The Case of Adestov in Kovrov

Senior FSB forensic investigator D. A. Tyumenev initiates a criminal case against 45-year-old Roman Adestov. The believer is suspected of violating Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - participation in the activities of an extremist organization.

In Kovrov and the Kovrov district, searches are being conducted in the homes of Aleksey Kupriyanov from Kovrov and Roman Adestov from the village of Ivanovo. The search in Kovrov is led by the senior FSB operative Captain Velichko, and in the village of Ivanovo - by the junior FSB operative Polyakov. The believers are taken away for interrogation to the FSB department in Vladimir.

Investigator Tyumenev presents Roman Adestov with a decision to bring him as an accused. According to the investigation, the man "committed active actions aimed at continuing illegal activities," "took part in religious meetings, participated in the collection and systematization of information on the amount of work done to introduce the ideology of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses into the civilian masses."

Judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court of the city of Vladimir I. A. Egorov chooses a measure of restraint for Roman Adestov - detention for a period of 1 month and 19 days (until August 26, 2021). The court makes this decision despite the fact that the believer has an elderly mother dependent on him.

The court extends the believer's preventive measure in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center for another 3 months.

The Leninskiy District Court of Vladimir softens the measure of restraint for Roman Adestov and transfers him to house arrest.

Roman Adestov is chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of a ban on certain actions. The believer spent almost 7 months under house arrest.

The criminal case against Roman Adestov is submitted to the Kovrov City Court. The referee is Vasily Safronov.

The prosecutor announces the indictment. Roman Adestov declares to the court that he disagrees with the charges against him.

The court leaves the measure of restraint in the form of a ban on certain actions unchanged.

The prosecutor reads out the full transcript of one of the worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The court reads transcripts of the defendant's telephone conversations, the results of a religious examination and a list of items seized during the search on February 17, 2021. In addition to the participants in the process, 7 listeners are present at the meeting.

The court rejects the lawyer's request to mitigate the measure of restraint.

The court is completing the examination of the written materials of the case. Listeners are still not allowed into the courtroom. According to the believer, the atmosphere in the courtroom is friendly, the judge "tries to treat him humanely."

A prosecution witness is being questioned. The witness explains that he does not know Roman Adestov.

Prosecution witness Bordunov, a former FSB operative in the Vladimir region, who for three years conducted operational search measures against Jehovah's Witnesses from Kovrov, including Adestov, is being interrogated. Wiretapping, surveillance, and secret audio recording were carried out.

When asked by a lawyer what was the illegal activity of Roman Adestov, Bordunov answers: "I don't remember - a lot of time has passed." To other questions posed by the defendant, the witness cannot say anything on the merits. At the same time, he claims that on the part of the defendant "no facts of struggle or calls for violence were recorded."

Prosecution witness Astanin, who previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kovrov, is being questioned. He does not know the defendant and has not heard any calls for violence at worship services. The written testimony of the witness is read out in court, although the defense objects.

25 people come to support Roman, 16 of them are allowed into the meeting room. The testimony of three prosecution witnesses who did not appear in court is read out.

A prosecution witness who attended religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses from 2009 to 2014 is being questioned. The man says that he has never heard calls for violence and hatred at worship services; He made donations on a voluntary basis, "no one forced."

The court hears the testimony of the next prosecution witness, who also previously attended worship services. The man says that he does not know what Adestov was doing, and "does not know him personally." He confirmed that he once broke the windows of the worship building "to talk to Boris Symonenko."

The lawyer reads out the description of Roman Adestov from the place of work and his certificate.

During the debate, prosecutor Maksim Krotov requested a sentence for Roman Adestov: 4 years in prison and 1 year of various restrictions.