Dmitriy Terebilov at one of the court hearings via video conferencing, January 2022
Dmitriy Terebilov Served His Sentence for His Faith, but Was Not Released — the Court in the Second Case Placed the Believer in a Detention Center
Kostroma RegionDmitriy Terebilov, who complete his prison term for his faith on September 5, remains behind bars. Already on August 26, the Sverdlovsk District Court of Kostroma ruled to place Terebilov in a pretrial detention center in the second case – for conversations about the Bible with another prisoner.
The investigation interprets such conversations as "the involvement of convicted persons... in the activity of an extremist organization." The man Terebilov had been talking to, was working with the investigation, pretending to be interested in the Bible.
The administration of Penal Colony No.1 in the Kostroma Region, where the believer was previously held, refused to give Dmitriy any letters of support containing God's name. Terebilov also faced other restrictions. "Whatever he did: read the Bible, prayed to God, told others about his faith, it can be equated to violating the law," said Dmitriy's lawyer; yet, none of the above is forbidden to prisoners professing other religious views.
The believer considers such treatment a violation of his rights, therefore he appealed against the actions of the colony administration in the district and regional courts, but they did not rule in favor of Terebilov.