Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sosnovoborsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Were Searched; One of the Believers Is Behind Bars

Krasnoyarsk Territory

On March 29, 2022, in the city of Sosnovoborsk, 40 km from Krasnoyarsk, searches and interrogations were carried out in 5 families of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case was opened for faith against 55-year-old Yuri Yakovlev.

Yakovlev is accused of a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "on the fact of organizing the activities of a religious association ... in connection with the implementation of extremist activities." The investigation suspects the believer of "carrying out activities to coordinate the preaching activities of persons professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses." On March 30, the Sosnovoborsk City Court decided to detain this peaceful man for 2 months.

During the searches, the security forces seized laptops, hard drives, and other equipment, as well as photographs, letters, and various papers from believers.

Update. Yuriy Yakovlev’s case is being conducted by the investigator of the Berezovsky District of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Captain of Justice Y. V. Prannichuk. The believer is in pre-trial detention center No. 6, located in Sosnovoborsk. He can receive letters through the FSIN-Letter system or by regular mail. Address: Yakovlev Yuriy Aleksandrovich, born 1966, SIZO No 6 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, ul. Proizvodstvennaya zona, korp. 1, g. Sosnovoborsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia, 662500.

The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk

Case History
In March 2022, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Yuriy Yakovlev, a resident of Sosnovoborsk. On the next day, the home of the believer was searched, and later he was arrested and placed in a pretrial detention center. The accusation was based on hidden audio recordings of meetings for worship and conversations with friends on Bible topics. The investigation considered such actions as “arranging online meetings”, “pastoral work” and “leading preaching activities” to be organizing the activity of an extremist organization. The investigation lasted 71 days. In June 2022, the case went to court. Although the trial only proved that Yakovlev was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, in March of the following year the believer was sentenced to 6 years and 2 months in a penal colony. In May 2024, the court of appeal upheld this verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Yakovlev
Yuriy

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnoyarsk Territory
Locality:
Sosnovoborsk
Suspected of:
"General management of the organization, timing of meetings through online broadcasts, pastoral work, leadership of preaching activities"
Court case number:
12202040018000019
Initiated:
March 28, 2022
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
SO of the Berezovsky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-5/2023 (1-89/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Сосновоборский городской суд Красноярского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Анастасия Иванова
Case History
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