Left: Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko and Nadezhda Korobochko outside the courthouse, June 13, 2024. Right: Vladislav Markov.

Left: Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko and Nadezhda Korobochko outside the courthouse, June 13, 2024. Right: Vladislav Markov.

Left: Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko and Nadezhda Korobochko outside the courthouse, June 13, 2024. Right: Vladislav Markov.

Unjust Verdicts

In Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, an 81-Year-Old Woman and Fellow Believers Sentenced to Suspended Terms for Discussing the Bible

Khabarovsk Territory

On July 30, 2024, the Nikolayevsk-on-Amur City Court found Igor Kletkin, Nikolay Kononenko, Vladislav Markov, and Nadezhda Korobochko guilty of extremism for reading the Bible together. Judge Roman Zhukov gave the believers suspended sentences. The decision has not entered into force.

Igor Kletkin and Nikolay Kononenko received a 6-year suspended sentence with a period of probation of 4 years, Nadezhda Korobochko — 5 years and 3 years of probation. The court made the case of Vladislav Markov into a separate proceeding.

"The charge against me is based on an erroneous interpretation and application of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated April 20, 2017 and on erroneous expert study conclusions," Nikolay Kononenko said at one of the court hearings.

The case of 81-year-old Nadezhda Korobochko is based on an audio recording of just one meeting for worship, at which she spoke briefly on spiritual topics. The elderly believer noted: "The prosecution was interested only in the formal aspect — that the believers gathered to discuss teachings. However, neither the investigator nor the prosecutor even tried to get to the bottom of what these meetings were about. If they had, they would have understood that I had not committed any unlawful actions."

She related what she had to go through during the criminal prosecution: "The search was the most difficult for me, because at that time I was sick, I had high blood pressure — a hypertensive crisis." The recognizance agreement also created additional difficulties for Nadezhda, since she could not go to the regional hospital in Khabarovsk to have a pacemaker fitted.

The four believers noted that relatives, friends and fellow believers help them maintain a positive attitude by sending them cards and loving messages. Despite the verdict, the believers do not lose heart. "I am greatly strengthened by the example of our brothers and sisters. Everyone has a positive impact on me," said Igor Kletkin.

The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur

Case History
In October 2021, in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, security forces searched the homes of peaceful Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were charged with extremism only because of practising their religion. Igor Kletkin and Vladislav Markov spent 2 days in a temporary detention facility. The investigator initiated a criminal case against them, as well as against Nadezhda Korobochko, for participating in the activity of an extremist organization. The indictment was based on information gathered from surveillance, covert audio recordings of believers’ conversations, conflicting testimony from a secret witness, and falsified testimony from other witnesses. The case went to court in December 2022. In July 2024, the court gave Kononenko, Kletkin and Korobochko suspended sentences: the men received 6 years each, Nadezhda Korobochko — 5 years.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Khabarovsk Territory
Locality:
Nikolaevsk-on-Amur
Court case number:
12102080010000053
Initiated:
October 11, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Nikolaev-on-Amur Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-3/2024 (1-54/2023; 1-413/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Николаевский-на-Амуре городской суд Хабаровского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Роман Жуков
Case History