The Balabkin spouses. September 2023

The Balabkin spouses. September 2023

The Balabkin spouses. September 2023

Unjust Verdicts

A Believer, who is 71, Sentenced to Four Years in Prison. The Court in the Town of Belogorsk Found Vladimir Balabkin Guilty of Extremism for Conducting Religious Services

Amur Region

Vladimir Balabkin, a pensioner with cancer, received four years in prison for his faith in Jehovah God. This decision was made by the Belogorsk District Court on September 13, 2023. The believer was arrested in the courtroom. He does not admit guilt and can appeal the verdict of Judge Natalia Kramar.

In the spring of 2021, security forces raided the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the town of Belogorsk, including Vladimir Balabkin. The criminal case against him was initiated by FSB investigator V. Obukhov, who is behind most of similar cases against believers in the region. The elderly Balabkins had to go for interrogation to the city of Blagoveshchensk, which is 140 km from their home and was not easy for them due to the exacerbation of Vladimir's serious illness and the aftermath of his wife Tatiana’s heart surgery.

Vladimir Balabkin in a courtroom. September, 2023.
Vladimir Balabkin in a courtroom. September, 2023.
During the announcement of the verdict, Vladimir Balabkin is handcuffed. September, 2023
During the announcement of the verdict, Vladimir Balabkin is handcuffed. September, 2023
Convicted Vladimir Balabkin is taken out of the courthouse before being sent to a pre-trial detention center. September, 2023
Convicted Vladimir Balabkin is taken out of the courthouse before being sent to a pre-trial detention center. September, 2023

The security forces considered it a crime to hold religious meetings, equating it with organizing the activities of an extremist organization. In court, one of the witnesses, an FSB officer, stated that he considered the believer guilty because he "provided devices to connect to meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses," "connected others to meetings" and "showed how to use programs." At the same time, the expertise includes a conclusion that there are no signs of extremism in Balabkin's actions. Despite this, the prosecutor insisted on a guilty verdict and asked to sentence the believer to six and a half years in prison.

"You can disagree with the faith and teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, but it is wrong to put them on a par with extremists, as said by the Russian president," emphasized Balabkin in his last word. "After all, my faith and my beliefs are based on the Word of God, the Bible. It teaches the exact opposite of extremism which is to love people and do good to everyone."

In October 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation ruled that it is necessary "to avoid cases of unjustified criminal prosecution of persons solely in connection with the external manifestation of their attitude to religion." Nevertheless, in the Amur Region, 13 Jehovah's Witnesses received from six to eight years in a penal colony for their faith and two received suspended sentences.

The Case of Balabkin in Belogorsk

Case History
In March 2021, an investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Amur Region initiated a criminal case against Vladimir Balabkin, a pensioner suffering from cancer. Two days later, searches were carried out at six addresses in Belogorsk. In April 2021, Vladimir was included in the Rosfinmonitoring list, which has made it very difficult for him to receive his pension. The investigation charged the peaceful believer with organizing the activity of an extremist organization for discussing the Bible with friends and acquaintances. The case went to court in April 2023. The charge was based on the testimony of a man who, on the instructions of the FSB, conducted covert video filming of believers meeting for worship. In the fall of the same year, the court sentenced Balabkin to 4 years in a penal colony; he was taken into custody in the courtroom. However, on December 19, the court of appeal reclassified Balabkin’s actions from Part 1 to Part 2 of Article 282.2 and reduced the sentence to 1 year suspended. He was released in the courtroom.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Amur Region
Locality:
Belogorsk
Suspected of:
"organized meetings of followers of religious organizations" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12107100001000009
Initiated:
March 2, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Branch of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Amur Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-292/2023
Court of First Instance:
Белогорский городской суд Амурской области
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Наталья Крамар
Case History