Aleksandr Kabanov with friends on the day of the verdict

Aleksandr Kabanov with friends on the day of the verdict

Aleksandr Kabanov with friends on the day of the verdict

Unjust Verdicts

Aleksandr Kabanov from Zelenogorsk Again Given a 2-Year Suspended Sentence for His Faith

Krasnoyarsk Territory

On February 18, 2025, the Zelenogorsk City Court found Aleksandr Kabanov, 64, guilty of extremism and gave him a 2-year suspended sentence. "Actually, there is no evidence that I am a danger to society," the believer said a week earlier, addressing the court in his final statement for the second time.

The criminal prosecution has shaped Kabanov's life for the past 5 years. The search and detention were followed by 2.5 years of preliminary forensic investigation. As a result, he was convicted the first time — given a 2-year suspended sentence. However, at the court of appeal the trial took an unexpected turn: the panel of judges returned the case to the prosecutor, not finding corpus delicti in the actions of the believer.

According to Kabanov, the further investigation has not changed his position: he still considers himself innocent. "When they interrogated witnesses, including a secret one, nothing bad was said about me," he said at a recent hearing. "They talked about what I really do, and that is study the Bible and share what I've learned." Despite this, Judge Stanislav Doronin found the believer guilty of participating in the activity of an extremist organization.

At the moment, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, 31 Jehovah's Witnesses are being prosecuted for their faith. The world community condemns the persecution of peaceful believers in Russia.

The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk

Case History
Siberian Aleksandr Kabanov faced criminal prosecution for his faith in God at the end of December 2019. Then, a series of searches took place in the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Zelenogorsk. The believer spent a day behind bars, after which he was released. He was accused of “holding weekly religious meetings and involving new adherents,” which the investigator equated with participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In February 2021, the case went to court. In December of the same year, instead of announcing the verdict, the judge returned the case to the investigation stage. In August 2022, Aleksandr Kabanov was convicted — given a 2-year suspended sentence, but the court of appeal returned the case to the prosecutor. In June 2023, the case was again submitted to the court of first instance. In February 2025, the court again gave the believer a 2-year suspended sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Kabanov
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnoyarsk Territory
Locality:
Zelenogorsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "organized... the activity of 24 groups of participants of the banned organization and supervised their activity during weekly religious meetings, the dissemination of religious and ideological views of the banned organization, as well as the involvement of new adherents"
Court case number:
11902040011000051
Initiated:
December 26, 2019
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the Closed City of Zelenogorsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-4/2024 (1-129/2023; 1-1/2022; 1-67/2021)
Court:
Zelenogorsk City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Stanislav Doronin
Case History
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