May 21, 2018. Review of the hearing in the case of a Danish believer in Oryol

On that day, the court continued the interrogation of the witness Vera Ivanovna Banshchikova, a pediatrician with 35 years of experience, who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Banshchikova was invited to court by the prosecution. The meeting is attended by the Danish television and radio company DR TV.

The court continued to question her about her attitude towards blood transfusions. Having worked as a doctor all her life, Banshchikova spoke in detail about the medical risks associated with blood transfusions, as well as the availability of real alternatives to this procedure. Among other things, Banshchikova mentioned the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 363, which approves instructions for doctors on the use of blood components. According to the instructions, before using donated blood, the doctor is obliged to inform the patient about the risks associated with this and obtain his written consent. In case of refusal, the doctor does not have the right to ignore the patient's decision. The patient is not obliged to inform the doctor of the reason for refusing a blood transfusion.

Who cleaned the worship hall? Who closed and opened the gate? Was it Dennis Christensen? These questions were still of keen interest to the court, as if cleaning and unlocking the building was the very crime that Christensen was charged with. Banshchikova explained that greeting at the entrance to the building is a common practice in Jehovah's Witnesses communities. In addition, in all the worship buildings of Jehovah's Witnesses where she has been, believers participate in cleaning the premises. According to Banshchikova, these are issues of simple hospitality and etiquette. She herself, if necessary and if possible, participated in the cleaning, driven by a personal impulse. She did not remove snow in the yard because her health condition did not allow it, but she saw Christensen come early and clear the snow so that it would be convenient for people to pass.

When prosecutors asked to talk about what happened on May 25, 2017, when law enforcement officers came to their worship service and Christensen was arrested, Banshchikova said that "I have never seen such a spectacle in my life, it was very scary, like a horror film." Some people then became ill.

The interrogation lasted more than 3 hours and ended at 14:00.

The next day, a secret witness is scheduled to be questioned, whose face will not be visible and whose voice will be changed. The lawyers filed a motion to interrogate this person in the usual manner, since the interrogation of an anonymous witness limits the defendant's ability to defend himself. In addition, such an interrogation is possible only in the event of a threat to the life and health of the witness, but there are no grounds for such fears in the case.

The court postponed the resolution of this petition until the next day, May 22, 2018.