Photo: Oleksandr Shevchuk

Photo: Oleksandr Shevchuk

Photo: Oleksandr Shevchuk

Criminal Investigation and Trial

Residents of Saransk accused of "spreading the faith" were released from the pre-trial detention center

Mordovia

On July 2, 2019, Aleksandr Shevchuk and Georgiy Nikulin were released in Saransk (Mordovia) after 147 days behind bars. The investigation of the criminal case continues.

According to the investigation, the locusts were engaged in "spreading ideology and faith among the inhabitants of the Republic of Mordovia ... by conducting conversations in public places and living quarters with residents of the city of Saransk and other settlements", which is interpreted as "organizing the activities of an extremist organization".

The case of Shevchuk and others in Saransk was initiated on February 4, 2019. After 2 days, the Mordovian FSB conducted searches of 9 Saransk families of Jehovah's Witnesses. Aleksandr Shevchuk, Vladimir Atryakhin and Georgiy Nikulin were detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center. Currently, all of them are under recognizance not to leave.

The Case of Shevchuk and others in Saransk

Case History
In February 2019, in Saransk, the FSB initiated a criminal case against three believers on suspicion of extremism. After mass searches, Vladimir Atryakhin, the father of two young children, as well as Aleksandr Shevchuk and Georgiy Nikulin ended up in a pretrial detention center, where they spent between 2 and 5 months. Later, three more defendants appeared in the case — Aleksandr Korolev, Yelena Nikulina and Denis Antonov. The case went to court in May 2021. The defense managed to show the court several times that the unveiled secret witness Vlasov was giving false testimony. In August 2022, the believers were convicted: Vladimir Atryakhin was sentenced to 6 years, Georgiy and Yelena Nikulin — 4 years and 2 months, and Aleksandr Shevchuk, Aleksandr Korolev and Denis Antonov — 2 years in a penal colony. The court of appeal upheld the verdict. In November 2023, Shevchuk was released from the penal colony, and in June 2024, Korolev and Antonov were released.
Timeline

Persons in case

Korolev
Aleksandr
Antonov
Denis
Atrуakhin
Vladimir
Nikulin
Georgiy
Nikulina
Elena
Shevchuk
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Mordovia
Locality:
Saransk
Suspected of:
they "disseminated ideology and belief among the citizens of the Republic of Mordovia… by conducting conversations with citizens of Saransk in public and in residential buildings" which is interpreted as "organising the activity of an extremist organisation"
Court case number:
11907890001000003
Initiated:
February 4, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of Russia for the Republic of Mordovia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-13/2022 (1-216/2021)
Court:
Leninskiy District Court of the City of Saransk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Yelena Simonova
Case History