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Criminal Investigation and Trial

In Orenburg, two citizens were sent to a pre-trial detention center for their faith, one was placed under house arrest

Orenburg Region

On May 19, 2018, 2 days after the raid on believers in the Orenburg region, the Industrial District Court of Orenburg chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention for 2 citizens who are accused of organizing worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses. The 3rd believer from the special detention center was transferred to house arrest.

  • 25-year-old Vladislav Kolbanov was placed under house arrest. The hearing in his case was scheduled for May 18, 2018 at 15:00, but lasted until 23:17 local time. 50 relatives and friends came to support the young man, only 15 of them fit in the hall, the rest were waiting in the corridor and on the street. When the court announced the decision to transfer him from the detention center to house arrest, the audience applauded for a long time.
  • Arrested for 58 days, until July 14, 2018, 38-year-old Vladimir Kochnev, married, has positive characteristics from the place of residence and work (master of metal products). The corresponding decision was made by Judge Igor Izmailov.
  • Arrested for 58 days, until July 14, 2018, 38-year-old Aleksandr Suvorov, a key maker, is married and has a young daughter. The court was presented with positive references from Suvorov's place of residence and work, letters of thanks, diplomas and certificates from the place of study and institutions of additional education of the child, but Judge Igor Izmailov did not find an opportunity to choose a milder measure of restraint than detention.

Currently, 8 citizens are behind bars in different regions of Russia, namely: Dennis Christensen in Orel, Anatoly Vilitkevich in Ufa, Roman Markin and Viktor Trofimov in the Murmansk region, Valentin Osadchuk in Vladivostok, Alam Aliyev in Birobidzhan and Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov in Orenburg.

Case of Kochnev and Others in Orenburg

Case History
In May 2018, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Vladimir Kochnev, Vladislav Kolbanov, Pavel Lekontsev, Sergey Logunov and Nikolay Zhugin. Believers from Orenburg were accused of organizing and financing an extremist organization’s activities and participating in it because of friendly meetings in a café. After the searches, three men were released on recognizance not to leave, and two were detained. Kochnev spent 76 days in pre-trial detention and 72 days under house arrest, while Kolbanov spent 149 days under house arrest. In December 2019, the case went to court, but a month later it was returned to the prosecutor’s office due to the vague nature of the charges. The retrial of the case by another judge began in February 2021. The accusation is based on the testimony of the agent V. Yudin. In August 2023, the judge sentenced the believers to suspended sentences: Logunov and Zhugin — to two and a half years, Kochnev — to two years and eight months, Lekontsev — to three years, and Kolbanov — to three and a half years. The appellate court upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Orenburg Region
Locality:
Orenburg
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising and participating in the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802530021000017
Initiated:
May 14, 2018
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-1/2023 (1-2/2022; 1-139/2021; 1-62/2020; 1-501/2019)
Court:
Промышленный районный суд г. Оренбурга
Judge:
Диана Судоргина
Case History