Unjust Verdicts

An Appeal in Penza Upheld the Conviction of a Married Couple of Jehovah's Witnesses Based in Nikolsk

Penza Region

On March 9, 2022 panel of judges of Penza regional court presided by Olga Podshibyakina did not satisfy the appeal of Peter and Maya Krupnovs against the sentence of the court of first instance - 2 years of suspended imprisonment for believing in God. The verdict came into force. The believers have the right to appeal the verdict in cassation as well as in international instances.

The Krupnovs insist on their innocence and consider the conviction unfair: the court only proved their belonging to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, which the believers never hid. At the same time, neither the prosecution nor the secret witness presented the facts of the extremist actions of the defendants. Other witnesses claimed that their preliminary testimony had been falsified.

A court case against another believer from Nikolsk, Viktor Shayapov, is about to begin.

Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia continues despite a clarification by the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation that worship meetings and conversations about the Bible cannot be considered extremism per se. Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev emphasized on February 9, 2022: "Actions that do not contain signs of extremism and consist solely of the exercise of the right to freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, including through the performance of religious rites and ceremonies, do not constitute a crime.

The case of the Krupnovs and Others in Nikolsk

Case History
In October 2020, a criminal case was initiated against Yuriy Kim and unidentified persons for believing in God. Armed security forces raided 4 apartments of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the city of Nikolsk, Penza region. To familiarize himself with the materials on the search, 60-year-old Yuri Kim had to travel 120 kilometers from home. Upon his return, he was paralyzed and lost consciousness. The ambulance doctors did not have time to save him. In September 2021, Maya and Petr Krupnov were charged with participating in extremist activities. It was based on an audio recording made by an FSB agent. A month later, hearings began in the Nikolsky District Court under the chairmanship of Judge Irina Kuznetsova. Many witnesses claimed that their preliminary testimony had been falsified. In December 2021, the court sentenced the spouses to 2 years probation and 8 months of restriction of freedom and ordered them to pay 42,000 rubles in legal costs. The appellate court upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Kim
Yuriy
Krupnov
Petr
Krupnova
Maya

Criminal case

Region:
Penza Region
Locality:
Nikolsk
Court case number:
12002560016000021
Initiated:
October 7, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Penza Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-93/2021
Court:
Nikolskiy District Court of the Penza Region
Judge:
Irina Kuznetsova
Case History
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