The case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk

Case History

Pavel Brilkov, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Prokopyevsk, faced persecution for his faith back in 2020, when he was brought in as a witness in the case of Andrey Vlasov. In the fall of 2021, the house of Brilkov and his wife was searched, then the believer was interrogated. In March 2023, the believer himself became a defendant in a criminal case. According to the investigator of the Investigative Committee, he is guilty of extremism, because he “explained the meaning of excerpts from the Holy Scriptures.” In May 2023, hearings began in the case of the believer, and in January 2024, the court sentenced him to two years and ten months of forced labor. The appeal changed the sentence to two years suspended.

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    November 10, 2021 Search

    At 6 o'clock in the morning, Tatyana Zorina, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Prokopyevsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, issues a decision to search the home of Pavel Brilkov as part of the investigation into a criminal case under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against unidentified persons. A group of security officials arrives at the believer's house two hours later.

    After the search, the investigator interrogates Pavel Brilkov and his wife. Believers use Article 51 of the Constitution. Previously, Brilkov was a witness in the case of Andrei Vlasov.

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    May 30, 2022 Case initiated

    Investigator Zorina opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against unidentified persons. consisting in convening meetings of persons from among the followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses living in the territory of Prokopyevsk and the Prokopyevsk district of the Kemerovo region - Kuzbass, organizing religious speeches and services at these meetings.

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    March 16, 2023

    Pavel Brilkov is required to sign a pledge not to leave the place and proper behavior. The believer is charged with participating in extremist activities. This is how the investigation interprets the fact that Paul "repeatedly spoke out and explained the meaning and essence of excerpts from the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) and supplemented the answers of adherents of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses at a religious meeting."

    During interrogation, Brilkov enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones.

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    April 28, 2023 Case went to court

    Pavel Brilkov's case is submitted to the Central District Court of Prokopyevsk for consideration by Judge Alyona Novoselova.

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    May 25, 2023 Case went to court Interrogation

    10 people come to the court hearings to support Pavel Brilkov. On the part of the prosecution, FSB representative Karpov testifies against the believer.

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    July 14, 2023 Interrogation Hearing in a court of the first instance

    Two prosecution witnesses are being questioned.

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    July 25 — October 23, 2023 Hearing in a court of the first instance

    The court examines the materials of the case, which contains at least 7 volumes.

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    November 3, 2023 Hearing in a court of the first instance

    The court proposes to proceed to the interrogation of the defendant. Brilkov refuses to testify in the form of answers to questions from the prosecutor and the court, using his right under Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

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    December 18, 2023 Prosecutor requested punishment

    Referee: Alyona Novoselova. Central District Court of Prokopyevsk (Karl Liebknecht St., 9, Prokopyevsk).

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    January 12, 2024 In the courtroom Final statement Elderly

    Pavel Brilkov speaks in the debate and with the last word, without admitting his guilt in extremism.

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    January 15, 2024 First Instance Sentence Believers with a disability Art. 282.2 (2) Elderly Forced labor
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    March 12, 2024 Court of Appeal Art. 282.2 (2) Forced labor Suspended sentence Elderly Believers with a disability Rosfinmonitoring