In the photo: Sergey Sergeev and Yuri Belosludtsev, August 2020

In the photo: Sergey Sergeev and Yuri Belosludtsev, August 2020

In the photo: Sergey Sergeev and Yuri Belosludtsev, August 2020

Unjust Verdicts

The Court of Cassation Upheld the Conviction of Sergey Sergeyev and Yuriy Belosludtsev - Six Years of Suspended Sentence for Believing in God

Primorye Territory

On 18 October 2022 the Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Vladivostok considered the appeal of Sergey Sergeyev and Yuriy Belosludtsev against their sentence. The judicial board disregarded their right to freedom of religion and upheld the decision of the first instance.

Addressing the court of cassation, Yuriy Belosludtsev said: “I am an ordinary believer, and my actions, which were regarded as criminal by the court of first instance, are reading the Bible, singing songs, praying, and also talking on biblical topics. But these cases are ordinary cases for any believer, and they are protected by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation”.

Sergey Sergeyev noted: “I am a Christian and have never hated anyone and do not now. My beliefs are based on the commandments of God, on norms, principles, love and justice . . . Therefore, for me, being an extremist and a terrorist is simply unthinkable”.

Belosludtsev and Sergeyev still do not admit their guilt and believe that the charge of extremism brought against them does not correspond to reality, as they exercised their right to freedom of religion and continued to worship Jehovah God, they did not commit any illegal actions.

Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk

Case History
In March 2019, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case for their faith against Yuriy Belosludtsev and Sergey Sergeyev from the village of Luchegorsk. They were accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving others in it. The investigation considered that the men were in a “criminal conspiracy” to “study and discuss religious material on topics about Jehovah.” Later, operatives searched their homes. The believers spent more than six months in a pre-trial detention center, and then another 5 months under house arrest. In June 2020, court hearings began, and a year and a half later, Belosludtsev and Sergeyev were sentenced to 6 years probation. The prosecutor asked for a sentence of 5.5 and 5 years in prison, respectively. The Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation upheld the conviction.
Timeline

Persons in case

Belosludtsev
Yuriy
Sergeyev
Sergey

Criminal case

Region:
Primorye Territory
Locality:
Luchegorsk
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as organising and participating in the activity of an extremist organisation (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11902050012000024
Initiated:
March 11, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the town of Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorye Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-4/2022 (1-17/2021; 1-145/2020)
Court:
Pozharskiy District Court, Primorskiy Territory
Judge:
Yevgeniy Stefanyuk
Case History
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