Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk

Major of Justice A. Astakhov, senior investigator for particularly important cases of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Stavropol Territory, initiates a criminal case under the article on organizing the activity of an extremist organization against Konstantin Samsonov, Alexander Akopov, Shamil Sultanov and Aleksey Shcherbich.

Investigator A. Astakhov initiates a new criminal case under the article on financing the activities of an extremist organization against Shcherbich, Samsonov, Akopov and Sultanov.

Aleksey Shcherbich is involved as a defendant.

Cases involving the organization and financing of the activities of an extremist organization are combined into one criminal proceeding.

Investigator Astakhov decides to separate the criminal case against Aleksey Shcherbich into a separate proceeding.

The state prosecutor reads out the interrogation protocols of numerous prosecution witnesses, with whom Aleksey Shcherbich is not personally acquainted and who cannot testify against him. The defendant asks not to attach their testimony and the protocols of their interrogations to the case file.

Witnesses interrogated during the hearings confirm their earlier testimony, which is at variance with what they say in court.

Aleksey Shcherbich is detained.

By court decision, Shcherbich is placed in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Stavropol Territory.

The case materials are received by the Neftekumsk District Court of the Stavropol Territory. It will be considered by judge Andrei Apalkov.

It became known that Aleksey Shcherbich was transferred from the Stavropol pre-trial detention center to the Pyatigorsk one.

Aleksey Shcherbich is getting used to the new conditions in the pre-trial detention center in Pyatigorsk. His cough hasn't stopped for a month.

Cellmates treat the believer with respect. They are impressed by the number of letters he receives. Recently, he was given several pieces at once after some delay. Shcherbich does not have his own copy of the Bible yet.

Living conditions are acceptable: the cell is warm and there is water. The believer has his own bed.

The examination of witnesses for the prosecution shows that the testimony of one of the women differs significantly from what is recorded in the investigator's report.

Secret witnesses do not appear for interrogation, the defense petitions for their summons and declassification.

The court begins to study other materials of the case. The prosecutor reads out 34 expert opinions from the case of Akopov, Samsonov and Sultanov, who were previously convicted and served their sentences for their faith.

The court reads out the response from the tax service that Shcherbich was not a member of the LRO. In this regard, the defense petitions for the termination of the criminal case.

The judge refuses to terminate the case and extends Shcherbich's detention for 3 months.

The prosecutor requests 8 years in prison for the believer.

The defense in its speech emphasizes that the investigation did not provide any evidence of the defendant's guilt. Also, this evidence is absent in the testimonies of witnesses, material evidence and the conclusion of a religious examination, and the case materials confirm only the fact that Shcherbich is a believer.