Photo: Maksim Khalturin cherishes the letters he received in prison

Photo: Maksim Khalturin cherishes the letters he received in prison

Photo: Maksim Khalturin cherishes the letters he received in prison

Inside Penal Colonies and Detention Centers

During the 122 days in the pre-trial detention center, the believer received 562 letters of support

Kirov Region

While under house arrest, 45-year-old Maksim Khalturin, as far as possible, continues to take care of his elderly parents. He himself draws strength, among other things, from letters from people who are not indifferent to his situation. He could receive letters while he was in jail. Under house arrest, correspondence is prohibited.

Maksim's mother, Galina Khalturina, is over 80 years old, and his father has suffered a stroke and especially needs help. On October 9, 2018, after a series of searches in Kirov, Maksim Khalturin and four other believers were detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center for singing biblical songs together and studying the Holy Scriptures. (Read more about the events in the 10-minute video "Ruthless Searches and Arrests of Believers in Kirov.") Later, Maksim, as well as his fellow believers Vladimir Korobeynikov, Andrey and Yevgeny Suvorkov, were transferred to house arrest. As for Andrzej Oniszczuk, he is still languishing in a pre-trial detention center.

Friends and relatives of Kirov residents hope that soon the label of extremists will be removed from these decent people. After all, Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians, and many wonder why they are being persecuted.

Case of Oniszczuk and Others in Kirov

Case History
In October 2018, searches of believers were carried out in Kirov. A criminal case under extremist articles was initiated against seven local residents, five of them were taken into custody, including Polish citizen Andrzej Oniszczuk, who had been in captivity for almost a year. His fellow believers spent 3 to 11 months in jail and another 6 to 9 months under house arrest. The men were included in the Rosfinmonitoring list. One of the accused, Yuriy Geraskov, died of a long illness a week before the trial. In January 2021, court hearings began. In June 2022, the believers were given suspended sentences ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 years. Yuriy Geraskov was also found guilty of extremism, but the criminal case was dismissed due to his death. The appellate court upheld the verdict against the believers.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Kirov Region
Locality:
Kirov
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, “they organised meetings of followers and participants of the association [Jehovah’s Witnesses] in different flats, performing actions characteristic of this association: singing Bible songs together, improving skills for missionary activity, as well as studying religious literature, the so-called ‘Holy Scriptures’ (Bible), which is on the Federal List of Extremist Materials and contains the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses”.
Court case number:
11802330022000044
Initiated:
October 3, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kirov Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-2/2022 (1-5/2021; 1-123/2020)
Court of First Instance:
Первомайский районный суд Кирова
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Тимур Юсупов
Case History
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