The Case of Piskarev and Others in Oryol

A criminal case has been opened against 64-year-old Vladimir Piskaryov, 50-year-old Artur Putintsev and 54-year-old Vladimir Melnik.

In Oryol, searches are being carried out at 8 addresses. Electronic devices, books, personal records were seized. In one of the apartments, law enforcement officers take a collection of poems, suggesting that it may contain the name "Jehovah".

Vladimir Melnik and Vladimir Piskarev are detained and taken to the local investigation department. Melnik is accompanied by an FSB officer and at least 10 police officers, and Piskareva is accompanied by an employee of the Center for Countering Extremism together with SOBR security forces. Believers are sent to a temporary detention center. The security forces took another married couple away for questioning, but later released them.

The Sovetsky District Court of Orel sends Vladimir Melnik and Vladimir Piskarev to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. The court leaves Artur Putintsev in the temporary detention facility.

Andrey Tretyakov, judge of the Sovetsky District Court of Orel, sends Artur Putintsev to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. All three believers are being held in Detention Center No. 1 in the Oryol Region, a building known as the Oryol Central. This is one of the largest convict prisons in tsarist Russia, later a prison of the USSR.

It becomes known that the administration of pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Oryol region does not allow 64-year-old Vladimir Piskarev to receive the medicines he needs, which were given to him by his family. His cellmates repeatedly saved his life during severe attacks of hypertension. Employees of the pre-trial detention center do nothing. The family sends complaints to various authorities.

After complaints, including those addressed to the head of pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Oryol region, Colonel of Internal Service Yuri Afanasyev, representatives of the administration of the institution reported that they handed over to the believer the medicines brought by his wife. However, he needs the qualified help of a cardiologist. There is no corresponding specialist in the medical unit.

The wives of the defendants are allowed to attend the hearing.

Investigator I. A. Simonova requests an extension of detention for believers for another 1 month, until March 8, 2021. She states that the accused will interfere with the investigation, putting pressure on witnesses and hiding evidence. At the same time, the investigator does not name the grounds for this statement. The prosecutor supports Simonova's proposal.

The judge asks clarifying questions to the investigator, for example, why he requests an extension of custody for 1 month, although all examinations, interrogations, etc. will take (according to the investigator) at least 2-3 months, and some examinations have not yet been appointed due to quarantine.

Defendants and lawyers speak. Believers in their speeches mention the biblical commandments about obedience to authority and the manifestation of love, which are incompatible with extremism. The defense also points out that there is a person who is ready to make bail for the defendants.

Vladimir Melnik tells how for more than 10 years, since 2009, the authorities acted against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Oryol region. He reminds the court that the activities of a local religious organization have not been carried out since 2016, so he does not understand the charges against him. He clarifies the difference between LROs and religious groups.

Vladimir Piskarev is next: "I am a law-abiding citizen, we are guided by the Holy Scriptures, we obey the highest authorities, and therefore I am not going to hide from the investigation or trial." The believer also states that he was not provided with any medical assistance in SIZO-1, despite hypertension, a condition dangerous to his life and health. The believer draws the court's attention to the fact that at his age and in his state of health, being in a pre-trial detention center can lead to death. During the 2 months he spent in the pre-trial detention center, he already had 2 crises, with the latter the pressure rose to 237/140. He notes that, together with other prisoners, he filed a complaint against the medical unit of the pre-trial detention center, which was negligent about the health of those arrested. He will be forced to write another complaint if his detention is extended despite the fact that his illness is included in the list of serious illnesses that prevent detention in a pre-trial detention center.

Then Artur Putintsev speaks: "I am 51 years old, I have spent my whole life doing good to people. I worked as the head of a private company, I had 100 people, I always took care of them. The Investigative Committee has nothing in the case, that I had any problems with the law. [...] When I was arrested, I asked: what specific act did I commit that I was sent to the bunk? They are still silent, and in the case I also do not see a single act against the foundations of the state system ... The lawyer reads out positive characteristics and extracts from newspapers from past years, confirming Putintsev's good deeds.

The defendants draw attention to the Supreme Court Ruling of 2017, which states that Jehovah's Witnesses as a religion are not prohibited in Russia and have the right to practice their faith.

The lawyer insists that the lack of direct evidence of guilt in the investigation is another reason for changing the measure of restraint to a milder one.

The defense intends to appeal the court's decision to extend the detention of Melnik, Putintsev and Piskarev.

After the examination of Vladimir Piskarev in the regional hospital, it turns out that he suffered a stroke. According to eyewitnesses, Vladimir is experiencing tremors and is so weak that during a break in one of the court hearings he could not even hold a glass of water in his hand. Despite the detected stroke and problems with hypertension, the medical examination in the pre-trial detention center cannot be completed for 4 months. Given the state of health of Vladimir Piskaryov, staying in the pre-trial detention center poses a real threat to the life of the believer.

The lawyer visits believers in the pre-trial detention center. Vladimir Melnyk reports that he has received the Bible in the Modern Translation and more than 3,200 letters, many of which he does not have time to answer.

In the criminal case of believers, 43 examinations were appointed. Artur Putintsev is the only one whom the investigator acquainted with the 8 examinations carried out. Artur is in a cell with smokers and asks the administration of the pre-trial detention center to change this situation.

Vladimir Piskarev was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. However, according to the medical examination report, this does not prevent the believer from being held in a pre-trial detention center. The prisoner does exercises, which to some extent helps him control blood pressure. July marked the 45th anniversary of the family life of the Piskarevs.

All believers are allowed to call their relatives 2 times a month.

The Investigative Committee of Russia for the Oryol Region charges Melnik, Piskarev and Putintsev with organizing the activities of an extremist organization under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

It also becomes known that during the investigation of this criminal case, the investigation separates criminal cases against 4 more people suspected of extremist activity into separate proceedings.

The case of the three believers is being submitted to the Sovetsky District Court of the city of Oryol.

A preliminary hearing is underway. The defense is petitioning for the disqualification of all judges of the Sovetsky District Court of Oryol "in view of the long-standing punitive practice against Jehovah's Witnesses." The reason for doubts about the impartiality of judges is an article published on the website of the Oryol Regional Court in June 2017, which gives a negative assessment of Jehovah's Witnesses in general. In this regard, the defender asks to transfer the case for consideration to the court of another region, but the judge refuses.

The judge also rejects the request of the defense to return the case to the prosecutor.

The lawyer visits Vladimir Melnik, Artur Putintsev and Vladimir Piskarev in the pre-trial detention center. All three report that they are in satisfactory condition. Believers receive letters of support and have the opportunity to read the Bible.

Since the anti-COVID restrictions on the admission of listeners to the courtroom have been lifted, 15 people are present at the meeting.

The defense again requests that the case be transferred to a court in another region due to serious doubts about the objectivity of both the Oryol Regional Court and the lower Sovetsky District Court of Oryol in the consideration of cases of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The defense asks to transfer the consideration of this petition to a higher court - the First Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction, located in Saratov, and the consideration of the case - outside the Oryol region - to the Left Bank District Court of Voronezh. As an argument, the defense cites the fact that the personal circumstances and serious illnesses of the defendants were ignored over and over again, and the purpose of the court was "to preserve the favor of law enforcement agencies and, above all, the FSB, and not to administer justice."

Among the facts of restriction of the rights of Jehovah's Witnesses by the judicial system of the Oryol region, the lawyer cites violations of the Soviet and Zheleznodorozhny district courts of the Oryol region in cases against the legal entity of Jehovah's Witnesses and specific believers.

The judge postpones the decision on the petition until April 11.

Judge Natalia Tishkova decides to transfer the case to the First Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction for consideration of the defense's petition to change the territorial jurisdiction.

A hearing is being held in the First Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction.

The believers' lawyer is filing a petition for questioning a linguist about the information published on the website of the Oryol Regional Court containing a negative assessment of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Judge Natalia Klimenko does not grant this request and refuses to transfer the case of three Jehovah's Witnesses from Oryol to a court in another region.

An appeal is filed with the Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation against the decision of the First Court of Cassation of May 5, 2022 to refuse to change the territorial jurisdiction of the criminal case. In the complaint, the lawyers refer to the linguistic opinion of the candidate of philological sciences (linguist), which indicates the subjectivity and emotional coloring of the text of the article on the website of the Oryol Regional Court, which called the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses "not so harmless", which does not meet the standards of judicial ethics.

The defense continues to petition for the transfer of the case materials of the believers to the Left Bank District Court of the city of Voronezh, emphasizing the bias of the Oryol judicial system towards Jehovah's Witnesses. Among the evidence, the defense also cites a publication in the media, where it is reported that the Oryol Regional Court left one of the believers in custody 11 days before the official court hearing on this issue.

The proceedings are resumed in the Sovetsky District Court of the city of Orel, since the Judicial Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation refuses to change the territorial jurisdiction of the criminal case of believers.

It becomes known that Vladimir Piskarev is in the regional hospital due to an acute attack of pancreatitis.

The lawyer visits three defendants who have been imprisoned in the Oryol pre-trial detention center for two years.

Artur Putintsev says that he faced a serious shock: his 32-year-old younger brother died. In addition, Artur worries that the medical unit does not provide him with the necessary medicines, and also does not provide the necessary dental care.

There are three young people in the cell with Vladimir Melnik. All of them treat him with great respect. Before his departure, the cellmate presented Vladimir with a portrait of his wife, Irina, made by one of the prisoners from a photograph to order.

During this time, Vladimir Piskarev has already changed several cameras. The administration of the pre-trial detention center regularly provides the believer with visits from his wife. Vladimir maintains a positive attitude. He says, "With God, all things can be overcome."

Artur Putintsev, Vladimir Melnik and Vladimir Piskarev are still in the pre-trial detention center in the city of Orel. They say that during their trips to court hearings, they were no longer given dry rations.

Believers try to treat everyone kindly. Vladimir Piskarev maintains a positive attitude, always strives to occupy himself with something, for which his cellmates praise him. Other prisoners say of Vladimir Melnik: "By communicating with him, you want to become a better person."

There are 11 listeners in the meeting room. The state prosecutor continues to present material evidence: 8 audio files of secret recordings made in Vladimir Piskaryov's apartment.

Vladimir Melnik was transferred to another building, where the conditions of detention are much worse. The request to transfer back to the believer was denied.

According to the prisoners, the administration of the pre-trial detention center has practically ceased to provide clean bed linen.

Artur Putintsev feels well, there are no complaints about his health. Relations with cellmates are normal. The believer regularly receives parcels and letters, which, according to him, give him strength.

The state prosecutor continues to present material evidence - audio files secretly recorded in Vladimir Piskaryov's apartment. On the recording, the believer, rehearsing his speech, 7 times pronounces aloud a public lecture on the topic "Why God allows suffering and how it will be ended." The court listens to it to the end.

Artur Putintsev feels fine. There are 3 other people in the cell with him. The believer's relations with them and the administration are benevolent.

Putintsev has a Bible. He regularly receives letters from different countries. Prisoners are surprised that Arthur is written by people he does not know personally.

The conditions of detention in the pre-trial detention center are not easy, but the believer retains his presence of mind and tries to support others in word and deed.

Vladimir Piskarev, Artur Putintsev and Vladimir Melnik deliver their closing remarks.