Andrey and Nina Danielyan

Andrey and Nina Danielyan

Andrey and Nina Danielyan

Unjust Verdicts

Court of Cassation Left Andrey Danielyan From Rubtsovsk in a Penal Colony

Altai Territory

On November 30, 2023, the panel of judges of the Eighth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Kemerovo, having considered Andrey Danielyan's appeal, confirmed the sentence of the court of first instance — 6 years in a penal colony.

Nineteen people who came to support Danielyan were admitted to the hearing. While the panel of judges was in the deliberation room, the audience was able to greet the believer who participated in the hearing via video conferencing.

One year earlier, Aleksey Bezrukov, judge of the Rubtsovsk City Court of the Altai Territory had found Danielyan guilty of extremism for discussing the Bible with fellow believers. And in January 2023, the Altai Territorial Court upheld this verdict.

The defendant's lawyer drew attention to the fact that the courts declared the believer an extremist without indicating specific extremist actions and motives, which is required by law. "The actions of the convicted person were normal within the bounds of freedom of religion and with the intention of exercising his constitutional rights directly and explicitly, with his fellow believers," the defense emphasized.

Andrey Danielyan, 54, is one of seven believers being prosecuted in the Altai Territory. Apart from him, Pavel Kazadayev was sentenced to a penal colony in this region.

The Case of Danielyan in Rubtsovsk

Case History
In May 2021, in the Altai Territory, security forces conducted a special operation codenamed “Armageddon”. Among the believers facing criminal prosecution was Andrey Danielyan from Rubtsovsk. The apartment of the Danielyan couple was searched, and they were interrogated. He was accused of participating in extremist activity and added to the Rosfinmonitoring list, blocking all his bank accounts and seizing cash collected for repairs. The believer was placed under a recognizance agreement. Later, the investigator reclassified the charge from participating in to organizing the activity of an extremist organization. The case went to court in August 2022. Within 5 sessions, the court reached the stage of closing arguments. The prosecutor requested 7 years imprisonment for Danielyan. In November 2022, the court sentenced him to 6 years in a penal colony. The courts of appeal and cassation both upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Danielyan
Andrey

Criminal case

Region:
Altai Territory
Locality:
Rubtsovsk
Suspected of:
"He carried out the preaching work ... conducted a prayer for all those gathered and discussed the holding of subsequent meetings."
Court case number:
12107010001000019
Initiated:
May 25, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Department of Internal Affairs of the FSB of Russia for the Altai Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-501/2022
Court of First Instance:
Rubtsovsk City Court of the Altai Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Aleksey Besrukov
Case History
Back to top