In Kamchatka, a court acquitted three Jehovah's Witnesses on appeal

The Kamchatka Regional Court, when reconsidering the case, acquitted three Jehovah's Witnesses - spouses Konstantin and Snezhana Bazhenov and pensioner Vera Zolotova. OVD-Info was informed about this by the press service of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses.

All three were found guilty under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization (Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code) in September 2020; The believers were sentenced to two years' probation with a probationary period of three years and subsequent restriction of freedom for six months. According to the prosecution, the activities of the extremist organization were manifested in holding joint worship services and talking about God.

The appeal upheld the verdict, but after an appeal in the cassation instance, the case was returned for a second appeal hearing.

The association associates the current court decision with the explanations given by the Supreme Court regarding “extremist cases” against Jehovah’s Witnesses. On November 22, 2021, after these explanations, the court in Vladivostok for the first time acquitted Jehovah's Witness Dmitry Barmakin, accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code).

• In October 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court clarified the application of “anti-extremist” legislation. The document, in particular, states that actions “consisting solely in the implementation <...> of the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, including through individual or joint professing of religion, performing divine services or other religious rites and ceremonies, do not in themselves constitute a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (on participation in the activities of an extremist organization - OVD-Info ).” OVD-Info lawyer Tatyana Glushkova called the most significant change the ability of courts to terminate cases brought against former members of liquidated organizations (for example, organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses ).

• The Bazhenovs and pensioner Vera Zolotova were detained in August 2018, and their apartments were searched. Konstantin Bazhenov was then taken into custody, but released eight days later. Then they were under recognizance not to leave. At the end of 2019, the court returned the cases of believers to the prosecutor’s office due to violations, but then the court overturned this decision on appeal.

• On April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court recognized the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” as an extremist organization, liquidated it and banned its activities in Russia. Later, all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations were added to the list of prohibited organizations. After this, a stream of criminal cases against representatives of the confession began.