Invasion of believers in Kostroma (July 2018). Photo source: "TV Center"

Criminal Investigation and Trial

A young man was arrested in Kostroma for his faith

Kostroma Region

On July 26, 2018, 22-year-old Sergey Rayman was sent to jail in Kostroma. His wife Valeria was chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of a ban on certain actions. The couple are accused of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

On July 25, 2018, friends found their apartment empty with signs of a burglary on the door. It became known that Sergey and Valeria were sent to a temporary detention center. On the same day, armed riot police raided the homes of at least two other families suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. All computers and tablets, a printer and a Bible were seized from citizens. The search, among others, involved law enforcement officers Kuropatkin and Malinin. Law enforcement officers accompanied their actions with caustic comments regarding religion. The case is being investigated by investigator S. Korchashov, from the Central District Department of Kostroma of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

On July 26, 2018, the Sverdlovsk District Court chose a measure of restraint for Sergey Rayman in the form of 2-month detention. The next day, the court chose a preventive measure for Valeria - in the form of a ban on leaving the house at night, a ban on the Internet, telephone and mail, as well as on communication with "persons professing the teachings of Jehovah." The girl was prosecuted under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of an extremist organization and participation in the activities of an extremist community) only on the grounds that, according to the investigation, citizens gathered in her house twice to discuss the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Case of the Raymans in Kostroma

Case History
In July 2018, the life of young spouses Sergey and Valeria Rayman was divided into “before” and “after”. They were accused of extremism under two articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for participating in worship services. The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kostroma Region investigated the case for 1.5 years. During this time, the couple survived imprisonment in solitary confinement, a ban on correspondence and reading the Bible, house arrest, and a restriction on communication even with each other. In August 2019, the court began considering their case, but 1.5 months later returned it to the prosecutor for the unfounded accusation. After re-examining the case, the court sentenced Sergey and Valeriya to 8 and 7 years of probation, respectively. In February 2021, the regional court reduced the terms to 3 and 2 years, but the cassation returned the case to the appeal stage. Based on the results of the reconsideration in the regional court, Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was excluded from the verdict and the spouses were given 7 and 6.5 years suspended with a probationary period of 2 years. In August 2022, the cassation court finally approved this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Kostroma Region
Locality:
Kostroma
Suspected of:
according to the investigation they participated in religious services, which is interpreted as organising and participating in the activities 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:
11802340011000073
Initiated:
July 24, 2018
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the Tsentralniy District of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kostroma Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-322/2019
Court:
Свердловский районный суд г. Костромы
Judge:
Дмитрий Балаев
[i18n] Суд апелляционной инстанции:
Костромской областной суд
Case History