Criminal Investigation and Trial

A believer in Perm was transferred from a detention center to house arrest

Perm Territory

On May 24, 2018, in Perm, after 2 days of arrest, 48-year-old Jehovah's Witness Alexander Solovyov was released from custody in the courtroom, who was removed from the train and sent to a temporary detention center. The corresponding decision was made by Alexey Ryabov, a judge of the Sverdlovsk District Court of Perm. This decision of the court was relieved by Solovyov's wife and their co-religionists.

Aleksandr Solovyov was charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). This criminal case is a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate and ban the activities of all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Law enforcement officers mistakenly interpret joint confession of religion as participation in an extremist organization.

The investigator for especially important cases, A. E. Leontiev, asked the court to choose a measure of restraint in the form of detention in relation to the believer. The investigator was supported by the senior assistant to the prosecutor of the region A. Kostarev. However, the court found it possible to apply a milder measure - in the form of house arrest.

Solovyov is forbidden to leave the apartment, use the telephone and the Internet, send and receive mail and SMS, communicate with people who are defendants or witnesses in this criminal case.

Case of Solovyev in Perm

Case History
In May 2018, a criminal case was opened against Alexander Solovyov from Perm for participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The reason for this was audio recordings made on the instructions of Center “E” by a man who previously professed the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Lieutenant Colonel Utkin sent these records for examination to the catechist of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Perm Theological Seminary. The indictment collected almost all the common myths about Jehovah’s Witnesses: “incitement to hatred”, “calls for the destruction of families”, “refusal of medical care” and others. After the search and interrogation, Aleksandr spent six months under house arrest. The prosecutor’s office asked to send the believer to a colony for 3.5 years. On July 4, 2019, the judge of the Ordzhonikidze District Court of Perm, Denis Shvetsov, found Solovyov guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 300 thousand rubles.
Timeline

Persons in case

Solovyev
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Perm Territory
Locality:
Perm
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as participating in the activity of an extremist organisation (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802570030000021
Initiated:
May 22, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Perm Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-274/19
Court:
Ordzhonikidzevskiy District Court of Perm
Judge:
Denis Shvetsov
Case History
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