Photo source: paulmhill / depositphotos.com

Photo source: paulmhill / depositphotos.com

Photo source: paulmhill / depositphotos.com

Criminal Investigation and Trial

In Norilsk, the court toughened the measure of restraint for Alexander Polozov. A peaceful citizen was thrown behind bars

Krasnoyarsk Territory

On October 26, 2019, the Norilsk City Court placed 49-year-old Aleksandr Polozov in a pre-trial detention center. Prior to this, the special forces staged a mass raid at the camp site, where Alexander was along with his fellow believers. It is noteworthy that initially the believer was placed only on recognizance not to leave.

Immediately after the raid on the camp site on October 20, Aleksandr Polozov was taken to the building of the Investigative Committee for interrogation. Investigators were actively interested in his religious beliefs. On October 22, the investigator chose a recognizance agreement for him, but three days later a closed trial was held, during which the believer was placed in a temporary detention center. The result of the hearing on October 26 was a tightening of the measure of restraint. Now Aleksandr will be in jail for at least two months.

The believer is charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - organization of extremist activity. On similar charges, based solely on religion, cases were opened against five more civilians in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk

Case History
In October 2019, special forces surrounded a camp site in Norilsk, where about 50 friends were spending time together. Some of them were interrogated. The Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Stepan Shevelev and Aleksandr Polozov, charging the believers with organizing the activity of a banned organization. Their homes were searched. Polozov was arrested and sent to a pretrial detention center for 90 days, after which he was placed under a recognizance agreement. The same preventive measure was imposed on Shevelev. In June 2021, the believers’ case went to court. The prosecutor requested a 6-year suspended sentence. The judge returned the case of Polozov and Shevelev to the prosecutor, having found no corpus delicti in their actions. In July 2022, the Krasnoyarsk Regional Court upheld this decision. However, in May 2023, the case went back to court. This time, the prosecutor requested 6 years in a penal colony for the believers. In December 2023, the court gave Polozov and Shevelev a 6-year suspended sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Polozov
Aleksandr
Shevelev
Stepan

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnoyarsk Territory
Locality:
Norilsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation he “organized meetings ... in compliance with distinctive —  for this association — actions expressed in religious speeches, services, and propaganda of the activities of the banned organization ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’”
Court case number:
11902040013000096
Initiated:
October 20, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republc of Khakassia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-278/2023 (1-31/2022; 1-339/2021)
Court:
Norilsk City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Sergey Kurunin
Case History
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