Darya and Venera Dulova, Aleksandr Prianikov
Darya and Venera Dulova, Aleksandr Prianikov
Court of Appeal in Yekaterinburg Again Overturned the Guilty Verdict of Believers from Karpinsk. Case Returned to Prosecutor
Sverdlovsk RegionOn July 6, 2023, four months after the RF Supreme Court overturned the acquittal of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Karpinsk, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court ruled that the case against Aleksandr Prianikov, Venera and Darya Dulova, be returned to the prosecutor.
The believers unswervingly maintain their innocence. At the appeal hearing, Venera Dulova said: “I believe this criminal case was fabricated; I consider it religious repression, because my religion is the only reason for the charge.” Her daughter, Darya, added: “I can say with a clean conscience that I am not guilty of either extremism or participating in the activity of banned religious organizations.”
All accusations brought against the three believers by the investigation boil down to conversations about the Bible. Aleksandr Prianikov asked the court of appeal: “What is the danger to the public? Whom have I harmed? It never even crossed my mind that a conversation with someone on topics like family happiness, comfort for those who mourn, and a future earthly paradise is so dangerous that it warrants prosecution under serious charges and the threat of being thrown into prison."
The Dulovas and Prianikov have been defending their innocence in court since September 2019. The Sverdlovsk Regional Court twice overturned guilty verdicts against the believers. The court of cassation also took their side. However, the prosecutor's office appealed these decisions to the RF Supreme Court, which, contrary to its own explanations at the Plenum in 2021, overturned the acquittal.
The European Commission for Democracy Through Law warned the Russian Federation back in 2012 that the anti-extremism law “on account of its broad and imprecise wording... gives too wide discretion... thus leading to arbitrariness” and that it carries “potential dangers to individuals.” 10 years later, the ECHR condemned the actions of the Russian authorities in relation to Jehovah's Witnesses, pointing out that a large-scale repressive campaign was launched against the followers of this religion.