Sergey Gobozev and Mikhail Potapov

Sergey Gobozev and Mikhail Potapov

Sergey Gobozev and Mikhail Potapov

Unjust Verdicts

Court in Votkinsk Gave Local Jehovah's Witnesses Sergey Gobozev and Mikhail Potapov Large Fines

Udmurtia

On February 25, 2024, Tamara Makarova, judge of the Votkinsk District Court of the Udmurt Republic, found Mikhail Potapov and Sergey Gobozev guilty of extremist activity and sentenced them to fines.

Sergey Gobozev will have to pay 450,000 rubles for peacefully practicing his faith and Mikhail Potapov — 400,000 rubles. The prosecutor requested imprisonment for 6 years and 6 months for both believers. They do not agree with the verdict and can appeal to higher courts.

The case has been considered in court for 2.5 years – since September 2021.

"Extremism is nothing else than a vivid expression of evil and moral baseness," Mikhail Potapov told the court in his final statement. "So when I read my indictment, which uses the expressions 'violent change of foundations,' 'violation of integrity,' 'undermining security,' 'incitement to hatred,' I got shivers down my spine from these terrible words. It would never have entered my mind ... to commit such acts."

A similar thought was expressed by Sergey Gobozev in his statement: "Throughout my entire life I have never broken any laws. I am a simple pensioner who honestly earned the title 'Veteran of Labor' for my conscientious work for the benefit of the state. And today I am being held responsible for a crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state." He adds: "Without evidence the prosecution is trying to tarnish my hard earned, good reputation. There are no victims in the case, and I did not cause any harm to the state. As a believer, extremism in all its manifestations is alien to me."

The case was launched in January 2021, when the homes of Gobozev and Potapov were searched. Sergey was detained in the hospital, where he took his wife for an appointment. The believers were interrogated, after which Potapov was placed in detention, where he spent almost 4 months, and Gobozev was placed under house arrest for the same period. Later, the preventive measure for the believers was replaced with a ban on certain actions.

This is not the only criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Udmurt Republic. Five more believers are awaiting court decisions.

The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk

Case History
Pensioner and veteran of labor Sergey Gobozev and repair technician Mikhail Potapov from Votkinsk were detained in January 2021. The Investigative Committee charged them with organizing the activity of an extremist organization only because the men gathered with friends to discuss the Bible. As a result, Potapov spent 4 months in pre-trial detention and Gobozev – under house arrest. Both were then banned from certain activities. In September 2021, the case went to court. During the hearings, it became known that prosecution witnesses had been pressured and their testimonies falsified. In March 2024, the prosecutor requested 6.5 years imprisonment for the believers, but the court imposed fines on both: 450,000 rubles for Gobozev and 400,000 for Potapov. The appeal court left the ruling in force.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Udmurtia
Locality:
Votkinsk
Suspected of:
"in the course of illegal religious meetings organized and directed by Gobozev and Potapov, articles from the book 'Holy Scripture - New World Translation' were studied" (from the decision to prosecute as an accused)
Court case number:
12102940001000201
Initiated:
January 20, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-6/2024 (1-9/2023; 1-25/2022; 1-542/2021)
Court:
Воткинский районный суд Удмуртской Республики
Judge:
Тамара Макарова
Case History