Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Another Search in Kemerovo. A Criminal Сase Is Initiated Against a 58-Year-Old Witness of Jehovah

Kemerovo Region

In the early morning of February 3, 2022, a search was conducted at the home of a Kemerovo resident Vladimir Baikalov. A day earlier, a criminal case was initiated against him on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.

A criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Baykalov was initiated by Aleksandra Isaeva, senior investigator of the investigative department for the Zavodskoy district of the city of Kemerovo. According to law enforcers, Vladimir's extremism consisted in communicating on biblical topics via video conferencing.

The search lasted more than 4 hours and was attended by an expert of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and several detectives from the Center for Combating Extremism. The security forces confiscated Vladimir Baikalov's digital devices, electronic media, personal records, and his international passport.

This is already the 11th criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the region. On October 28, 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation clarified that worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, their joint performance of rites and ceremonies, do not in themselves constitute a crime.

Case of Baikalov in Kemerovo

Case History
In February 2022, a criminal case was opened against Vladimir Baykalov from Kemerovo simply because he is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The next day, the Investigative Committee authorized a search of the believer’s home. He was accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, Baykalov’s extremist actions consisted in communicating on biblical topics via video conferencing. In November 2022, the case went to court. The prosecutor requested seven years in prison for the believer, but in November 2023 the judge sentenced him to six years suspended. Four months later, the appeal upheld this verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Baykalov
Vladimir

Criminal case

Region:
Kemerovo Region
Locality:
Kemerovo
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he conducted conversations through video conferencing with an indefinite circle of people, "during which he promoted the activities of an extremist organization."
Court case number:
12202320003000010
Initiated:
February 2, 2022
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
SO in the Zavodskoy district of Kemerovo of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Kemerovo region - Kuzbass
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-82/2023 (1-982/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Заводский районный суд г. Кемерово
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Марина Романина
Case History