Photo: Anna and Alexander Solovyov

Photo: Anna and Alexander Solovyov

Photo: Anna and Alexander Solovyov

Criminal trial

On July 4, a court in Perm will announce the verdict to the believer. What did Alexander Solovyov say in his last word?

Perm Territory

On June 27, 2019, the Ordzhonikidze District Court of Perm completed the trial of Alexander Solovyov, who was prosecuted for his faith. In May 2018, he spent 2 days behind bars and another 179 days under house arrest. The prosecutor's office asked for 3.5 years of real prison for him.

In his last speech, the 49-year-old believer expressed his attitude to the criminal prosecution. At the end, he said: "I ask you, Your Honor, to drop the charges against me, dismiss the criminal case and fully acquit me."

In Perm and the Perm Territory, several similar criminal cases have been initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses. Russian and foreign leaders and organizations unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. These include the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, prominent public figures of Russia, the European Union External Action Service, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Russian government has repeatedly stated that the decisions of the Russian courts on the liquidation and prohibition of organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses "do not assess the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually."

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Case of Solovyev in Perm

Case History
In May 2018, a criminal case was opened against Alexander Solovyov from Perm for participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The reason for this was audio recordings made on the instructions of Center “E” by a man who previously professed the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Lieutenant Colonel Utkin sent these records for examination to the catechist of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Perm Theological Seminary. The indictment collected almost all the common myths about Jehovah’s Witnesses: “incitement to hatred”, “calls for the destruction of families”, “refusal of medical care” and others. After the search and interrogation, Aleksandr spent six months under house arrest. The prosecutor’s office asked to send the believer to a colony for 3.5 years. On July 4, 2019, the judge of the Ordzhonikidze District Court of Perm, Denis Shvetsov, found Solovyov guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 300 thousand rubles.
Timeline

Persons in case

Solovyev
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Perm Territory
Locality:
Perm
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as participating in the activity of an extremist organisation (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802570030000021
Initiated:
May 22, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Perm Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-274/19
Court:
Ordzhonikidzevskiy District Court of Perm
Judge:
Denis Shvetsov
Case History
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