Photo: Oleg Danilov

Photo: Oleg Danilov

Photo: Oleg Danilov

Criminal trial

The Prosecutor Asked 3 Years of Imprisonment for Oleg Danilov From Kholmskaya. The Verdict for Reading the Bible Can Be Pronounced as Early as March 30th

Krasnodar Territory

On March 29, 2021, during a debate in the Abinsk District Court, the prosecutor asked to sentence 46-year-old Oleg Danilov to 3 years in prison. On March 30, the believer will deliver the last word. On the same day - only 2 sessions after the start of the trial - the court may issue a verdict.

In November 2020, O. I. Komissarov, an investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Krasnodar Territory, opened a criminal case against Oleg Danilov from the village of Kholmskaya, imputing him participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Such a serious accusation is based only on the fact that the believer by video link discussed the Bible with his friends and prayed. According to Oleg Danilov, his religious views are exclusively peaceful and "directly opposite to what is called extremism." It was not proven otherwise during the trial.

To date, 8 civilians in the region have been prosecuted for their faith. Two of them have already served their sentences, and Aleksandr Ivshin is at the stage of being sent to a colony, where the court sent him for 7 and a half years.

Case of Danilov in Kholmskaya

Case History
Oleg Danilov was searched twice, in April and December 2020, because of his faith in Jehovah God. For the first time, the security forces did not find anything forbidden on the believer, but in November 2020, the FSB opened a criminal case against him under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for participating in “religious teaching and sermons” and “collective discussion of the Bible.” The investigation was conducted by O. I. Komissarov, who also handled the case of Alexander Ivshin. On March 23, 2021, the judge of the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, Olga Khomchenkova, held the first hearing in the case of Danilov, and on March 29, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 3 years in prison for him. This is the punishment the court imposed on the believer. The Krasnodar Regional Court upheld the verdict. Danilov was placed in a colony in the city of Khadyzhensk, and later transferred to a colony in the village of Akhtarsky, where the administration infringes on his rights and unreasonably applies penalties. In June 2022, the court of cassation upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Danilov
Oleg

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnodar Territory
Locality:
Kholmskaya
Suspected of:
"participation in the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court made a final decision on liquidation in connection with the implementation of extremist activities"
Court case number:
12007030001000146
Initiated:
November 12, 2020
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
SO FSB in the Krasnodar Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-85/2021
Court:
Абинский районный суд Краснодарского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Ольга Хомченкова
Case History