Gusev's case in Krasnoyarsk

Employees of the Investigative Committee summon Igor Gusev for questioning as a witness in the criminal case against Vitaly Sukhov.

M. A. Grigorieva, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Zheleznodorozhny District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, initiates a criminal case against Igor Gusev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believer "organized religious performances and services."

Investigator Grigorieva appoints a phonoscopic examination of audio and video files obtained as a result of operational-search activities. At them, someone discusses how to develop the same faith that the biblical prophet Job had. The investigator is interested in whether the voice on these recordings belongs to Igor Gusev.

The criminal case against Igor Gusev is submitted to the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Krasnoyarsk. It is considered by judge Patsalyuk Svetlana Leonidovna.

The prosecutor reads out the indictment. Igor Gusev begins to read out his attitude to the charges, but the judge stops him. The believer asks to attach his attitude to the case file, but the judge postpones the consideration of this issue until the next hearing.

The secret witness Kuzmin is being interrogated. The lawyer and the defendant have to conduct the interrogation without preparation, since they were not notified in advance.

The court attaches to the case file the text of Gusev's attitude to the charges, but without appendices.

About 20 people come to support the believer.

At the request of the defense, a video recording of the worship service, made by a secret witness, is shown. It reveals discrepancies with his testimony given during the investigation. Thus, the video does not confirm that Igor Gusev appointed the date and time of the next service.

The defendant is being interrogated. When answering some of the judge's questions, the believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. When asked what his role in the congregation is, the believer replies that his role is "to worship God and listen to the sermon." Regarding the local religious organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in Krasnoyarsk, Igor Gusev says that in fact, such legal entities are needed by the state, and not by the believers themselves. "We existed both under the tsar and under the USSR and did without LRO," he explains.

The prosecutor asks to appoint the believer to 6 years in prison. Igor Gusev, speaking in the debate, declares the inconsistency of the accusation, but those present note that the judge and the prosecutor practically do not listen to him.

The Krasnoyarsk Regional Court leaves the decision of the lower court - a fine of 600,000 rubles - unchanged.