Photo: Viktor Trofimov and Roman Markin

Criminal trial

Six and More Years in Prison Requested for Believers Markin and Trofimov. Witnesses in Penza to Hear Verdict on January 24

Murmansk Region
Update. The date of the announcement of the verdict to believers Markin and Trofimov has been postponed from January 22 to January 24. It will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Polyarny District Court at 2 Sivko Street.

On January 15, 2020, the Polyarny District Court of the Murmansk Region held a hearing in the case against local believers accused of extremist activities. A sentence of 6 years in prison was requested for Roman Markin, and 6 years and 5 months in prison for Viktor Trofimov.

In turn, in the last word, the believers asked the court to fully acquit them.

The local FSB focused its efforts on law-abiding Jehovah's Witnesses as early as November 2017. Hidden video cameras were installed in their apartments. Six months later, on April 18, 2018, searches were conducted in the homes of local residents in the city of Polyarny. 16 citizens, including minors, were taken for interrogation to the investigative department. They were asked questions about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. The interrogations continued until 7 a.m. the next day.

44-year-old Roman Markin and 61-year-old Viktor Trofimov were sent to a pre-trial detention center for six months on suspicion of "organizing the activities of an extremist organization" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Later, they spent another 4 months under house arrest.

On May 24, 2019, Roman Markin and Viktor Trofimov were served with an indictment signed by the prosecutor's office of the Kola district of the Murmansk region. After 3 days, the case was received by the Polyarny District Court and was transferred to Judge Victoria Loginova for consideration. In total, more than 20 hearings in the case took place.

The announcement of the verdict is scheduled for January 24, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at 2 Sivko St., Polyarny.

Case of Markin and Trofimov in Polyarny

Case History
In April 2017, the families of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to the attention of the FSB officers in the Murmansk region. A year later, a series of searches took place in Polyarny, after which 13 citizens, including the minor Violetta Markina, were taken for interrogations, which lasted until 6 a.m. the next day. Investigator A. V. Gulin considered prayers and reading the Bible dangerous acts for the state. Roman Markin and Viktor Trofimov were sent to a pre-trial detention center for six months on suspicion of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. They spent another 4 months under house arrest. After 20 court hearings, the prosecutor requested 6 years in prison for Roman Markin and 6 years and 5 months for Viktor Trofimov. On January 24, 2020, Viktoriya Loginova, a judge of the Polyarny District Court, sentenced the believers to fines: Viktor Trofimov in the amount of 350,000 rubles, and Roman Markin - 300,000 rubles. The Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Murmansk Region
Locality:
Polyarny
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he together with others conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising 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:
11802470006000031
Initiated:
April 12, 2018
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-23/2019
Case History