Valery Vyaznikov near the Pozharsky District Court of the Primorsky Territory, October 2023

Valery Vyaznikov near the Pozharsky District Court of the Primorsky Territory, October 2023

Valery Vyaznikov near the Pozharsky District Court of the Primorsky Territory, October 2023

Unjust Verdicts

In Primorye, Valery Vyaznikov, a retired miner, received a suspended term for his faith in Jehovah God

Primorye Territory

On November 7, 2023, Nina Kalashnik, judge of the Pozharsky District Court of the Primorye Territory, found Valeriy Vyaznikov guilty of participating in extremist activities—this is how the confession of faith in Jehovah is interpreted. A peaceful 59-year-old believer from the village of Chegdomyn was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months of suspended sentence.

"My conscience is clear before God, people and the court. It is for the fact that I am trying to convey life-saving truths from the Word of God that I am now being judged," the believer said in his last word. Although there are no victims and facts of extremist actions in the case, the prosecutor asked to sentence Vyaznikov to 3 years conditionally with restriction of freedom for 1 year. The verdict can be appealed.

The Investigation Department for Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Primorsky Territory opened a criminal case against Valery Vyaznikov in July 2021, almost 1.5 years later it went to court in Luchegorsk, located more than 1000 kilometers from the believer's place of residence. The accusation was based on recordings of conversations on biblical topics between informants-operatives and believers. Vyaznikov was allowed to participate in most of the hearings via videoconferencing from the local courthouse in the village of Chegdomyn.

Since December 2022, Vyaznikov, the father of four children (two of them minors), has been under recognizance agreement. Talking about the difficulties associated with the persecution, Valeriy says: "The most difficult thing was to find out that I was put on the wanted list in absentia, and then to receive a summons. The message and the expectation of something unpleasant always weigh on the heart. My wife and children were very worried." The believer has health problems, during the criminal prosecution he underwent surgery.

In total, 58 Jehovah's Witnesses are being prosecuted on similar charges in Primorye Territory. Convictions for 25 of them have already entered into force, three are serving terms in penal colonies.

Such a number of criminal cases for faith in the region is bewildering for both Russian and foreign human rights activists. Willy Fautré, founder and director of the Brussels-based organization Human Rights Without Borders, said: "Jehovah's Witnesses are the religious group that has been the most persecuted in Russia since their ban in 2017, thus they are deprived of freedom of communication, assembly, worship and preaching. Statistics on the magnitude of the repression are alarming. Freedom of religion or belief is the cornerstone of all freedoms."

The Case of Vyaznikov in Luchegorsk

Case History
In September 2018, law enforcement officers began operational-search measures against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Luchegorsk. An undercover agent, feigning an interest in the Bible, recorded his conversations with believers. In July 2021, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case in which it accused Valeriy Vyaznikov from the village of Chegdomyn of extremism because he had discussed the Bible with others. In December 2022, the case was transferred to a court located 1,000 kilometers away from the believer’s place of residence. He was allowed to participate in most of the hearings via videoconferencing. In November 2023, the court gave Vyaznikov a 2.5-year suspended sentence, then the courts of appeal and cassation upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Primorye Territory
Locality:
Luchegorsk
Suspected of:
"involved a resident of Luchegorsk in the activities of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses";
Court case number:
42202050012000036
Initiated:
July 16, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Primorsky Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-88/2023 (1-317/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Пожарский районный суд Приморского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Нина Калашник
Case History