Case of Simonenko in Kovrov

Major A. A. Bordunov, senior detective of the FSB department in the Vladimir region, provides a certificate of operational search measures carried out in relation to pensioner Boris Simonenko and his wife. It can be seen from the certificate that the accusation is based on telephone wiretapping of conversations between the Symonenko spouses.

Search and interrogation of Boris Symonenko.

Senior investigator-criminalist of the FSB D. A. Tyumenev makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against Boris Simonenko. He is charged with organizing the activities of a liquidated religious association (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

At the request of Tyumenev, the Kovrov City Court chooses Boris Simonenko a measure of restraint in the form of detention.

Borys Symonenko, whose case is under preliminary investigation, is being transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the city of Vladimir. Prior to that, the 65-year-old believer was in a pre-trial detention center at correctional colony No. 7 in the Vladimir region.

Borys Symonenko is transferred to a pre-trial detention facility at Correctional Colony No. 7 of a special regime. PFRSI is designed for 220 seats and is located in the village of Pakino, Vladimir region.

Borys Symonenko is placed under house arrest. He spent 145 days in jail.

Boris Symonenko's preventive measure is being changed: from house arrest he is transferred to a ban on certain actions.

Investigator Tyumenev issues an updated decision on the involvement of Simonenko as an accused. In the document, the investigator points out that Symonenko's criminal actions consist of "convening meetings, organizing the performance of religious services, speeches and sermons at these meetings."

The criminal case against Boris Simonenko is submitted to the Kovrov City Court of the Vladimir Region. It will be considered by judge Dmitry Valerievich Kirillov.

The court extends Borys Symonenko's ban on certain actions until February 4, 2023, without taking into account his age, state of health and the presence of various awards and commendations.

The prosecutor reads out volumes 2 through 5 of the case file, which contain Bible passages about the importance of trusting in Jehovah God and his qualities of love, mercy, and justice.

The prosecutor reads out volumes 11 to 16 of the case. The lawyer objects to reading out the interrogation of Alexei Kupriyanov, a defendant in another case, and asks to read only what relates directly to Boris Symonenko. However, the judge does not take this remark into account.

Interrogation of two prosecution witnesses. The first man attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to him, he was interested there, he felt peace in his soul. He says that at those meetings they discussed the influence of man on nature, relationships between people, and the upbringing of children. The witness confirms that they talked with the defendant on biblical topics and that the last time they saw each other was about three years ago. He never heard calls for violence or the overthrow of power from Boris and his wife. According to him, not a single rude word from Symonenko ever came.

Further, a neighbor of the Symonenko spouses is interrogated. She says that Boris did not discuss religious topics with her. When asked if she was afraid of the defendant and his wife, she answered in the negative.

A prosecution witness who participated in the ORM against Symonenko testifies. He definitely cannot answer many questions over the years. What was the result of the defendant's prohibited activities and on what basis he was recognized as an extremist, the witness cannot say.

A witness for the prosecution testifies that she has never heard calls for violence from Jehovah's Witnesses. The next witness did not hear such calls either. He states that he attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2007 and now has a general dislike for them.

The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them claims that she has not heard any extremist appeals from Boris Symonenko, and does not ascribe leadership to him.

During the debate, prosecutor Maksym Krotov requested 6 years in a penal colony for Borys Symonenko.