Sergey and Elena Gromov

Sergey and Elena Gromov

Sergey and Elena Gromov

Unjust Verdicts

Court of Cassation Left Verdict in Case of Sergey Gromov in Force

Samara Region

On October 7, 2024, the Sixth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Samara issued a decision according to which Sergey Gromov will continue to serve his sentence of 6 years and 1 month in a penal colony.

According to the defense, the verdict against the believer is a manifestation of religious discrimination, since it was issued in violation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which prohibits any restriction of the rights of citizens on the basis of religious affiliation. The fact of religious discrimination against Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia for so-called extremist activities was also established by the authorized bodies of the UN.

Taking into account his stay in a pre-trial detention center, where a day counts as one and a half, Sergey will have to be in prison for more than two years.

The Case of Gromov in Kazan

Case History
In March 2022, FSB officers detained Sergey and Yelena Gromov from Kazan at Vnukovo airport in Moscow. Turnes out, on the same day, an FSB investigator initiated a criminal case against Sergey, who practices the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses, for organizing the activity of an extremist organization. Two secret witnesses participated in the case, one of whom was an FSB officer. The believer was arrested and placed in a temporary detention facility, and 2 days later in a pretrial detention center. Searches were carried out in the apartment of the Gromovs and at two other addresses. Later, the man was suspected of violating another article of the Criminal Code – financing extremist activities. In February 2023, the case went to court, and in September of the same year, Gromov was convicted: 6 years and 1 month in a penal colony. In January 2024, the court of appeal upheld this decision. In January 2024, the appellate court upheld this decision, and ten months later the cassation court upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Gromov
Sergey

Criminal case

Region:
Tatarstan
Locality:
Kazan
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he continued the activities of the liquidated religious organization by holding religious meetings at his place of residence
Court case number:
12207920001000008
Initiated:
March 15, 2022
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Branch of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-157/2023
Court of First Instance:
Московский районный суд г. Казани
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Алсу Гумирова
Case History