Unjust Verdicts

An Appeal in Nizhny Novgorod Upheld Another Guilty Verdict for Faith. Maksim Zavrazhnov, 41, Was Given a Six Year Suspended Sentence

Nizhegorod Region

On December 5, 2022, the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court approved the sentence of Maksim Zavrazhnov—6-year suspended sentence for reading the Bible. The believer still insists on his innocence and has the right to appeal this decision in the cassation procedure.

Maksim Zavrazhnov never denied that he was one of Jehovah's Witnesses and along with his friends he read the Bible and prayed to God. In court, he stressed: "My goal was not to continue the activity of the liquidated legal entity, but to worship God."

During the appeal hearing, the believer drew attention to the fact that the decision of the Moscow District Court in Nizhny Novgorod violated at least 5 articles of the European Convention. As the defendant noted, the guilty verdict vividly demonstrated to him that if he does not renounce his religious views as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, then he will continue to be prosecuted. "The actual purpose of the court verdict is to violate [my] rights and force [me] to change my religion under pain of criminal prosecution," Maksim Zavrazhnov concluded.

In the Nizhny Novgorod region, 16 Jehovah's Witnesses faced persecution for their faith. Seven of them have already been given suspended sentences.

The judgment of the ECtHR of 7 June 2022, which fully acquitted Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, states: "The European Court concludes that the applicants were punished for acts that constituted the exercise of their right to freedom to practice their religion together with others" (§ 269).

Case of Zavrazhnov in Nizhniy Novgorod

Case History
In July 2019, the Russian Interior Ministry for the Nizhny Novgorod Region conducted searches in a total of 35 homes of local Jehovah’s Witnesses. Several criminal cases were initiated, one of them against Maksim Zavrazhnov, a resident of Nizhny Novgorod. The believer was accused of “conducting meetings, collecting donations for the needs of a religious organization and improving the skills of missionary activity.” For seven months, Zavrazhnov was under a ban on certain actions, and in February 2020 he was placed under a recognizance agreement. In October 2021, the case was submitted to the district court. During the hearings, some witnesses stated that the protocols they signed contained information that they did not disclose. The prosecutor requested 5 years in a penal colony for the believer, but the court gave him a 6 year suspended sentence. In December 2022, an appeal upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Zavrazhnov
Maksim

Criminal case

Region:
Nizhegorod Region
Locality:
Nizhniy Novgorod
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they held meetings, collected donations for the needs of a religious organization, improved the skills of missionary work
Court case number:
11901220089000241
Initiated:
July 17, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Unit of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the MIA of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-47/2022 (1-455/2021)
Court of First Instance:
Moskovskiy District Court of the City of Nizhny Novgorod
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Azamat Ionov
Case History
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