Unjust Verdicts

Appeal in Nizhny Novgorod Approved the Conviction of Kirill Yevstigneev for His Faith

Nizhegorod Region

On August 1, 2022, the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court, presided over by Judge Olga Yaroshenko, upheld the sentence handed down to one of Jehovah's Witnesses Kirill Yevstigneev, 42—3 years' suspended imprisonment for his belief in Jehovah God.

Addressing the court, the believer emphasized: "I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and therefore I will never plan to commit extremist actions, as well as approve or support other people who commit similar criminal acts. These are my religious and life beliefs."

The verdict has entered into force. Kirill Yevstigneev still insists on his innocence. He has the right to appeal the verdict in cassation.

In July 2019, mass searches were carried out in the homes of local believers in Nizhny Novgorod. In total, 31 families suffered from the actions of the security forces in the region, including Kirill and his wife. In September of the same year, a criminal case was opened against Yevstigneev on charges of financing the activities of an extremist organization.

The accusation was based on the fact that in April 2019, Kirill Yevstigneev was at a party in a rented room, where they acted out scenes based on the plots of Soviet films, danced, listened to secular music and played games. For this "crime" the prosecutor requested 6 years of real imprisonment.

On June 7, 2022, the European Court of Human Rights declared the accusations against Russian Jehovah's Witnesses groundless and awarded them millions of euros in compensation for unfair criminal prosecution.

The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod

Case History
Kirill Yevstigneev is one of the Nizhny Novgorod believers who were searched by armed security forces in July 2019. A year later, he became a defendant in a criminal case on financing the activities of an extremist organization due to the fact that he entered into a lease agreement for a room for a friendly meeting with fellow believers. A secret video and audio recording was made for the believer. Later, investigator Makerov took a written undertaking not to leave Yevstigneev. In addition, Kirill Evstigneev was included in the list of terrorists and extremists of Rosfinmonitoring. His bank accounts were blocked. At the end of September 2021, the believer’s case was submitted to the Leninsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod, and in May 2022, Judge Viktor Ushakov sentenced the believer to 3 years of suspended sentence. The appellate court upheld the verdict on August 1, 2022.
Timeline

Persons in case

Yevstigneev
Kirill

Criminal case

Region:
Nizhegorod Region
Locality:
Nizhny Novgorod
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "I entered into a lease agreement for non-residential premises ... and made payment under this agreement in the amount of 7500 rubles.
Court case number:
12001220089000380
Initiated:
September 2, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Unit of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the MIA of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-53/2022 (1-519/2021)
Court:
Leninskiy District Court of the City of Nizhny Novgorod
Judge:
Viktor Ushakov
Case History
Back to top