The case of Kozhushko and Others in Lesnoy

Case History

In March 2023, a criminal case was initiated against the peaceful citizens of Lesnoy, Pavel Loshchinin and Andrey Bannykh, as well as Andrey Kozhushko who lives in the village of Tayezhnyy. For discussing the Bible together, the investigation suspects the believers of “organizing the study of extremist materials and other religious literature”. In April, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation conducted searches at 6 addresses of Jehovah’s Witnesses as part of this case. Andrey Bannykh is one of the believers whose complaint was satisfied by the ECHR, declaring the prosecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia unlawful. The case went to court in May 2024.
Timeline

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    March 28, 2023 Case initiated

    The Investigation Department of the Lesnoy Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region is initiating a criminal case against Andrey Kozhushko, Andrey Bannykh and Pavel Loshchinin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of an extremist organization).

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    April 14, 2023 Search

    Searches are being conducted at at least 6 addresses of local Jehovah's Witnesses. During the search, all electronic devices and personal records are seized from believers. The security forces seized a large amount of personal savings from one family. At least five citizens are being interrogated.

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    April 19, 2024 Art. 282.2 (1) Believers with a disability

    Andrey Kozhushko, Andrey Bannykh and Pavel Loshchinin are charged under the article on organizing the activity of an extremist organization. The ruling states that the believers carried out "their personal participation in it as religious leaders."

    The document describes each of the defendants: "Through videoconferencing ... carried out religious meetings for worship, public study and discussion of literature, video recordings and illustrations."

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    May 21, 2024 Case went to court

    The case is sent to the city court of the city of Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Region, for consideration by judge Lyudmila Erzikova.

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    July 1, 2024 Hearing in a court of the first instance Believers with a disability

    22 people come to the court session to support the believers, but not everyone is allowed into the courtroom.

    The prosecutor reads out the indictment, the defendants express their disagreement with the charges.

    Andrey Bannykh says: "I am only accused of gathering with fellow believers at meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses and reading religious texts." He adds: "In fact, I am being forced to renounce my religion, I am being deprived of the right to freely choose, have and spread religious beliefs and to act in accordance with them."

    Andrei Kozhushko told the court: "It is clear from the content of the indictment that all the activities of the investigation and operational officers were aimed not at identifying signs of extremism..., but at suppressing religious activity."

    He also talks about the political repression of Jehovah's Witnesses in the USSR and draws a parallel with his family: "Unfortunately, today this injustice is repeated, and it affected my family. My family and I are in the greatest perplexity from the criminal prosecution and accusation, with which I categorically disagree."