Photo: Invasion of believers in Polyarny (2018)

Photo: Invasion of believers in Polyarny (2018)

Photo: Invasion of believers in Polyarny (2018)

Criminal Investigation and Trial

Another Prisoner for Faith in Vladivostok

Primorye Territory

On July 30, 2018, 44-year-old Dmitry Barmakin, who came from Crimea to Primorsky Krai to take care of the sick mother of his wife Elena, who lives in Nakhodka (Primorsky Territory), was sent to the pre-trial detention center for 2 months. Dmitry is suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case against Dmitry Barmakin was initiated on July 27, 2018. It is being investigated by investigator G.Y. Tarasenko from the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Pervorechensky district of Vladivostok.

On July 28, 2018, at approximately 7 a.m., a group of armed masked men broke into the home of a 90-year-old woman who was visiting the Barmakins. The spouses were detained and taken to Vladivostok. Yelena was released, threatening that she "will be next" and "will go under arrest after her husband." Dmitriy was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of an extremist organization).

On July 30, 2018, Olga Barabash, judge of the Pervorechensky District Court of Vladivostok, sent Dmitry Barmakin to jail until September 27, 2018.

In total, at least three criminal cases have been initiated in the Primorye Territory against citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The case of Valentin Osadchuk is being investigated by the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in Vladivostok. Another case, during which a military operation was carried out in the village of Razdolnoye (Primorsky Territory), is being investigated by the Investigative Department for the Nadezhdinsky District of the Investigative Committee of Russia.

Law enforcement agencies across the country mistakenly interpret peaceful meetings of believers as "extremist activity." Dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , expressed concern about the growing religious repression.

The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok

Case History
Dmitriy Barmakin moved to Vladivostok from Crimea to take care of his sick mother-in-law and her elderly mother. In July 2018, law enforcement officers in masks and with weapons broke into their house to search it. Dmitriy was arrested, and he spent 1.5 years in a pretrial detention center. The judge returned the criminal case to the prosecutor due to the ambiguity of the charges, stating in the ruling that freedom of religion is the constitutional right of Barmakin as for any citizen of the Russian Federation. In April 2021, the case went to court again, and 7 months later, judge Stanislav Salnikov fully acquitted the believer. In April 2022, the territory court overturned this verdict and sent the case for a new trial. Barmakin was sentenced to 8 years in a penal colony. In August 2023, a court of appeal overturned this verdict also, released him and sent the case for a third trial to the court of first instance. This decision was appealed by the prosecutor, and the court of cassation sent the case to the court of appeal comprising a different panel of judges, which in February 2024 upheld the verdict — 8 years in a penal colony.
Timeline

Persons in case

Barmakin
Dmitriy

Criminal case

Region:
Primorye Territory
Locality:
Vladivostok
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, together with others, he conducted meetings for worship, which is interpreted as "organizing the activity of an extremist organization" (with reference to the decision of the RF Supreme Court to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802050005000051
Initiated:
July 27, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the Pervorechenskiy District of the city of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorye Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-539/2023 (1-43/2023; 1-391/2022; 1-305/2021; 1-21/2020; 1-388/2019)
Court of First Instance:
Pervorechenskiy District Court of Vladivostok
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Larisa Smolenkova
Case History
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