Roman Gumenyuk with his wife Olesya. January 16, 2025

Roman Gumenyuk with his wife Olesya. January 16, 2025

Roman Gumenyuk with his wife Olesya. January 16, 2025

Unjust Verdicts

Sakhalin Appeal Court Approved Conviction of Roman Gumenyuk

Sakhalin Region

On January 24, 2025, a panel of judges of the Sakhalin Regional Court considered the case of Roman Gumenyuk and did not change the decision of the first instance. Earlier, the court sentenced the believer to 5 years of suspended imprisonment. The man insists on his innocence and has the right to appeal this decision in cassation.

In his appeal, Gumenyuk noted that participation in joint worship services and conversations on biblical topics with other people is not a crime, but a form of expression of faith that is not prohibited by law. In his final statement, the defendant said: "I have not committed any crime, much less the one of which I am accused. I lead an honest life. My friends and acquaintances know me as a peace-loving person who is incapable of illegal actions aimed at harming someone."

Roman Gumenyuk became the sixth Jehovah's Witness in the Sakhalin Region convicted for his religion.

Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov

Case History
Roman Gumenyuk was searched and interrogated in August 2023. A month earlier, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against him under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how the investigation interpreted the conducting of conversations on biblical topics via video-conferencing. In May 2024, the believer was prosecuted under another article, accused of involvement in the activities of an extremist organization. A month later, the case went to court. Roman Gumenyuk is a third-generation Jehovah’s Witness. In Soviet times, his father was convicted for his religious beliefs for three years, but was later rehabilitated as a victim of political repression. In November 2024, Roman was sentenced to 5 years suspended sentence with restriction of liberty for 2 years with a probationary period of 3 years. In January 2025, the appellate court upheld this verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Gumenyuk
Roman

Criminal case

Region:
Sakhalin Region
Locality:
Korsakov
Suspected of:
"by means of unidentified technical means in the format of video conferencing in unidentified places ... took part in regular meetings, during which he propagandized extremist ideology" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12302640018000051
Initiated:
March 19, 2023
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Korsakovskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-261/2024
Court of First Instance:
Korsakovskiy City Court
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Marina Zelenina
Case History
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