Ussuriysk-Based Sergey Melnikov Sentenced to Three Years of Probation for Adhering to Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses
Primorye TerritoryOn February 3, 2022, Dmitriy Babushkin, a judge of the Ussuriysky District Court of the Primorsky Territory, found Sergey Melnikov guilty of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and sentenced him to 3 years suspended. The believer can appeal the verdict.
On June 5, 2019, Sergey Melnikov was detained in his own car while talking with Konstantin Belousov, who, as it turned out later, collaborated with the FSB. He asked Melnikov questions about the Bible, and recorded conversations on audio. According to investigators, this conversation and the fact that Melnikov, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, continued to attend religious meetings of believers, was "a continuation of the illegal activities of a banned religious organization" and falls under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Later, a search was conducted in Sergey's house.
Even at the investigation stage, the prosecutor's office returned materials for further investigation due to violations. But even after the case went to court, there were no victims, as well as no facts of causing damage to the individual, society or the state. Nevertheless, the prosecutor asked to sentence the believer to 4 years suspended.
Speaking in court , Melnikov pleaded not guilty to extremism and stressed that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, for more than 2 years, Sergey has been under criminal prosecution simply for his religion. During this time, he spent 122 days in a pre-trial detention center, then 145 days under house arrest, and since February last year he has been under house arrest.
The judge sentenced the believer to 3 years probation with a probation period of 2 years, as well as 8 months of restriction of freedom.
In Primorsky Territory, 39 people have already been prosecuted for their faith. 6 of them received sentences: 5 received a suspended sentence and 1 was acquitted.
The world community strongly condemns the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.