Photo: Ilham Karimov

Photo: Ilham Karimov

Photo: Ilham Karimov

Criminal Investigation and Trial

One of the 4 taken into custody in Naberezhnye Chelny will be transferred to house arrest

Tatarstan

Ilham Karimov is to be placed under house arrest after 160 days spent in a pre-trial detention center in Chistopol, Tatarstan. This was ordered on November 2, 2018 by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan, canceling the decision of the Naberezhnye Chelny City Court, which in October extended the believer's detention until December 25, 2018. Despite the fact that the ruling of a higher court was issued 6 days ago, Ilham Karimov has not yet left the pre-trial detention center due to the slowness of the document flow.

The case against Ilham Karimov, as well as Vladimir Myakushin, Konstantin Matrashov and Aidar Yulmetyev was initiated under Parts 1, 1.1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The prosecution claims that these citizens worshipped Jehovah God, and interprets this not as an exercise of their constitutional right to freedom of religion, but as "organization", "participation" and "involvement in the activities of an extremist organization" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses).

Meanwhile, the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights is sounding the alarm: "Accusations of citizens that they read the Bible together and pray to God are interpreted as "continuation of the activities of an extremist organization." The Council considers that such an interpretation is not consistent with the legal position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. There is a contradiction between the declared position of the Government of the Russian Federation and law enforcement practice. This cannot but cause concern, since criminal prosecutions and arrests have become systemic."

Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny

Case History
In May 2018, in Naberezhnye Chelny, security forces invaded 10 apartments of local residents with searches. Ilham Karimov, Vladimir Myakushin, Konstantin Matrashov and Aidar Yulmetyev were detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center for six months, after which they spent 2 to 3 months under house arrest. The reason for the criminal prosecution is faith in Jehovah God and communication with fellow believers. In November 2019, the Naberezhnye Chelny City Court returned the case to the prosecutor for revision due to falsifications on the part of the investigation. The case was not closed, the believers remained under recognizance not to leave. In December 2021, Judge Rustam Khakimov found the men guilty and sentenced them to suspended sentences: Myakushin to 3 years and 1 month, Yulmetyev to 2 years and 9 months, and Matrashov and Karimov to 2.5 years. All were also assigned a probationary period of 2 years. The Court of Appeal upheld this judgment of first instance on September 2, 2022.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Tatarstan
Locality:
Naberezhnye Chelny
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as organising, participating in and recruiting others into 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:
11802920009000256
Initiated:
May 25, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Tatarstan
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-184/2021 (1-1963/2020)
Court:
Naberezhno-Chelninskiy City Court of the Republic of Tatarstan
Judge:
Rustam Khakimov
Case History
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