Unjust Verdicts

The Court of Appeal in Pskov Overturned the Acquittal Verdict Against One of Jehovah's Witnesses Aleksey Khabarov

Pskov Region

On November 3, 2022, the Court of Appeal in Pskov overturned the acquittal verdict against Alexey Khabarov and sent the case for a new trial to the court of first instance comprising different judges.

The believer is being prosecuted under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation because of his religion. The "not guilty" verdict was handed down by the Porkhovsky District Court of the Pskov Region on June 27, 2022. The prosecutor's office, which had requested a sentence of 3.5 years in a penal colony, appealed the acquittal to the Pskov Regional Court of Appeal.

Although the believer has the right to appeal this appellate ruling (overturning the acquittal) to the Third Appellate Court of General Jurisdiction in St. Petersburg, his status has now changed from acquitted to defendant. The Porkhov District Court will have to schedule a hearing as soon as the case materials arrive there.

The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov

Case History
In 2019, the FSB initiated a criminal case against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Porkhov. Law enforcement officers conducted searches and interrogated local believers. As a result, Aleksey Khabarov was charged with extremism. During the court hearings, all witnesses, including the FSB counter-terrorism officer, spoke positively about Khabarov. In September 2021, the court gave him a 3-year suspended sentence. The court of appeal overturned this decision, and in January 2022, a retrial of the case began in a court comprised of different judges. The prosecutor again requested 3.5 years in a penal colony for Khabarov, but the court acquitted him. In November 2022, the court of appeal again sent the case for a new – third – consideration in the same court. This time the believer was sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony. He was taken into custody in the courtroom. In December 2023, the court of appeal slightly changed this decision, reducing the term by 2 months. The court of cassation in St. Petersburg upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Khabarov
Aleksey

Criminal case

Region:
Pskov Region
Locality:
Porkhov
Suspected of:
"organized, directed and participated in the activity of the subdivision "Jehovah's Witnesses in the City of Porkhov", intentionally, in accordance with their religious beliefs and the goals of the Organization, aiming to spread the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the territory of the city of Porkhov, Pskov Region.
Court case number:
11907580001000018
Initiated:
March 28, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
FSB Directorate of Russia for the Pskov Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-28/2023 (1-120/2022)
Court:
Porkhovskiy District Court of the Pskov Region
Judge:
Natalya Kapustina
Case History
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