Photo: Sergey Skrynnikov

Criminal trial

Prosecutor's office demands 3 years in prison for the second defendant in Oryol

Oryol Region

On March 18, 2019, the trial of Jehovah's Witness Sergey Skrynnikov in Oryol proceeded to the stage of debate. Prosecutor Naumova asked for a real prison term for the believer, accused under the article "participation in the activities of an extremist organization" - three years in a general regime colony plus one year of restriction of movement. After the prosecutor's speech, the Railway Court of Orel gave the lawyer the opportunity to speak. The defense insists on the absolute innocence of the 56-year-old believer.

On March 28, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., Sergey Skrynnikov will have the last word, after which the court will retire for sentencing. The verdict is expected to be announced in court on April 1, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

The case of Sergei Skrynnikov is the second case in the city after the well-known case of the Danish citizen Dennis Christensen, whom the same court sentenced to 6 years in prison. The criminal prosecution of these law-abiding Orlov residents is a direct consequence of the liquidation and prohibition of the activities of registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses. A number of "evidence" in the Skrynnikov case, such as linguistic, religious, and computer expertise, were separated from the Dennis Christensen case.

Sergey Skrynnikov was charged on May 8, 2018, and since then he has been under recognizance not to leave. On the same day, an inspection was carried out in his house, during which not a single object prohibited by law was found. Like Dennis Christensen, Sergey Skrynnikov has never been a member of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses "Oryol" and has not participated in its activities.

Case of Skrynnikov in Oryol

Case History
The second Jehovah’s Witness in Oryol to be prosecuted after Dane Dennis Christensen was a school physical education teacher, Sergey Skrynnikov. In February 2018, the investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Oryol Region, A.O. Kompaniets, opened a criminal case against the believer for “participation in the activities of an extremist organization.” Later, an inspection was carried out in his house, during which law enforcement officers did not find anything prohibited. Having neither evidence of guilt nor victims in the case, the prosecutor Naumova requested 3 years in a general regime colony for Sergey. On April 1, 2019, Gleb Noskov, a judge of the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Orel, found the believer guilty and sentenced him to pay a fine of 350,000 rubles. The appellate instance did not change this decision. On October 9, 2019, a complaint was filed with the ECHR in the Skrynnikov case.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Oryol Region
Locality:
Oryol
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as 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:
11802540002000011
Initiated:
February 20, 2018
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Oryol Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1 – 121/2018
[i18n] Рассматривает по существу:
Железнодорожный районный суд г. Орла
Judge:
Глеб Борисович Носков
Case History