Case of Shcherbina in Kholmskaya

The home of Alexander Shcherbina is being searched by order of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar. It becomes known that law enforcement officers have records of how believers read and discussed the Bible via the Internet. After the search, Aleksandr Shcherbina is interrogated as a witness in the criminal case against Aleksandr Ivshin.

O. I. Komissarov, investigator of the 2nd branch of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 44-year-old Alexander Shcherbina.

At 6:30 a.m., the security forces conducted a second search in the home of Aleksandr Shcherbina. The search lasts 2 hours. Bibles in various translations and electronic devices are seized from the believer. Copies of the decisions are not provided to him.

Then he was brought to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Abinsk District in the Krasnodar Territory for interrogation by the senior investigator, Major of Justice G. G. Gulmagomedov. Aleksandr Shcherbina is interrogated in the status of the accused. The interrogation lasts 20 minutes. They take a written undertaking not to leave the place.

Court hearings begin in the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, chaired by Sergey Mikhin.

Aleksandr Shcherbina expresses his attitude to the charge of participation in extremist activities: "I do not plead guilty and believe that the charge against me is illegal. [...] In fact, I am accused of believing in God and remaining a Jehovah's Witness, that is, using the right guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. [...] My religious views are based on the Bible, so they are the exact opposite of what is called extremism. The materials of the criminal case do not prove the opposite. [...] [I] am being prosecuted solely for my peaceful religious activities." The believer also refers to the resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which called for the termination of criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses.

The court interrogates the prosecution witness, FSB operative Stanislav Bochin.

During the debate in the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, the prosecutor requests a sentence of 3 years in a general regime colony for Aleksandr Shcherbina.

Judge of the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory Sergey Mikhin sentences Aleksandr Shcherbina to 3 years in a general regime colony. The believer can appeal the verdict.

It becomes known that Aleksandr Shcherbina was transferred to colony No. 9 in the city of Khadyzhensk. He can receive letters of support.

The lawyer visits Aleksandr Shcherbina in the colony. Aleksandr is being held in the same cell with fellow believer Oleg Danilov and two other prisoners. The believer was sick recently, but now he feels better, takes walks in the fresh air. He is grateful to his friends for letters and parcels.

Aleksandr hopes that the appellate court will find him not guilty.

Appeal hearings begin in the Krasnodar Regional Court. Aleksandr Shcherbina's appeal speech with the last word and the possible announcement of the verdict were postponed until June 24.