Case of Seidkuliev in Saratov

Sergey Sirotin, investigator of the Leninsky District Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Saratov Region, initiates a criminal case against Rustam Seidkuliev under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, accusing him of participating in the activities of a religious association banned by the court.

The resolution states that, while on the territory of the Leninsky district of Saratov, Rustam Seidkuliev took part in the activities of the local division of the religious organization, namely in conversations about the Bible and in attracting new participants.

Adler police officers detain the Seidkulievs in a shopping center and take Rustam to the police station for identification. The couple have been in Sochi for a year now, where they moved for family reasons.

Rustam is told that he is wanted for hooliganism and sent to Adler's special detention center for 5 days.

5 FSB officers from Saratov under escort transport a believer to the temporary detention center in the city of Engels.

The believer is formally charged and interrogated as an accused under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The judge of the Leninsky District Court of Saratov, Oksana Kulumbekova, chooses house arrest for Rustam Seidkuliev as a preventive measure for a period of 2 months, that is, until April 20, 2020 inclusive.

The judge extends Rustam Seidkuliev's period of detention under house arrest for 1 month, until May 20, 2020 inclusive.

The head of the investigation department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Saratov region extends the period of the preliminary investigation in the criminal case by 2 months, and in total up to 5 months, that is, until June 29, 2020.

The judge extends Rustam Seidkuliev's period of detention under house arrest for 1 month, until June 20, 2020 inclusive.

The judge of the Leninsky District Court of Saratov, Trofimova S.V., at the request of the investigator, extends the term of house arrest for Rustam Seidkuliev by 9 days, and up to 4 months and 9 days in total, that is, until June 29, 2020 inclusive. Rustam is forbidden to communicate with witnesses in a criminal case, leave his home, use all types of communication, including the Internet.

During this short period of time, the investigator will need to examine the video and items seized by the FSB officers, attach evidence, interview witnesses, bring charges in the final version, draw up an indictment and send it to the prosecutor's office, as well as perform other investigative actions.

The judge of the Leninsky District Court of Saratov, A. V. Efimov, satisfies the petition of the senior investigator R. S. Sirotin and, taking into account the "gravity of the crime", extends Rustam Seidkuliev's house arrest for another 1 month, until July 29, 2020 inclusive, i.e. up to 5 months and 9 days in total. The judge allows the believer to take daily walks in the local area from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Sirotin motivates the extension of house arrest by the fact that "it is necessary to bring charges against Rustam in the final version and interrogate him as an accused." A peaceful believer is accused of "committing a deliberate grave crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the state, which has an increased degree of public danger."

In relation to Rustam Seidkuliev, a preventive measure is chosen in the form of a ban on certain actions.

R. Sirotin, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Leninsky District of Saratov, of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Saratov Region, is prosecuting Rustam Seidkuliev as a defendant under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The indictment contains evidence collected during the preliminary investigation, which will now be considered in court.

The first court hearing is scheduled for April 20.

The first court hearing in the case of Rustam Siedkuliev is held in the Leninsky District Court of Saratov.

The prosecutor reads out the charges, stating that "at an unspecified time" and "in an unidentified place," Rustam Seidkuliev "had a criminal intent to commit illegal actions to participate in the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses." According to the indictment, Seidkuliev, "acting from extremist motives, realizing that by his actions he undermines the foundations of the constitutional order and state security," continued to participate in worship services of believers and talk to others about God.

The defendant, expressing his attitude to the charges, draws the court's attention to the fact that the prosecutor's statements do not meet the requirements of the Code of Criminal Procedure. According to the law, the case materials submitted to the court must contain the essence of the charge, the place and time of the crime, its methods, motives, goals, and consequences of the crime. But none of the above is in the indictment.

Two prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them states that the defendant did not involve him in the activities of any religious organization.

Judge Andrey Efimov finds Rustam Seidkuliev guilty of extremism and sentences him to 2.5 years of imprisonment in a general regime colony and 1 year of restriction of freedom after his release.