred from the colony to a prison known as Vladimirskiy Central.
Timeline

Persons in case

Stashevskiy
Viktor

Criminal case

Region:
Crimea
Locality:
Sevastopol
Suspected of:
According to the investigation he continued the activities and propagandized Jehovah’s Witnesses’ ideas, conducted meetings and carried out religious speeches
Court case number:
11907350001670005
Initiated:
May 31, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-23/2021 (1-165/2020)
Court:
Gagarinskiy District Court of the City of Sevastopol
Judge:
Pavel Kryllo
Case History
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