Aleksey Khabarov

Aleksey Khabarov

Aleksey Khabarov

Unjust Verdicts

Aleksey Khabarov from Porkhov will Remain Behind Bars. Court of Cassation Did Not Defend Religious Freedom

Pskov Region,   Novgorod Region,   St. Petersburg

On October 8, 2024, a cassation hearing was held in St. Petersburg in the case of 49-year-old Aleksey Khabarov, who practices the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The panel of judges did not overturn the verdict and the appeal ruling, so the believer will remain in the penal colony at least until January 2026.

Aleksey participated in the hearing via video conferencing. The defense stated in its cassation appeal: "Law enforcement agencies have not established a single fact of unlawful activity by the believers. Even during surveillance, nothing was recorded to claim that Jehovah's Witnesses were committing or calling for unlawful acts. Also, not a single person has been identified who suffered from the activity of the believers."

The reason for the criminal prosecution of Aleksey was his religion, which he practised with his friends by "peacefully gathering at their home, reading and discussing the Bible, praying and singing religious songs." The defense has repeatedly emphasized that the believer was the victim of arbitrary criminal prosecution.

The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov

Case History
In 2019, the FSB initiated a criminal case against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Porkhov. Law enforcement officers conducted searches and interrogated local believers. As a result, Aleksey Khabarov was charged with extremism. During the court hearings, all witnesses, including the FSB counter-terrorism officer, spoke positively about Khabarov. In September 2021, the court gave him a 3-year suspended sentence. The court of appeal overturned this decision, and in January 2022, a retrial of the case began in a court comprised of different judges. The prosecutor again requested 3.5 years in a penal colony for Khabarov, but the court acquitted him. In November 2022, the court of appeal again sent the case for a new – third – consideration in the same court. This time the believer was sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony. He was taken into custody in the courtroom. In December 2023, the court of appeal slightly changed this decision, reducing the term by 2 months. The court of cassation in St. Petersburg upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Khabarov
Aleksey

Criminal case

Region:
Pskov Region
Locality:
Porkhov
Suspected of:
"organized, directed and participated in the activity of the subdivision "Jehovah's Witnesses in the City of Porkhov", intentionally, in accordance with their religious beliefs and the goals of the Organization, aiming to spread the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the territory of the city of Porkhov, Pskov Region.
Court case number:
11907580001000018
Initiated:
March 28, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
FSB Directorate of Russia for the Pskov Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-28/2023 (1-120/2022)
Court:
Porkhovskiy District Court, Pskov Region
Judge:
Nataliya Kapustina
Case History
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