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Reformed ex-con Jehovah's Witness sentenced a second time

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS IN KOSTROMA SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN HIGH-SECURITY PENAL COLONY

OVD-Info, 7 September 2021

 

On 6 September, the Sverdlovsk district court of Kostroma sentenced Jehovah's Witness Dmitry Terebilov to three years in a high-security penal colony. OVD-Info was told this in the press service of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses.

 

The 39-year-old Terebilov was found guilty on the basis of the article about participation in the activity of an extremist organization (part 2, article 282.2 of C.C.). According to the account of the investigation, he distributed literature that is included in the list of extremist materials.

 

The association notes that the believer has already served a term in a correctional institution [i.e., before he became a Jehovah's Witnesses believer—tr.], but he left on an early probation, which was helped by his acquaintance with the Bible.

 

"Violence is incompatible with the religious rules by which I live. It was thanks to what is written in the Bible that I began to change my life for the better and to renounce harmful habits (smoking, foul language, drug use). I have a family that I value dearly and therefore the accusation of breaking up family relations sounds . . . ridiculous and baseless," Terebilov said during a court session.

 

The criminal case was opened against the believer in June 2019. Before that, in 2018, security personnel conducted a search in Terebilov's home after breaking down the entrance door. Before the opening of the case, a search was repeated and in May 2020 Terebilov was given a measure of restriction in the form of a pledge not to leave his place of residence. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 September 2021)

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