Martynova Nina, Pavlova Zoya, Yermakov Mikhail and Martynov Andrey at the courthouse. December 2022

Martynova Nina, Pavlova Zoya, Yermakov Mikhail and Martynov Andrey at the courthouse. December 2022

Martynova Nina, Pavlova Zoya, Yermakov Mikhail and Martynov Andrey at the courthouse. December 2022

Unjust Verdicts

Fines for Two Women and Suspended Sentences for Two Men. Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced in Chuvashia

Chuvashia

On December 22, 2022, the judge of the Alatyrskiy District Court of Chuvash Republic, Ivan Konchulizov, found four believers guilty of extremism and imposed on Zoya Pavlova and Nina Martynova to a fine of 350,000 rubles, and on Mikhail Yermakov and Andrey Martynov a 6-year of suspended sentence with a probationary period of 3 years.

On behalf of all the defendants, 58-year-old Andrey Martynov said: “There are no victims in this case, the state has not suffered in any way, and in fact there is no crime what so ever. But we are the victims; the defendants are husbands, wives, mothers, exemplary workers”. Nina, 64, has worked all her life as a kindergarten teacher; Andrey has been a driver and stoker in a boiler room for the last 25 years; Zoya, 57, has worked at a mechanical plant and in the housing and communal services sector, and Mikhail, 60, has been a janitor.

The persecution of believers began in June 2021, when searches were carried out in the city of Alatyr and a criminal case was opened. It took the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for Chuvash Republic a little more than a year to conduct an investigation, and in July 2022 the case went to court. The prosecutor requested that the believers be sent to a penal colony: Andrey Martynov and Mikhail Yermakov—6 years each, Nina Martynova—5 years and Zoya Pavlova—4.5 years.

Defending her right to freedom of religion, Zoya Pavlova said at the trial: “Any believer will share what he has learned and meet with his friends for discussion and association. If this is not done, then the meaning of faith simply disappears”. Nina Martynova added: “If someone reads the Bible, believes in Jehovah God, loves his neighbor, sings religious songs, it cannot harm anyone. How can this undermine the foundations of the security of the state?”

The verdict has not entered into force. Believers insist on their complete innocence and they intend to appeal the court's decision.

In Chuvash Republic, three more Jehovah's Witnesses faced persecution for their faith. In January 2022, heavy fines were imposed on them.

In a ruling dated June 7, 2022, the European Court of Human Rights criticized the actions of the Russian authorities against believers and stated that “criminal prosecution and criminal liability for the peaceful practice of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses, together with others, was based on an unacceptably broad formulation and arbitrary application of anti-extremism legislation” (§ 272).

The case of Martynov and Others in Alatyr

Case History
In June 2021, the FSB of Russia initiated a criminal case against unidentified persons, and a week later, a series of searches were carried out in Alatyr at the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The family of Andrey Martynov was subjected to investigative actions twice (the first search took place in 2012). The law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, photographs, personal notes, drawings and other items, with inscriptions mentioning the name of God - Jehovah. In April 2022, Andrey and Nina Martynov, Mikhail Yermakov and Zoya Pavlova were charged: the men with organizing the activitiy of an extremist organization, and the women with involvement and participation in it. In July 2022, the case against the believers went to court, and in December of the same year, the court gave the women a fine of 350,000 rubles, and the men a 6-year suspended sentence. After 2 months, the verdict entered into force by the decision of the appellate instance.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Chuvashia
Locality:
Alatyr
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he "organized religious performances and services, carried out preaching activities in order to spread the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses."
Court case number:
12107970001000027
Initiated:
June 16, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigation Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Chuvash Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-114/2022
Court of First Instance:
Алатырский районный суд Чувашской Республики
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Иван Кончулизов
Case History