Case of Ershov in Shadrinsk

Case History

In July 2021, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Aleksandr Lubin and unidentified persons. A few days later, law enforcement officers conducted searches of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kurgan and Shadrinsk, after which Ilya Yershov was sent to a temporary detention center for 2 days. At first, the believer was suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, but in September 2023, the investigation opened a case against him for participating in this activity. A year and a half later, the charges changed—the Investigative Committee again considered the believer to be the organizer of illegal activities.
Timeline

  • #
    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (1) Art. 282.2 (2)

    Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for especially important cases of the First Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case against Aleksandr Lubin and unidentified persons under parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

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    Search Temporary detention facility Interrogation Case initiated

    Local Jehovah's Witnesses are being searched in Kurgan and the city of Shadrinsk, about 150 km away. Among those detained and taken in for interrogation is Ilya Ershov.

  • #
    Temporary detention facility

    Investigator Astapov releases Ershov from custody, as there are no grounds for his further detention.

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    Art. 282.2 (2)

    Nikolay Astapov, deputy head of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases, stops the criminal prosecution of Ilya Ershov for organizing the activities of an extremist association.

    The resolution states: "In the course of the investigation of the criminal case... sufficient evidence on the basis of which Ershov could be charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has not been established."

    At the same time, materials under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation from the case of Aleksandr Lubin are separated into a separate proceeding against him.

  • #
    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2)

    Senior investigator Captain of Justice A. A. Kravchenko initiates a criminal case against Ilya Ershov for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The basis is the report of Nikolai Astapov.

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    Interrogation

    Investigator Kravchenko interrogates Ilya Ershov as a suspect.

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    Interrogation Summon to report

    Criminal investigation officers come to Ilya Yershov's home and take him to the police station. There he is informed that he is wanted because he allegedly stopped "getting in touch" with the investigator of the Investigative Committee, does not live by registration, does not appear on summonses. According to Yershov, he has not received any calls or summonses from the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region, and he lives at his former place of registration.

    Then the man is photographed, fingerprints are checked, sneaker prints are photographed, biomaterial is taken and taken to the Investigative Committee, where he is summoned to report.

  • #
    Art. 282.2 (1) Recognizance agreement

    The court reverses the decision to terminate the criminal prosecution of Ilya Yershov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On the same day, he was charged under this article and a recognizance agreement was taken from him.

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