Yuriy Baranov and Stepanov Nikolay

Yuriy Baranov and Stepanov Nikolay

Yuriy Baranov and Stepanov Nikolay

Unjust Verdicts

An Appeal in the Vologda Region Resulted in a More Lenient Sentence for One of the Convicted Jehovah's Witnesses

Vologda Region

On November 10, 2022, the Vologda Regional Court reviewed the sentence imposed on Nikolay Stepanov for conducting religious meetings. Four years in a penal colony were replaced with a suspended sentence. Another person involved in the case is Yuriy Baranov. His 4-year suspended sentence remains unchanged.

In December 2019, when a massive raid of the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vologda was conducted, Stepanov and Baranov became targets of criminal prosecution. On September 5, 2022, the court of first instance issued a guilty verdict, which the believers appealed.

During the preliminary investigation, Nikolay Stepanov spent 8 months in a detention center. After the verdict of the court of first instance was announced, the believer was again placed in detention, where he participated in the appeal hearings via video conference. According to Nikolay's lawyer, for some time the peaceful believer was held in custody together with criminal gang leaders and with a man who is on trial for murder. Stepanov should be released soon.

Update. Later that day, Nikolay Stepanov was released from detention. His family and friends were waiting for him outside.
Stepanov Nikolay with his wife Alla
Stepanov Nikolay with his wife Alla
Stepanov Nikolay with his wife Alla, son Vyacheslav and friends against the background of SIZO-2 in Vologda after their release on November 10, 2022
Stepanov Nikolay with his wife Alla, son Vyacheslav and friends against the background of SIZO-2 in Vologda after their release on November 10, 2022

Yuriy Baranov spent 3 months under house arrest. Now that he has a suspended sentence, he is under a recognizance agreement.

Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses, commented on the situation: “Despite the seemingly lenient sentence imposed by the court of appeal, the believers were still found guilty of extremism, even though they did not commit any crimes. They simply did what the early Christians did—they discussed the Holy Scriptures and prayed together. The verdict has entered into force, but Nikolay and Yuriy have the right to appeal it in cassation and international courts.”

Case of Stepanov and Baranov in Vologda

Case History
In December 2019, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal case against two Jehovah’s Witnesses from Vologda. On the same day, searches were conducted in the homes of several believers, and Yuriy Baranov and Nikolay Stepanov were detained. Yuriy spent 1 day in a temporary detention facility and almost 3 months under house arrest; Nikolay spent 4 days in a temporary detention facility, then 8 months in a pre-trial detention center, after which he was placed under house arrest for 43 days. The believers were accused of organizing the activity of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, their criminal actions consisted of “arranging meetings and organizing religious talks and worship”. In January 2022, the case went to court. In September, Baranov was given a 4-year suspended sentence, and Stepanov was sentenced to 4 years in a penal colony. The appeal resulted in a more lenient sentence for Stepanov; his prison term was replaced with a suspended sentence. Baranov’s sentence remained unchanged.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Vologda Region
Locality:
Vologda
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "they took active steps ... expressed in the convening of meetings, the organization of religious speeches and services at these meetings, the distribution of literature of extremist content, the collection of funds under the guise of donations."
Court case number:
11902190029061043
Initiated:
December 19, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Vologda Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-389/2022
Court of First Instance:
Вологодский городской суд Вологодской области
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Елена Голованова
Case History
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