Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Criminal trial

A new criminal case for faith in Karelia. Mikhail Gordeev, 59, was detained at his workplace and placed on recognizance not to leave

Karelia

On September 5, 2019, in Petrozavodsk (Karelia), FSB officers detained Mikhail Gordeev right at his workplace, suspecting him of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The man was searched, his tablet was seized and taken to the FSB department for interrogation.

Investigator Grigoriev provided Mikhail with a free lawyer. The interrogation lasted four hours. A criminal case was opened against the believer under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity). He is suspected of "continuing the activities of an extremist religious organization in the city of Petrozavodsk." He was placed under recognizance agreement.

Persecution of residents of Karelia on religious grounds began at the end of July 2019, when mass searches were carried out in the homes of believers in two cities of the region. The authorities opened criminal cases against Aleksey Smelov, Maksim Amosov and Nikolay Leshchenko. These civilians are grieving unfair criminal prosecution.

In May 2017, a family of Jehovah's Witnesses from Karelia was awarded the Order of Parental Glory. Exemplary parents received the award from the hands of the head of state Vladimir Putin.

The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk

Case History
In July 2019, the FSB carried out mass searches in homes and places of work of believers in Petrozavodsk. Several more searches took place in the neighboring city, Kondopoga. The couple, Maksim and Mariya Amosov, were detained right on the street and even Mariya’s coat was torn. A criminal case was initiated against Maksim, and later 3 more defendants were added: Nikolay Leshchenko, Mikhail Gordeev and Dmitriy Ravnushkin. Gordeev and Ravnushkin were detained at their places of work; after being interrogated by the FSB, the latter was fired from the post of chief electrical power engineer. The believers were charged with organizing the activity of an extremist organization and they were placed under a recognizance agreement. In October 2021, the case went to court. Some documents had nothing to do with the case - they were dated 1990-2000. And the testimonies of witnesses for the prosecution were favorable toward the defendants. Despite this, in July 2023, the court fined the four believers: Maksim Amosov, Nikolay Leshchenko, and Dmitriy Ravnushkin, 500,000 rubles each, and Mikhail Gordeev, 450,000 rubles.
Timeline

Persons in case

Amosov
Maksim
Gordeev
Mikhail
Leshchеnko
Nikolay
Ravnushkin
Dmitriy

Criminal case

Region:
Karelia
Locality:
Petrozavodsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they united as a group with the goal of organizing in Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, the activity of the local unit of the banned religious organization “Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia," including by organizing meetings and involving new members in its activity
Court case number:
11907860001000022
Initiated:
July 22, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
FSB Directorate for the Republic of Karelia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
№ 1-34/2023 (1-223/2022; 1-1110/2021)
Court:
Petrozavodsk City Court of the Republic of Karelia
Judge:
Stepan Sergeev
Case History
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