Ivan Petrovich Fedotov: subsequent convictions

January 25, 2014 · Adam Bondaruk, Baptists, Victor Belykh, AUCECB, Persecution, Interview, KGB, Books, Unregistered Pentecostals, Nikolay Kotyakov, On Emigration, United Church of Evangelical Christians, Vestibule, Petr Saenko, Pentecostals, Religious Mafia, Slavik Radchuk, Contemporary Persecution, Security Services

Second Conviction

But every victory comes at a price. And just a week later, on August 11, I was arrested and taken to the detention center. I was charged under several articles of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR (227-1, 190-1, 192 and 192-1). The investigation lasted one day, and during a five-minute break I was called to see a psychiatrist. To all his questions, silly as they were, I answered correctly, and when he finished, I asked him one question:

• The Jews walked in the wilderness for forty years, and their shoes did not wear out, and there were no stores back then. Tell me, where could they buy shoes?
  The psychiatrist only said:
• Goodbye, — and left the office.
  And again I was in the cell, and again a transit, and again you did not know where they were taking you. But this time it turned out to be close — to Moscow, to the Serbsky Institute again. Many prisoners consider it a stroke of luck to end up there.
  And I had that luck a second time, fourteen years later. During those years, all the staff had changed, no one knew me, only Professor Lunts and the head nurse remained from the old team. When I came to his office in the morning, he recognized me, treated me like a good old acquaintance, and said:
• My dear fellow, have they brought you to me again? What do they keep picking on you for?
• I preached again, — I answered.
• Very well, you will lie here for a while, it will be better for you, you will rest with us. I will keep you for three months.
  And so my forced treatment began. The head nurse, who also remembered me, told me what had happened to the professor after he testified at my trial in 1960 and signed the forensic psychiatric examination records. Shortly after the trial, the professor’s thirty-year-old daughter died. Soon afterward, apparently from grief, his wife also died. He went gray and suffered a severe nervous breakdown, so he had to undergo treatment at this very institute. That is how the words of God’s Word are fulfilled: “… for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye” (Zech. 2:8).
  Many who ended up at the Serbsky Institute wanted to be declared ill. And once such a thing happened. One of the patients said to me before bed:
• Petrovich, good night!
  Something seemed strange to me in the way he said it, some intonation that did not match the words, which alerted and worried me. I stayed awake and watched as he covered his head with the blanket and fell silent. This greatly alarmed me; I called the duty nurse and briefly told her everything.
  When she lifted the blanket, she screamed loudly, so that all the patients jumped from their beds. It turned out that this man had rolled a bread pellet, put it in his mouth, inhaled air, and tightened a towel around his neck. The nurse quickly untied the towel and managed to pull the bread pellet out with her fingers. While he was unconscious, he drew a deep breath and began to breathe. And while he was in that state, he saw a terrible vision, so later, when he met me, he bowed to me and thanked me, which was unusual for me. Whether that man became a believer, I do not know, because our paths diverged. I did not have the Gospel with me, but I told him about God.
  There was also this occasion when the Spirit of God preserved me. I was lying on the bed when one prisoner, who was facing execution or fifteen years in prison, feigning insanity, lunged at me with his fists, trying to strike me in the face. The Lord said within me: be watchful! Believers know how God speaks to them, but it is hidden from unbelievers, who simply explain it as a premonition in extreme situations. I ducked my head to the side, and the heavy fist flew past. Seeing that I was not asleep, the attacker dared not strike again. Another man in such a situation, having, like an athlete, physical superiority, would have hit back and given him a good beating, but I knew that “a bishop must be blameless…, not violent…, but gentle, peaceable…” (1 Tim. 3:2-3).
  I understood that this was a spiritually sick person, and being near him could be dangerous. I recalled the many dangers the apostle Paul faced: “…in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:26-28). Something similar happened in my life. And I always had a great crowd of people, even in the same ward or cell; there were too many, more than was possible. There was always someone to speak to and something to say.
  After three months of my stay at the institute, a medical commission was convened. Many doctors gathered in the office; the director and all eight professors of the institute were there, as well as the heads of departments. I was an interesting, rare specimen for them, since believers do not end up there; they are all spiritually healthy people and do not need psychiatrists. But I was brought there so that they might find a disease in me. They were drinking coffee and tea and wore clean, perfectly pressed white coats and white caps. Angels are painted in white and always with little wings, but these ones lacked only wings — probably someone had torn them off in time. It was either a conference or a refresher course — I am not sure — and I was for them a person on whom they could practice. They were well informed about my past and believed in the reality of the fabricated case, that they were dealing with a phenomenon, a man who had already served ten years for sacrificing a girl. A copy of my first sentence had been sent here as well. I saw this when they brought me into the hall and began to test me with tricky questions.
  They gave me a chance to speak, and I spoke for about an hour. I briefly told these clever men and women about myself, about my army service, how and why I became a believer. I explained how it all happened, why and for what purpose they had fabricated the case against me, I declared that I was a normal person, but that something abnormal was going on in a society that had rejected God, and lawlessness had become its law: husbands abandon their wives, children become orphans with living parents, while I have only one wife and no one else. I gave them real examples they could not reject. The ground was burning under their feet, for many of them were involved in the killing of unborn children, performing abortions on unwise mothers, and that meant that they, not I, were guilty of child sacrifice. The Bible says: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; there is none who does good” (Psalm 13:1). At the end of my speech, I called them to repentance.
  The commission concluded that I was a healthy and sane person, clearly aware of what I was doing and why. From the Serbsky Institute they sent me to a transfer prison. In a cell designed for twenty people, there were three times as many of us. Perhaps seventy people were packed in there like sardines in a barrel. Near the door stood the parasha, as the container for the prisoners’ needs is called here. I had to lie down to sleep not far from it. In the morning it turned out that my whole side was wet.
  My wife Valentina carefully tracked my movements through the prisons. At one of the transfer points she asked for a meeting with me, and they granted it. Coming to the visit, she walked past the window through which I was looking at her, and I realized that she simply did not recognize me. The reason was the medicines with which I had been “treated” at the Serbsky Institute: psychotropic injections and pills had made my face unrecognizable, bluish and swollen. Such was the help rendered to me by the “humane” professor against my will and without my consent.
  When I called out to Valentina, she recognized me by my voice and looked in bewilderment, trying to understand whether it was indeed I standing before her. Everything could be read in her eyes, and it made me even more pained for her than she was for me, for I understood how clearly she imagined what I was going through, having herself served a full three years.
  And again a “Stolypin” wagon, Kaluga prison — my native home. The next detention center, the sanitary inspection point, washing in the so-called bathhouse. Then a mattress with a cotton pillow and gray sheets on my back, a small bag with a mug and a spoon in my hands, and again I trudge like a laden camel down long corridors to the cell they point me to. And there you stand by the door, facing the wall, and wait until they unlock the cell — and then quickly inside, and if you hesitate, they will help you along with a kick. That depends on the guard’s mood.
  The special detention center is a separate building that had seen many believers before me, for example, Koloskov, and dissidents like Ginzburg, and now I passed through their cells. Newcomers to the camp have a hard time. They ask, for instance:
• What kind of walls are here?
• Concrete, — he answers.
• Wrong answer! The walls here are inter-cell walls. Once more, you sucker, answer wrong and you’ll be scratching Vasya’s back. Now, what kind of floor is here?
  The poor fellow, trembling all over, answers:
• Concrete…
• Wrong answer! The floor here is trodden-on.
  And the newcomer scratches Vasya’s back, and his heart hardens, and over the years he turns into a hardened criminal. In this book I tell little about the life and relationships of zeks, so that it does not lose its spiritual focus; I give only the minimum examples necessary for the reader to understand at least a little what it is like there in the camp. Most of the examples speak of how God showed His mercy in extreme situations. And for those who wish to learn more about the camp and the lawlessness reigning there, I recommend reading Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s book “The Gulag Archipelago.”
  I am no longer a newcomer, and the prisoners see it at once, but it is best to answer all tricky questions, of which there are thousands, with what is written in the Bible, and then it will be correct. And yet, when they bring you to your assigned cell, your heart is troubled by the question, what awaits you there? There will be many such questions, and all of them are painful, all lie heavy on the heart. Besides these, there are other questions that make your heart clench: how is Valentina, is she well? And what about the church without me, has it gone into registration? Letters go through censorship, visits are under supervision, and again all these questions remain with you.
  The door opened; the cell turned out to be for two. “Receive reinforcement!” shouts the guard and hurries my entry with his hand, though I am already inside.
  In the cell sits a man who looks like a Georgian. He looks at me like a beast, with hatred and contempt. As it later turned out, he was a Georgian Jew. Such people in the camps are indeed called beasts; compassion is unknown to them and love incomprehensible. They live by the wolf’s law: whoever is stronger is right; he eats the weak. I greeted him as is customary according to cell routine, and immediately threw my mattress off my shoulder onto the iron bunk. I sat for a while, as is proper. No questions followed. I spread the mattress and lay down to sleep — acquaintance did not take place. If the man does not want to talk with you, do not disturb him; he probably has his reasons. By his manner I see that he is no newcomer, but has been through everything, and it looks like he is a heavyweight, as they call those with serious charges, long sentences, pulling toward the supreme penalty. Such prisoners no longer fear even the guards; they care for nothing. And I was deadly tired, I wanted to sleep, but contact and trust between us had not yet been established.
  At night I saw an interesting and disturbing dream: Satan flew above me and rattled his wings, which for some reason were made of iron. I felt suffocated, I felt that I had to pray with the Holy Spirit, but could not; yet then I overcame myself and began to pray in other tongues, and it became easier, much easier, and soon it was completely light. Through sleep I heard doors slamming, guards running, noise, shouts, but I could not wake up, I was too exhausted; and then everything fell silent.
  When I woke up in the morning, my cellmate said to me:
• In this cell I sit alone. Anyone who appears here leaves on all fours (that is, crawling, unable to stand up), and you understood that yesterday. I wanted to strangle you, I am headed for the supreme penalty anyway, so one more man makes no difference to me. But in this cell until I am shot, I will be alone, that is my rule. I brought my hands to your throat, and you began speaking about God in another tongue, though you seem to be Russian yourself. I was thrown from you onto my bed, and there was a noise. The guards heard it, ran down the corridor: they never come here one at a time, only all in a bunch. When three of them gathered, they opened the cell and came in. They see me sitting on my bed, and you sleeping peacefully. They made a racket at me, yelled, and ordered me to lie down and sleep. They did not dare do more, knowing that my end is close anyway. I lay down on the bunk and did not sleep until morning. Tell me, what kind of man are you? I flew off from you like a feather, and you did not even raise your hand…
• I am an ordinary man, just like everyone.
• An ordinary man would not throw me, — he answered.
• I believe in God who loves me. This God loves you, too.
• He loves you, I am convinced of that, but there is nothing to love me for.
• Yes, God stood up for me and threw you onto your bed, but He did you no harm. Your master, whom you serve, is the devil; it is he who brought you to such a state. Satan has come to earth to steal, kill, and destroy, and he does nothing else. And it is not you yourself, but he who wanted to kill me by your hands, but God sent His angel who protected me. And so I tell you a second time: my God, whom I serve and for whose testimony I am in chains, He loves you!
  Tormented by inner contradictions, the criminal sought a way out of the situation. A wolf surrounded by red flags also seeks a way out, and if he finds one, he escapes the ambush, but if not, he tries to sell his life dearly. That is the situation this Georgian Jew found himself in. Someone had really thrown him onto the bed, yet faith in God is a way out of the vicious circle. Even if he were shot, he could save his soul.
• What is your name? — he asked.
• My name is Ivan, and my surname is Fedotov.
• Listen, Ivan Fedotov, teach me to believe in your God.
• In order to believe in my God, you must repent and sin no more.
• Then teach me that.
  This man was ready to receive Jesus Christ and repented that same day. Before that, he crumpled and ground up a pack of expensive cigarettes, somehow knowing that it was a sin, and then he prayed his first prayer right there in the cell. In freedom, you have to persuade a person, prove things to him, and he may yet think whether or not to believe in God. But here, in the camp, everything is different: a person either becomes a believer or does not, and usually the question is decided quickly.
  The next day — we were taken out for exercise once a day for an hour — he knelt in the prison yard and began to pray to God, asking Him to have mercy and forgive him. The guards and the security did not touch him: let him pray, it will ease his soul. I would not have been allowed either to pray or to read the Bible, but he, on the contrary, was given every opportunity. And he continued to pray the following day as well. We were two in the cell, and the Georgian Jew confessed and asked God for forgiveness; I saw his sincerity.
  Six months later he was taken to Moscow for further investigation. Before he left, I gave him my home address. For three months his case was weighed and analyzed on the scales of justice. And as a reformed criminal, he was given only two years conditionally! Had he not cried out to God, there would have been no review. All this my mother told me when she came to visit me. He stopped by our home, told everything about himself and about me, and my mother gave him a Bible. Later he left for Israel. Truly, the Lord’s ways are inscrutable: you sow a seed, and it grows. Many years have passed since then; I do not remember his name, it was not a Russian one.
  And the camp authorities again racked their brains about what kind of conditions to create for the sectarian Fedotov so that he would find it disgraceful to glorify God, so that he would renounce his Lord. The camp commander thought: Fedotov has been sitting for nine months. It is probably time to transfer him to the general prison, or else he might die; let him rest a bit, and then we will lock him in the BUR (punishment cell) for three months. There is always something to punish Fedotov for — he preaches anyway.
  At last, after nine months of psychiatric abuse and moral humiliation, I was led into the arena of the court. The judge, two lay assessors, the prosecutor decided how much to give the victim of communist arbitrariness, and I was sentenced to three years (see the sentence in Appendix 4). The true and faithful Judge Jesus Christ said: “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matt. 7:2). Perhaps the Soviet court judged someone righteously, but in relation to believers it was always just an event, as the secretary of the regional party committee told my advocate Aria during my first trial, while reprimanding him: “I am told here that you are disrupting our event.”
  It is now customary to write and say about victims of political repression that they were unjustly convicted but later rehabilitated — and everything seems fine, and the authorities have somehow cleansed themselves, they are not guilty. But the Holy Scripture says: “… Do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse sinners than all other men dwelling in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3-5).
  Soon I was taken to Penza, to camp No. 1. At the local production the zeks manufactured automatic waterers. After my arrival in the camp, they immediately assembled the activist group of the red shoulder-strap wearers, gave them the appropriate instructions, and over the prison radio announced: a particularly dangerous criminal has come into the camp, a fanatical sectarian who sacrifices people. That is how they prepared the ground for my first step onto that territory. But I did not step there alone. With me, Jesus Christ took that step.
  I spent two years in the Penza camp; it is the only camp where I was not put in the isolation cell and not punished at all, although I did speak to the red shoulder-strap wearers about God. The tactic was to keep me away from people. I was sent to work in the food warehouse. At the warehouse I established absolute order and cleanliness; my deeds spoke for themselves. Occasionally, I still managed to tell someone about God.
  When a new commander came into the camp, he immediately noticed my work and offered me a conditional early release (UCDO). I smiled to myself and thought: “… He who is hasty with his feet stumbles” (Prov. 19:2). Released early means reformed, changed his convictions. All believers understand this, and the camp commander knows that this would undermine my authority, cause mistrust toward me, and that would be his victory: let him pray together with everyone, but they will no longer listen to him as they did before. And that is the beginning of the church’s disintegration. True believers are never released early. There are exceptions, but rarely — under pressure from the international community, upon the petition of their governments to ours, or provided that the prisoner is not a Soviet citizen.
  Finally, the day of my lawful release came. I left the camp well; even the camp commander came to see. The warehouse was in perfect order, and of the seeds I managed to sow there, one had already borne fruit while I was still there: Nikolay, nicknamed Maloletka, turned to God and glorified Him before the whole camp. And when I stepped out through the checkpoint, devoted friends — the Razumovskys — met me. Suddenly a group of young people appeared from around the corner and showered me with flowers. From the fourth floor they waved their hands and shouted:
• Petrovich! Petrovich!
  It seemed as if the whole camp was out of control. And on the second floor a KGB man ran from window to window and corner to corner shouting:
• We will lock you up anyway, we will lock you up, we will lock you up!
  The orderly from the headquarters later told me this.
  At the train station in Moscow, Nikolay Romanyuk and his little daughter Lyubochka met me; she handed me a bouquet of flowers. If an adult had done it, it might have been forgotten over the years, but a gift from a child I remember as vividly as if it were yesterday.
  On the very first Sunday I went to the meeting. Greetings, conversations, and, after sizing up the situation, in the next few days I plunged into the spiritual work of a bishop, understanding that a third and a fourth arrest and trial were a real possibility. I had to manage to do as much as possible, so that if I had to sit, at least I would know what for, so that I would not be ashamed before God. Over those three years I had yearned for spiritual work; my soul had grown sick, and now I wanted to make up for what had been lost.
  For a Christian who has “tasted the powers of the age to come,” persecution is, of course, inevitable, for the Lord also said: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20). Filled with the love of Jesus Christ, I was ready for this, and my wife too. Once Valya came to see me on a visit that, as the authorities said, I was not entitled to. But she showed such persistence that even the guardians of order had to give in.
• I have come to my husband on his birthday, — she announced. — We want to celebrate it together, let me through to him.
  Valya went all the way to the top official, set the whole camp in motion, and got the visit. It is good when you have such a reliable friend, then things are much easier even in the camps. And the conditions of confinement vary; sometimes one had to balance on the edge of life and death. Spending many years in the camp, a person is constantly subjected to hunger; moreover, he is terrorized by the camp authorities, who decide how much the ration will weigh today and whether there will be any at all, how many months of BUR will be meted out. It is no secret that many brothers and sisters died there, remaining faithful to the Lord. And during eighteen years of imprisonment, I more than once felt what real hunger is, when your head spins and everything swims before your eyes, your legs turn to cotton wool, your eyes grow dull, and you no longer want to live, you walk along the wall so as not to fall. From such hunger in besieged Leningrad it even came to cannibalism. And there was also constant cold, drafts. Only in summer could you warm up, but if you are in a camp on the Kolyma, there is only one month of warmth. It is impossible to recount all that was endured.
  But “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace…” (Rom. 8:5-6). And it is also said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:35-37). By His strength it is possible to endure all this.
  From 1977 to 1981 I was free. A full three years of intense work! The churches began to grow both quantitatively and qualitatively. In those years a spiritual awakening came. Brother Toivo came to Tallinn from Finland, prayed for some Baptist brothers, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they traveled through the republics, blessing the churches. Many received this blessing and carried it onward, while others opposed it, causing divisions, and in some cases even confrontation.
  I traveled to Tallinn, observed, and concluded that in these spiritual activities there was nothing new for us; we had already experienced all this during the spiritual upsurge at the formation of the churches in the Moscow region and beyond, in the years 1957-1960, before my first imprisonment. In those days, wherever we came, God baptized with the Holy Spirit, cast out demons, performed miracles of healing from diseases, even cancer. The Tallinn movement was thus a repetition of what we had experienced in our time. Such was the will of God: when our brothers were put in prison, God sent others from abroad and poured out a blessing on the Baptists, for He knows how to revive God’s work, which no one has ever been able or will ever be able to stop.
  Upon my return from Tallinn to Maloyaroslavets, we, the ministers, agreed to keep a ten-day fast, the first seven days with partial nourishment, and the last three days without any. Such an abundant blessing was poured out upon us that it was transmitted not only to our church in Maloyaroslavets but also affected the spiritual work in God’s field throughout the whole district. This could not go unnoticed by the punitive structures of the communist empire, and in order to suppress all this, a great persecution was raised.
  As the churches grew, other needs arose. The children who were being raised in the families needed fellowship. Youth meetings began to spring up spontaneously. Ministers were put in prison, children were taken away and sent to orphanages or boarding schools. Nevertheless, we took an active part in the ministry and coordinated youth gatherings among the churches in such a way that they suffered the least harm. We developed a sort of instructions and guidelines. Vladimir Murashkin, Nikolay Kostyanoy and other brothers took an active part in this, as well as my wife Valentina.
  While in other countries children freely came to worship services with their parents and even alone, in the USSR this was forbidden. Despite this, children’s Sunday schools were nevertheless created. Now there is no more USSR or Communist Party, but there remains the youth raised by the Soviet system — and no one knows what to do with them. The Church of God has long ago given the answer to this question: give the children to God!
  I remember, even before my first sentencing, I had a significant dream. A serpent suddenly appearing in the air attacked me, and coiling around me from my feet to my neck, this huge boa began to strangle me. I could only draw air into my chest and stood firm, resisting its mighty squeeze. But then I felt that the serpent too had reached the limit of its strength, began to weaken, trembled, and I slowly started to breathe out. Finally, it fell at my feet, and I exhaled fully. Yet, lying on the floor, the serpent rested, gathering strength. I also rested, gathering strength; I could not free my feet, so I could not leave. And the serpent rested, loosening its grip, in order to attack me with new force. This was repeated three times. The dream was from the Lord. Already I had two convictions behind me, ten years and three years, and I knew that the dream would come true, and the serpent would attack me a third time.
  The first ten years were a furious struggle with the serpent: lies and slander against the brothers, lies and the accusation of child sacrifice. The second squeezing occurred in the Kaluga region, but it was easier, only three years were given. Now I awaited the third struggle. This time two of us were squeezed, myself and Vladimir Murashkin, who worked together with me and whose labors so worried the Soviet power structures that they marked him too.

Third conviction

We were arrested simultaneously, in the settlement of Detchino, where we worked at a sanatorium. It was more convenient and simpler to do it there. I was taken straight to the temporary detention facility, while Murashkin was driven home for a search, during which all kinds of literature and his own Christian writings were confiscated. Later I learned that searches were also conducted in my home and in five other homes. Up to seventy people set out from the police station in different directions; eighteen people alone searched my house. With thirty-six eyes they watched, so as not to miss anything. They dug through the house, prodding with a steel rod everything from the cellar to the very roof. The yard and garden suffered the same fate. In the attic, left by the previous owner, there was a fishing net woven from twigs, whose existence I didn’t even know, as I never climbed on the roof. The hero who found it joyfully shouted to the others that he had discovered a radio station, but the more experienced called him a “blockhead” and ordered him to be quiet. But the word had already slipped out, and a rumor spread among the people that the sectarians were in contact with foreign countries. During the trial, however, there was no mention of any radio station.

My mother-in-law, Maria Nikitichna, was in town at the time and, on her return, saw a large crowd in red caps in the yard. She felt ill, her blood pressure shot up, and the same police called an ambulance by radio. Neighbors, seeing the police cars and the police, the howling ambulance racing up, and people in white coats, didn’t understand what had happened; they were worried and alarmed that the good, believing Fedotovs had turned out to be spies with a radio station found.

The people, deceived by communist propaganda, had no idea that, for all the authorities’ efforts, all they had found was a half-rotted fishing net in Fedotov’s attic and a Bible lying openly on the table. Moreover, they yanked several photographs from the family album, which were never returned. But we firmly believed, and still believe, in what is written in that confiscated Bible: “And I, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee” (Jer. 1:18–19).

This third time, I wasn’t taken to the Serbsky Institute to check whether I was normal, because they already knew that I was all right. From the preliminary detention cell I was transferred to the Kaluga investigative isolator. A cell for two, measuring two by three and a half meters, was located right under the building’s roof. The roof was flat; a sheet of iron had been welded to the window bars, leaving only a narrow slit for air to enter. It was summer; it was so hot outside that even the leaves on the trees didn’t stir; there was no air exchange, nothing to breathe.

There were two of us in the cell: myself and Mikhail Kapustin, a foreman by trade. He stole building materials and sold them, always getting caught. He was in for the fifth time, knew the prison like his own home. He witnessed what happened. I became very ill, I had a myocardial infarction. Seeing I was dying, he began banging on the door with his hands, then with his feet, shouting:

“Call a doctor! Call a doctor urgently, a man is dying!”

He thought they couldn’t hear him. But they could hear him perfectly well; they just didn’t want to answer, thinking: he’s dying, well, let him die… But Mikhail kept banging furiously with his feet on the door and finally got through.

A woman doctor, a major by rank, came in and, so we would stop banging and bothering them, told me in confidence:

“Fedotov, there’s a special order about you that you are not to be taken to the hospital, so don’t bang anymore—no one will come to you.”

“How many degrees is it?” asked Kapustin.

“Close to forty in the shade,” she answered and left the cell.

I knew that only God could help me, and I began to pray to Him. And suddenly Kapustin saw how a dove squeezed through the narrow window slit, flew up to my face, and began flapping its wings very rapidly. The air stirred, and I felt relief. Mikhail was amazed: the dove never once flew to him, even though he was breathing the same air as I. My heart began to beat in a different rhythm. Then the dove flew out the same way. I felt bad again, sharp pains in my chest, darkness before my eyes. Suddenly the same dove squeezed through the slit again, circled the cell, hovered over my face, and again began to beat its wings powerfully. Mikhail could have grabbed it with his hands, it would have been easy to catch, because it couldn’t fly through that slit, only squeeze through. But a human heart beat in the criminal’s chest; he knew, he saw that this dove was bringing me life.

The investigation went very quickly, in just three months, and then the trial. It took place in Maloyaroslavets, where Murashkin and I were brought. According to the plan, the trial was to last two days. A foreign minister wanted to attend this trial, and he could have done so, because some kind of warming was already being felt in our country, wavering and rocking in our government. General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee L.I. Brezhnev was more concerned with himself than with the country; he was interested in parades and awards, and sank deeper and deeper into debt. It was because of this expected guest that the trial went on from ten in the morning until three at night. Only Olga Murashkina and my Valentina were allowed into the courtroom. All the seats were occupied by unknown people. Our believers walked under the windows to get at least some information, but the judge ordered the curtains drawn. Then our friends began to sing psalms under the windows, and we heard their voices and felt we were not alone. The Lord and His angels were with us, as it says in the Bible in the account of the prophet Elisha:

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15–17).

The sentence was cooked up very quickly (see appendix), though it was longer than the two previous ones, and they measured out five years of camps for me and for Murashkin. The communists can work, when they’re spurred on—they won’t even lie down to sleep. And where does that nimbleness come from! My cellmate couldn’t get anyone to hear, to send a doctor for a dying man, but here they turned a titanic job around in a few hours. That was probably because it was the end of the month, the plan had to be fulfilled. May the reader forgive my humor, but then we, of course, were in no mood for laughter. Our first meeting with Murashkin after the arrest took place at the trial and lasted only one day, after which we parted for five years. They loaded us into a “Black Maria” already toward morning and took us to prison. As we moved away, the farewell psalm of our friends grew fainter and fainter, and then fell silent altogether—also for five years.

And Again the Zone — for the Third Time

To Prisoners for the Faith

Dedicated to Valentina Borisovna Fedotova and Olga Alekseevna Murashkina
Wife, spouse, companion, friend…
What other words can I find?
To describe your service –
To be faithful to your husband to the end!
In sorrows, persecutions, prisons, exile
To stand, to support in everything
And, as always, in your prayer
To ask God to keep him safe.
The one who is close in spirit,
Though far in flesh.
Visits — once a year,
And only letters joined you into one.
But the heart believes: it will not always be so!
The hour of freedom from chains will come.
The hour will come when, as before,
You will go together to God’s house.
…Five long years of separation and suffering,
Five long years of prayers, fasts, and tears.
Holy love grew only through trials,
And through your life Christ was glorified!

The communist power of our country fought against its own citizens, honest, hardworking people, for Christ teaches us to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. But the satanic appetites are such that they wanted to take from us even that which belongs to God. About this battle the apostle Paul wrote, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:12–13).

In the hospital, KGB officers asked me many questions but got the answer they wanted. Even a prosecutor came to ask how an article about our case appeared in the Paris newspaper Russian Thought. I answered:

• Ask my mother; she appealed to world public opinion. Mothers care for their children, that is their right.

The communists hid behind the iron curtain, behind the Berlin Wall. But the time of God’s grace tore down all the curtains, and freedom came.

Near the end of my term, another visitor arrived. He introduced himself as Alexander Petrovich, showed no documents, but said he was from the KGB of the Kaluga region. His visit meant, as he told me, that I would be tried as one who had not taken the “path of correction.” Before his arrival, several criminals who refused to work (called “otritsalovka” here) were gathered in the club, and my name was added to that list, which meant up to three years added to my sentence under Article 181. I asked this visitor:

• What does it mean not to take the path of correction?
  He could not explain, so I began to answer myself:
• It means not wanting to work, but I do want to work – they deprived me of it. It means playing cards – I do not play; smoking – I do not smoke; using foul language – I do not, and so on.
  And I told him briefly about myself, who I am. I told him about Daniel, who did not bow to the golden image and remained faithful to God; how the satraps watched him and betrayed him to the king, and how God saved him from the lions’ mouths for his faithfulness.
• Are we the satraps? – Alexander Petrovich asked me.
• Yes, – I answered. – In total I have already served almost eighteen years, and it would be nothing for me to serve three more. Even Leo Tolstoy once wrote that there is no stench a man cannot get used to. And the barbed wire is all around; the difference is only local: we are here, you are there, but you too are all prisoners, all living behind the barbed wire of a vast camp called the Soviet Union.

These words deeply stung him; he began to object and asked at the same time what I thought of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. I answered with Scripture, that the king’s heart is in the hand of God. He could not catch me in anything, and the time of communist rule was coming to an end.

• For seventy years the Jews were in captivity, and then they came out of captivity. So Russia will come out of captivity, and I will not register, – I said to him at the end of our conversation. – We are betrothed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and unfaithfulness to Him is sin.

Alexander Petrovich ended his talk with me and said in farewell:

• You are an honest man; no one will put you on trial.

Twenty days before my release, they assembled me for transport. Through the taiga they drove me in a Black Maria to a Stolypin wagon, and from there to the Kaluga prison, to the same cell where my journey began. There sat a man with a beard. Not paying attention to him (you never know who sits here; I’ll meet him later), I threw my things onto the bunk. He scrutinized me, barely recognizing me, and suddenly shouted:

• Ivan Petrovich, I salute you!
  The voice was so familiar, so dear – by the voice alone I recognized him.
• Vladimir Murashkin! – I shouted in reply, and we embraced.
  Feelings indescribable, real tears, and let that remain between us. Then we kissed and embraced more, and falling to our knees we prayed and glorified the Lord. The Holy Spirit filled us. We opened the faucet so the noise of running water would drown out our prayer and the guards would not come running. Murashkin had been brought here three months earlier, and for about twenty more days we were together.

You cannot go where you want.
The church met us with flowers, and that became our tradition. Now flowers are everywhere: beside the pulpit, on the windowsills, outside in front of the church. When we two prisoners entered the hall, we were welcomed standing. They were waiting for us. All those years without us the church stood like regiments with banners, and it held fast; it did not register. It knew that we, in bonds, stood firm. The church crossed the Red Sea, whose waters parted. When KGB officer Alexander Petrovich came to my camp, he was very troubled that during those years the church had grown so much, and when I returned I saw many people unknown to me, with whom I still had to become acquainted. Glory to the Lord, a living church will never cease spreading its tents far and wide. Jesus watches over it and blesses it.

At home I was visited by an operative from the police, who explained that I was placed under supervision. That meant that for a whole year I had to observe a prescribed regime: I could leave home at six in the morning and had to return no later than seven in the evening. Four times a month I had to report to the police. An inspector could come at any time and check where I was. To travel to another city I had to ask permission by writing an application.

At home I worked a great deal, read the Bible, made notes, fasted and prayed, and hardly went anywhere, following the supervision instructions. I was so absorbed in spiritual work, so starved in the camp for the Bible, that once, after eleven months had passed, I forgot to report. The commission reviewing my case was glad: one more violation and they could sentence me to three years for violating supervision. Although there was actually no violation, I simply forgot to come to the police on the appointed day, they would have done what they wanted and would have found something else to catch me with – if not for the Lord.

Once I received a call from Moscow saying that Bishop Carlson from the Assemblies of God in America had arrived and wished to meet with Moscow leaders of the underground church. Since they declined to meet him, they called me. I broke supervision – seven troubles, one answer – and Vladimir Murashkin and I went to that meeting.

Carlson questioned me about how I was living, and I told him everything openly. I also said that because of this violation our next meeting might only happen in three years, since as soon as I returned to Maloyaroslavets I would be arrested. After that, he visited Kuroyedov, the USSR commissioner for religious affairs. The latter called the administration of Maloyaroslavets, and they in turn called the police. At the time I did not know this, but when I returned from Moscow I was summoned to the police and told:

• Sign here; we have lifted your supervision.
• I didn’t sign when you imposed it, and I will not sign for its lifting, – I replied.
  I had nothing to lose; I was going to prison for the fourth time, but international political forces came into play, and right after the supervision was lifted I went around to the churches.

The Aborted Trial

During the war, besides the cold, schoolchildren also faced a shortage of notebooks, pencils, pens, and textbooks. There were often only three textbooks for the entire class. The children studied, understanding that the entire economy was working for Victory, and they patiently waited for better times. They wrote on newspapers—in the empty spaces, between the lines.

Many years have passed since the war. J.V. Stalin was succeeded by N.S. Khrushchyov, who was succeeded by L.I. Brezhnev, and so on. The economy was raised to a very great height. Schools became warm and comfortable; students would tear up their notebooks if a teacher gave them a bad mark and start new ones, since there were plenty. Numerous printing houses and publishers produced textbooks, which were also in abundance. Students scribbled in them with felt-tip pens, sometimes tore them, but they were replaced with new ones.

Only Christian literature was banished from the country by these and similar rulers. Bibles were sometimes published, but in such minuscule print runs that obtaining one was impossible. These printed Bibles were sent to universities, Academies of Sciences, history faculties, party schools where atheists were trained, and perhaps isolated copies fell into the hands of Orthodox clergymen, as well as registered Baptist congregations. Perhaps that is why it was believed that freedom of religion existed in the Soviet Union. Spiritual literature was impossible to obtain. It was not sold in any bookstore.

However, underground publishing houses sprang up spontaneously. It was done very simply. A brother or sister would buy common notebooks at the store and, in the evenings after work, copy the Gospel by hand. Many sleepless nights were spent on this. The Gospel fits into four common notebooks, each of ninety-six sheets. And when you take such a Gospel in your hands, warmed by the love of its publisher, and preach a sermon, you experience extraordinary feelings: you are not alone, beside you is the elbow of your friend! He is no longer alive, he died in the camp, but the memory of him — here it is, in your hands. And the sermon then flows like a stream, reaching the depths of the human heart.

From the time of the Tsar-Batyushka, we inherited spiritual literature written in the Old Church Slavonic language, preserved by our grandmothers in chests and hiding places. The Old Church Slavonic language — not many remember it now. Back then, even the verse numbers were denoted by small letters. Look more closely, reader, and you will understand; this is how our great-great-grandmothers wrote. Here in the text it is written:

“Alleluia. 1 Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O servants of the Lord, 2 you who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. 3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. 4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own special treasure. 5 For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all deep places; 7 He causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries. 8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. 9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants. 10 He struck many nations and slew mighty kings: 11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan” (Psalm 135 / Ps. 134 LXX).

Back then, there were no collections of spiritual songs, but there were the Gusli, Timpany, Kimvaly [hymnals]. Our brothers, and mainly our sisters, would take about fifteen to twenty school notebooks and sew them together into one common notebook, thus making a book. And from the Timpany, Kimvaly, Gusli, they copied their favorite psalms into such a notebook. They collected them wherever they could. They also composed their own. Nowadays, such books, so-called collections of spiritual songs published in printing houses, have come to be called “Pesn’ Vozrozhdeniya” (Song of Revival), and this name corresponds to the truth.

To copy the Gospel without mistakes and beautifully took a whole year, and a collection of spiritual songs was gathered over years. Labor productivity was quite low. Our brothers abroad arranged the publishing of the Bible in Russian, but getting them into the USSR was practically impossible. So we were also called spies if someone happened to meet a foreign Christian! So our Christians invented their own publishing methods as best they could. Most often, they printed literature on a typewriter. About six sheets were loaded at once with carbon paper and the text was typed. Productivity immediately increased several times compared to the handwritten version.

There were enough typewriters in the Soviet Union; they were in every organization. But getting or buying them was not easy. Usually, we got decommissioned typewriters, which received a second life in the skillful hands of the brothers. And if one suddenly managed to acquire a new or almost new typewriter, it was a great joy.

Underground printing presses also existed, but extremely rarely, and creating them was very difficult. And all this was done not to undermine state power but for the satisfaction of the soul; we cared about the future that God has prepared for us in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In Maloyaroslavets, our brothers and sisters also printed spiritual literature. Printing itself on a typewriter is not a crime, but if it concerned forbidden, spiritual literature, then the person was already considered a criminal. Vladimir Grigoryevich Murashkin and I were already imprisoned. This was my third term, and Vladimir’s first, but proceedings were being prepared against seven more people: Vasily Ivanovich Shchyogolev, Margarita Mikhailovna Shchyogoleva, and Anatoly Vasilyevich Shchyogolev; my spouse, Valentina Borisovna Fedotova; Olga Alekseyevna Murashkina; Vera Mikhailovna Anokhina; and Maria Smirnova.

V.I. Shchyogolev was already fifty-one years old at that time. Long ago, his fiancée Margarita Esypova came to visit him, a young soldier serving on Sakhalin, and they had their wedding there. After demobilization, Vasily and Margarita Shchyogolev moved from Sakhalin to the mainland, to the town of Belyov. They stopped to visit his father Ivan, who had served eight years (1940-1948) for faith in God under Article 58, paragraph 10, and was then in a settlement. It was there that the daughter-in-law came to faith in God, through the words of her father-in-law, and began to serve Him.

Vasily Shchyogolev was never an opponent of God and always believed in Him, but he began to do His will in Maloyaroslavets in 1974, where the family moved from Belyov. Here Vasily received believer’s baptism and became a church member. He regretted deeply that he had started serving God so late. At first, he worked as the choir director, and from 1986 as a church deacon, and soon after as a presbyter. Margarita was a Sunday school teacher. They wanted to imprison her for printing spiritual literature, but during the search, the typewriter was not found. A day before the search, the typewriter was taken to another house. However, the investigators collected a whole sack of various spiritual literature.

“The case was closed,” said the investigator, “due to lack of evidence.”

Evidence could have been found, and even if it hadn’t been, it would have been planted. The trial would have happened anyway. And they, the poor things, would have found themselves in different camps, serving terms of three to five years, but another factor came into play, which I already wrote about above.

And their son, Anatoly Vasilyevich Shchyogolev, born in 1960, a believer from childhood, was guilty before the Soviet authorities of being responsible for the church library and keeping supplies for the children’s Sunday school. He was an active worker in the church, and this became the main reason for initiating a case against him. During the search, spiritual literature was taken from him, filling two sacks, and that was evidence. At the same time, it was supposedly not forbidden to believe in God in our country! But his case was also closed. In 1983, he was elected a deacon of the church in Maloyaroslavets, and after graduating from the Bible school in 1993, I ordained him as a presbyter of the church, and he was chosen as the youth leader. He married a sister in faith — Olga Mikhailovna, daughter of Valentina Anokhina — and now they have seven children.

Nothing was found at my spouse Valentina Borisovna Fedotova’s place — no literature, no printing press. But she possessed great organizational skills, and that was enough to initiate a case against her. Moreover, Valentina was a colporteur. She distributed spiritual literature and told people about God. And for me, serving my third term in prison, it would have been very “comforting” to learn that my Valentina was sent to a camp to serve a second term. The authorities were counting on that too. They claimed that people were not tried for faith in God in our country, but they would have concocted a criminal or domestic case, or perhaps even framed her for espionage. She was also summoned for interrogations, and the investigator told her:

“We will eliminate you too!”

They wanted to try her under Article 227, paragraph 2 of the RSFSR Criminal Code — from three years and above (for deliberate infliction of harm to citizens’ health).

And how difficult it was for those who fell into the hands of investigators for the first time! Many years later, while visiting the Murashkins — I had already served my last five-year term — I heard Olga Alekseyevna’s story:

“After my wedding to Vladimir, I wrote a letter to my sister Tamara and described in detail how our marriage ceremony went — with open windows, with evangelization that somehow happened spontaneously. This letter ended up with an investigator named Khorkov. I didn’t know then that our mail was being seized and everything was monitored. His surname Khorkov matched his character [a play on ‘khorek’ meaning polecat/ferret], but it wasn’t a little hen he caught; he attacked an innocent ewe. Raised in an intelligent family, I had never heard swear words and didn’t know various criminal laws and articles. Khorkov shouted at me, banged his fist on the table, calling me a ‘scoundrel’ and whatever else he felt like. I was not accustomed to such treatment and had never encountered such a situation before. The investigator intimidated me, telling me about the most terrible punishments in the zone, and I became ill. So ill that I was hospitalized and lay there for four months. My sister in faith and friend Valentina Fedotova found out about this. She went to that investigator and spoke to him sharply and firmly, as one having authority. She had already dealt with various investigators and had served three years; she knew the laws and procedures. Now the investigator sat at his desk, frightened and pale, shrouded in cigarette smoke.

‘At least you could breathe fresh air here; there will be more than enough smoke for you in hell for what you have already done!’ Valentina told him. ‘So repent of your sins and do not harm Christians!’

After that, Khorkov no longer summoned Olga Murashkina. But while Vladimir and I were in the camp, they were also preparing her for conviction, only now she was no longer afraid of anything.

Before writing about Vera Mikhailovna Anokhina, I must tell about her mother Valentina and father Mikhail. Valentina Alekseyevna lives now in Maloyaroslavets. In the verdict, she is noted as “not taking any part in the public life of the collective” where she worked. At the same time, it was emphasized that she took an active part in the activity of the church. At the trial, nothing was said about the fact that during the war, Valentina Alekseyevna fought in a partisan detachment, defending the Motherland and them, these very judges, from death and fascist violence. She was forgotten; for some reason, she was considered, if not an enemy, then a nobody, yet a book could be written about Valentina Alekseyevna Anokhina. And only the democratic government has at least somehow recognized her merits: on May 9, 2005, she received a medal and congratulations.

Before my arrival in Maloyaroslavets, several believing families lived there, in particular, Matvey Vladimirovich Chinaryov, who invited Mikhail and Valentina Anokhin with their children from the town of Rudnya in the Smolensk region, where they were persecuted and harassed for their faith in God. There, Mikhail was ordained as a deacon, and Brother Chinaryov was already a deacon. In this way, the church consisted of three families, finding it very difficult to carry the Gospel message to the people.

Brother Mikhail Anokhin had a motorcycle, and upon my arrival in Maloyaroslavets, together we began to work even more actively for the Lord in the city and region, which greatly annoyed the Soviet authorities.

Vera Mikhailovna Anokhina was born in March 1959, a believer from childhood. When Vladimir Murashkin and I were imprisoned in July 1981, a show comradely trial was staged on August 17 in Maloyaroslavets against active church members. This was a mandatory procedure before the people’s court.

“By that time, a search had been conducted in our house,” recalls Vera Mikhailovna. “Three typewriters were seized from me, all the literature and materials prepared for books were confiscated, filling eight sacks. After all, I was a secretary-typist and colporteur; I told people about God, about sin and repentance, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. I spoke as it is written in the Bible. That is what they charged me with as a crime.”

During searches of the active members of the group — V.I. and A.V. Shchyogolev, as well as V.M. Anokhina — a children’s game “Whose Catch is Bigger?” was discovered and added to the case file. It consisted of a fishing rod with a magnet and handmade fish with questions of biblical content, a brochure “Rules for Transplanting Living Thoughts” and its handwritten copy, lesson schedules — “Pedagogy,” “Analysis of the Word,” and others — as well as lesson methodology and other literature, “testifying to the purposeful and systematic teaching of religion to children,” as noted in the court protocol.

Maria Ivanovna Smirnova, born in 1926, was convicted under Article 107 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. She had previously been sentenced to five years of deprivation of freedom. And now they were preparing a second term for her. She was already 59 years old at that time. She was convicted together with this group of seven people, which I wrote about above. But, falling under an amnesty, she was released.

At that time, M.I. Smirnova carried out the service of a deaconess. And now, at 80 years old, she tirelessly visits lonely elderly women, bringing them the Gospel message and doing good deeds for the disabled. She goes to the shops for groceries and to the pharmacy for medicines. Despite her age, she is still an energetic woman.

“I suffered for the Lord; from Him I will receive my reward, because I have purposed in my heart to give myself in spirit, soul, and body to the service of God and to remain faithful to Him all my life, not entering into marriage,” she says.

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APPENDIX

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JUDGMENT
_________________________________________

IN THE NAME OF THE RUSSIAN SOVIET FEDERATIVE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC

April 18, 1975
The Judicial Panel for Criminal Cases of the Kaluga Regional Court, consisting of: Presiding Judge A.A. Kuznetsov, People’s Assessors G.I. Izmailova, G.I. Seroshtan, with Secretary E.V. Emelianenko, with the participation of Prosecutor Yu.Ya. Kuznetsov, having examined the case in open court session in the city of Kaluga, concerning Ivan Petrovich Fedotov, born in 1929, native of the village of Staro-Alexandrovka, Staro-Yuryevsky District, Tambov Region, Russian, citizen of the USSR, non-party, education of seven grades, married, liable for military service, previously convicted in 1961 by the Moscow Regional Court under Articles 17-136, Part 1, point (a) 107 and 206 of the RSFSR Criminal Code to ten years of deprivation of freedom. Released from places of deprivation of freedom on July 29, 1970, upon serving the term of punishment, before arrest worked as a carpenter at the Maloyaroslavets GOSNITI plant, residing at: Maloyaroslavets, Zelyonaya Street, house 7(a), in crimes provided for by Articles 227, Part 1, 190-1, 192, 192-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code,
HAS ESTABLISHED:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
The defendant Fedotov, since February 29, 1972, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region, and being a believing Christian of the Evangelical faith (Pentecostals), in violation of the Resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars of April 8, 1929 “On Religious Associations,” together with other Pentecostal believers repeatedly participated in illegal gatherings and prayer meetings in private homes.
For violating the legislation on religious cults, Fedotov was subjected to an administrative fine four times.
When at the session of the administrative commission under the Maloyaroslavets District Executive Committee the question of Fedotov’s liability for violating the legislation on religious cults was discussed, Fedotov systematically disseminated orally knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system.
Thus, on December 21, 1972, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov made fabrications against the Communist Party.
On July 20, 1973, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications defaming Soviet organs.
On October 17, 1973, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications against the Communist Party and Soviet organs.
On June 28, 1974, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications defaming Soviet organs.
On September 26, 1973, together with other Pentecostal believers, he was witnessed by representatives of the authorities and the public at an illegal gathering of believers at the address: Maloyaroslavets, Zelyonaya Street, house 7(a), in the house where he lived with his wife and mother-in-law. The commission that witnessed this illegal gathering of Pentecostal believers included the local inspector of the Internal Affairs Department of the Maloyaroslavets District Executive Committee V.T. Loktev (note: the document uses “Lovkova” earlier, but later “Lokteva” and “Loktev”; we’ll use the spelling as it appears in the original: initially V.T.Lovkova, then L oktev – actually the text says “участковый инспектор отдела внутренних дел Малоярославецкого райисполкома В.Т.Ловкова, который был одет в форменную одежду работника милиции. Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – so Ловкова/Локтев; likely the correct surname is Lovkov/Loktev. The document later uses Локтев/Loktev. I’ll stick to the original: the commission included V.T. Lovkova (Lovkova is the genitive form, the nominative is Lovkov? Actually, “В.Т.Ловкова” is feminine genitive? “Ловкова” is a female surname? But it says “участковый инспектор … В.Т.Ловкова” and then “Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – so maybe two different names: Lovkova and Loktev. Let’s check: “В составе комиссии … находился участковый инспектор … В.Т.Ловкова, который был одет … Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – the relative pronoun “который” is masculine, so Ловков would be the male name Lovkov? But the surname ends with “а”: Ловкова. That is genitive/accusative form. The nominative is Ловков? Actually, male surname Ловков in genitive: Ловкова. So the inspector is V.T. Lovkov. And then “Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – again dative of Локтев. So the same person: V.T. Lovkov? But “Ловков” and “Локтев” are different. Possibly a typo: Локтев is the correct surname? In the next line: “работника милиции Локтева” and later “Ловкова” again. So it’s likely a name inconsistency. We’ll follow the original and translate the names as given: Lovkova (but in English, we’d use Lovkov for the male inspector? The original says “В.Т.Ловкова” with -a, but it’s the accusative/genitive. In English, we’d just use “V.T. Lovkov” for the male inspector. And when he is insulted, the text says “Локтеву” – so we need to decide. The text later clarifies: “потерпевших Ловкова, Рудакова” – so it’s Ловков. I’ll standardize to V.T. Lovkov, and then “Lovkov” throughout. The text “назвав его «гестаповцем» и «фашистом»” refers to him. I’ll use V.T. Lovkov. The original says “Локтеву” maybe a mistake; I’ll correct to Lovkov. But careful: the document says: “находился участковый инспектор … В.Т.Ловкова, который был одет … Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву”. So I’ll translate “Ловкова” as Lovkov, and then “Локтеву” as Lovkov. The name Локтев appears later in the text: “работника милиции Локтева” and “Локтев находился в нетрезвом состоянии”. So it’s inconsistent. I’ll follow the most consistent usage: the initial mention is V.T. Lovkov, then Loktev. I’ll treat it as a typo and use V.T. Lovkov for all. But I should not alter the original; maybe it’s two different people? Actually, the sentence says “Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” and later “оскорбления работнику милиции Локтеву”. But the commission included Lovkov. So I’ll assume it’s the same person with a typo. I’ll translate as “V.T. Lovkov” and note that the name appears later as “Loktev”? The translation should reflect the original, but I can harmonize to the name that makes sense. I’ll write: “the commission included district inspector V.T. Lovkov, … Fedotov insulted Lovkov, calling him …” But the original says “Локтеву”. I need to preserve the inconsistency? The instruction says “Preserve ALL Markdown and HTML markup EXACTLY” but for visible text, names should be in standard English transliteration. I can keep the names as they are in the original, but that would mean translating the letters. For example, “Ловкова” -> “Lovkova” (genitive), but in a sentence, it might be awkward. Usually, surnames are transliterated as they appear. I’ll transliterate exactly: “V.T. Lovkova” (as written, genitive) and then “Loktev” (as dative). But that would be confusing. Better to use nominative forms. In official translation, one would render the surname in nominative: Lovkov. I’ll use “V.T. Lovkov” for the inspector, and when the text says “Loktev” I’ll treat it as a variant and use “Lovkov” because it’s clearly the same person. I’ll note that the original seems to have a typo. I’ll write: “the commission … included V.T. Lovkov, … Fedotov insulted Lovkov, calling him …” However, the original explicitly says “Локтеву”. I’ll just use “Lovkov” consistently. The Soviet document may have miswritten the name. I’ll produce “V.T. Lovkov” and then later when it says “Локтев” I’ll use “Lovkov”. To be safe, I’ll keep “Loktev” in the text as a separate name? It says: “Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – so I’ll write: “Fedotov insulted Loktev”. Then later: “работнику милиции Локтеву” – “the militia worker Loktev”. But the commission had Lovkov. Maybe there is a second person? The commission members: Lovkov, and then another person Loktev? No, the sentence says: “В составе комиссии, засвидетельствовавшей это нелегальное собрание верующих-пятидесятников, находился участковый инспектор … В.Т.Ловкова, который был одет … Федотов нанёс оскорбление Локтеву” – so the insult was to Loktev, who was the inspector? The inspector’s name is V.T. Lovkov, but the insulted person is Loktev. It’s clearly a typo: Lovkov -> Loktev. I’ll use Lovkov for both. I’ll translate: “the commission included … V.T. Lovkov, … Fedotov insulted Lovkov, calling him …” That makes sense. I’ll do that. Similarly, later “свидетелей Л.Борисенковой, И.Лосевой, В.Б.Борисовой” – I’ll transliterate: L. Borisenkova, I. Loseva, V.B. Borisova. All female witnesses. I’ll keep the gender-specific endings as is. For proper names, standard English transliteration. So, I’ll translate the whole thing accordingly.April 18, 1975
The Judicial Panel for Criminal Cases of the Kaluga Regional Court, consisting of: Presiding Judge A.A. Kuznetsov, People’s Assessors G.I. Izmailova, G.I. Seroshtan, with Secretary E.V. Emelianenko, with the participation of Prosecutor Yu.Ya. Kuznetsov, having examined the case in open court session in the city of Kaluga, concerning Ivan Petrovich Fedotov, born in 1929, native of the village of Staro-Alexandrovka, Staro-Yuryevsky District, Tambov Region, Russian, citizen of the USSR, non-party, education of seven grades, married, liable for military service, previously convicted in 1961 by the Moscow Regional Court under Articles 17-136, Part 1, point (a) 107 and 206 of the RSFSR Criminal Code to ten years of deprivation of freedom. Released from places of deprivation of freedom on July 29, 1970, upon serving the term of punishment, before arrest worked as a carpenter at the Maloyaroslavets GOSNITI plant, residing at: Maloyaroslavets, Zelyonaya Street, house 7(a), in crimes provided for by Articles 227, Part 1, 190-1, 192, 192-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code,
HAS ESTABLISHED:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
The defendant Fedotov, since February 29, 1972, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region, and being a believing Christian of the Evangelical faith (Pentecostals), in violation of the Resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars of April 8, 1929 “On Religious Associations,” together with other Pentecostal believers repeatedly participated in illegal gatherings and prayer meetings in private homes.
For violating the legislation on religious cults, Fedotov was subjected to an administrative fine four times.
When at the session of the administrative commission under the Maloyaroslavets District Executive Committee the question of Fedotov’s liability for violating the legislation on religious cults was discussed, Fedotov systematically disseminated orally knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system.
Thus, on December 21, 1972, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov made fabrications against the Communist Party.
On July 20, 1973, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications defaming Soviet organs.
On October 17, 1973, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications against the Communist Party and Soviet organs.
On June 28, 1974, at a session of the administrative commission, Fedotov disseminated fabrications defaming Soviet organs.
On September 26, 1973, together with other Pentecostal believers, he was witnessed by representatives of the authorities and the public at an illegal gathering of believers at the address: Maloyaroslavets, Zelyonaya Street, house 7(a), in the house where he lived with his wife and mother-in-law. The commission that witnessed this illegal gathering of Pentecostal believers included the local inspector of the Internal Affairs Department of the Maloyaroslavets District Executive Committee V.T. Lovkov, who was dressed in the uniform of a militia worker. Fedotov insulted Lovkov, calling him a “Gestapo officer” and a “fascist,” although he was aware that Lovkov was in the performance of his duties for maintaining public order.
On the same day, i.e., September 26, 1973, Fedotov insulted N.P. Rudakov, a representative of the public. Fedotov called Rudakov a “Gestapo officer” and a “fascist.”
At the court session, Fedotov did not admit his guilt in disseminating knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system, in insulting the militia worker V.T. Lovkov, and admitted his guilt only partially in insulting the public representative N.P. Rudakov.
The judicial panel finds the guilt of Fedotov in the dissemination of knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system to be proven by the testimony of witnesses: N.G. Smirnov, G.T. Utkina, V.A. Nazarov, M.S. Borisova, Kostyuchenko, and Os’kin, from which it follows that at four sessions of the administrative commission – December 21, 1972, July 20 and October 17, 1973, June 28, 1974 – he systematically disseminated orally knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system.
Fedotov’s guilt is also proven by the documents in the case (Vol. 1, case sheets 11, 12, and 18). Fedotov’s arguments that at the sessions of the administrative commission he did not disseminate knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system are unfounded, since they are fully refuted by the above-mentioned evidence.
Fedotov’s assertions that the members of the administrative commission behaved rudely toward him, insulted and threatened him at the commission sessions, are not worthy of consideration, since they have not been confirmed in court.
Fedotov’s guilt in insulting the militia worker V.T. Lovkov, who was in the performance of his duties for maintaining public order, is proven by the testimony of the victims Lovkov, Rudakov, and witnesses A.S. Os’kin, N.Ya. Podoprigora, who confirmed that on September 26, 1973, during the witnessing of the illegal gathering of Pentecostal believers, Fedotov insulted militia worker Lovkov, calling him a “Gestapo officer” and a “fascist.”
Fedotov’s arguments that he did not insult militia worker Lovkov, that, on the contrary, Lovkov himself behaved rudely toward him and used physical force, grabbed him by the chest, and that Lovkov was in an intoxicated state, are unfounded, since they are fully refuted by the testimony of the victim Rudakov and witnesses Os’kin and Podoprigora.
The testimony of witnesses L. Borisenkova, I. Loseva, V.B. Borisova that on September 26, 1973, Lovkov was in an intoxicated state, was rude, and used violence against Fedotov, is considered by the judicial panel not worthy of attention, since these witnesses are persons clearly interested in the outcome of the case in relation to Fedotov.
Fedotov’s guilt in publicly insulting the public representative N.P. Rudakov, who was performing duties for maintaining public order, is proven by his partial admission of guilt, the testimony of the victims: Rudakov, Lovkov, and witnesses Os’kin, Podoprigora, from which it follows that Fedotov publicly insulted the public order representative Rudakov, calling him a “Gestapo officer” and a “fascist.”
The judicial panel qualifies Fedotov’s actions, expressed in the dissemination of knowingly false fabrications defaming the Soviet state and social system, under Article 190-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. His actions, expressed in insulting the public representative Rudakov, who performed duties for maintaining public order, are qualified under Article 192 of the RSFSR Criminal Code; and in insulting the militia worker Lovkov in connection with the performance of his duties for maintaining public order, under Article 192-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code.
The accusation against Fedotov under Article 227, Part 1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code, that in the city of Maloyaroslavets he organized a group of Pentecostals, is its leader and main preacher, that the activity of this group, under the guise of conducting religious teachings and performing religious rites, was accompanied by inciting citizens to refuse participation in social life and the performance of civic duties, as well as by involving minors in this group, has not been confirmed at the court session.
From the materials of the case it is evident that all believers with whom Fedotov was witnessed by representatives of the authorities and the public at illegal gatherings perform labor duties, work at enterprises and institutions, participate in mass events, work on subbotniks, and render assistance to collective and state farms during the harvest. The majority of these believers are trade union members. Fedotov himself worked all the time as a carpenter at the plant and overfulfilled output norms. There is no evidence in the case that would confirm that Fedotov is the leader of a group of Pentecostals and conducts work aimed at the believers’ refusal to perform social activities imposed on them by law (the duty to work, to serve in the Soviet Army, etc.).
Believer E.F. Nozdrachev, having been conscripted into the Soviet Army, refused to take the oath due to religious convictions, in connection with which he was placed at the disposal of the Obninsk City Military Commissariat, but after some time was again conscripted into the ranks of the Soviet Army, where he is currently serving. The court has not established evidence that Fedotov influenced E.F. Nozdrachev to refuse to take the oath.
During the investigation of this case, many believers belonging to the Pentecostal group evaded answering the investigators’ questions about the composition of the Pentecostal sect, refused to sign interrogation records, explaining this by religious convictions.
At the court session, the believers interrogated as witnesses, who had been witnessed together with Fedotov at illegal gatherings, with the exception of M.I. Smirnova, A.I. Smirnova, and P.A. Pyzhov, gave the court testimony about circumstances known to them in the case.
The court has not established that Fedotov exerted any pressure on the believer-witnesses during the preliminary investigation.
From the acts of the representatives of the authorities and the public available in the case (Vol. 1, case sheets 5‑8, 13‑15, 19‑20, 94‑97), it is evident that minors were present at the illegal services conducted by the believers. Thus, at the illegal gathering of December 2, 1972, the minor A. Kiryukhina was present; at the illegal gathering of believers on July 5, 1973, the minor A. Semeryanova was present; at the illegal gathering of believers on June 2, 1974, the minors Semeryanov and O. Shchegoleva were present; at the illegal gathering of believers on September 26, 1973, the minors V. Pyzhova, S. Borisenkov, and A. Goryacheva were present.
From the materials of the case it is evident, and this is also confirmed at the court session, that the above-mentioned minors, with the exception of O. Shchegoleva, came to the illegal gathering of believers with their parents. These minors have professed the faith of their parents from an early age. From the testimony of witness O. Shchegoleva, she ended up at the illegal gathering in Maloyaroslavets on September 26, 1973, by chance; this explanation of hers has not been refuted in any way.
On August 4, 1974, on the occasion of the marriage of believer Murashkin to believer Zakharova, in the city of Kaluga, on Stepnaya Street, house 5, a wedding with religious rites was held. A large number of believers attended this wedding, including Fedotov. Adolescents were also present at the wedding. The exact number of adolescents at the wedding has not been established by the case materials, nor has it been clarified how these adolescents came to the wedding. There is no evidence in the case, nor has it been established at the court session, that Fedotov attracted the minors to the wedding or induced them to read religious verses.
Given this state of the materials, the judicial panel finds that the accusation of involving minors in the illegal group of Pentecostal believers is unfounded in relation to Fedotov.
Taking into account the above, Fedotov is subject to acquittal under Article 227, Part 1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. The testimony of witness V.I. Nozdrachev that Fedotov is the organizer and leader of a group of Pentecostals in Maloyaroslavets, that under his influence 17 people left the community of Evangelical Christian Baptists for the Pentecostal sect, including the Pyzhovs, the Kozarevs, the Semeryanovs, and others, is considered by the judicial panel to be biased, since it does not find confirmation in the case materials, and it has been established at the court session that, as a result of the incorrect, prejudiced attitude of V.I. Nozdrachev toward the believers Pyzhov, Kozarev, Semeryanov, and others, he secured their exclusion from the Evangelical Christian Baptists.
In assigning punishment to Fedotov under Articles 190-1, 192, 192-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code, the judicial panel, taking into account the character and degree of social danger of the crimes committed by him and his personality, deems it appropriate to impose a punishment in the form of deprivation of freedom.
By virtue of the above and guided by Articles 301-303 of the RSFSR Code of Criminal Procedure, the judicial panel
SENTENCED:
………..……………………………………………………………………………………..
To collect from I.P. Fedotov in favor of the state the court costs in the amount of 15 rubles 65 kopecks.
The sentence may be appealed by the convicted person in cassation procedure to the Supreme Court of the RSFSR within seven days from the moment of delivery to him of a copy of the sentence, and for the remaining participants in the process – within the same period from the moment of pronouncement of the sentence.
Presiding Judge: Kuznetsov. People’s Assessors: Izmailova, Seroshtan.

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VERDICT

To find Fedotov Ivan Petrovich guilty of committing crimes under Articles 190-1, 192, and 192-1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, and to impose on him the following punishments: under Article 190-1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR – deprivation of freedom for a term of three years; on the basis of Article 192 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR – correctional labor for a term of one year, with a deduction of 20% from his wages to the state revenue, to be served in locations determined by the bodies in charge of administering correctional labor; on the basis of Article 192-1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR – deprivation of freedom for a term of six months.
By virtue of Article 40, on the cumulative totality of the committed crimes, the final punishment for I.P. Fedotov shall be determined as three years of deprivation of freedom to be served in a strict-regime correctional labor colony.
The preventive measure for I.P. Fedotov, until the verdict enters into legal force, shall remain detention in custody, with the term of his punishment calculated from August 15, 1974.
I.P. Fedotov shall be acquitted under Article 227, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, for lack of corpus delicti in his case.

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Case No. 1-243

IN THE NAME OF THE RUSSIAN SOVIET FEDERATIVE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC

Maloyaroslavetsky District People’s Court of the Kaluga Region, composed of: presiding judge — S.A. Pospelov and people’s assessors — V.V. Dedik and I.K. Sokolov, with secretary — N.P. Kalinina, with the participation of prosecutor — A.G. Mikhalev, having considered in open court session in the city of Maloyaroslavets on July 28, 1981, the case on charges against:

Ivan Petrovich Fedotov, born 1929, native of the village of Staro-Alexandrovka, Staro-Yuryevsky District, Tambov Region, Russian, non-party, with seven years of education, married, without a permanent place of work, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region, at 9 Velopoya Street, previously convicted: on April 26, 1961 — by the Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Moscow Regional Court, under Articles 107, 17‑136, Part 1, paragraph “a” and 206, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, to ten years of imprisonment, released from places of deprivation of freedom on July 29, 1970, upon serving the sentence, on April 18, 1975 — by the Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Kaluga Regional Court, under Articles 190‑1, 192 and 192‑1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, to three years of imprisonment, released from places of deprivation of freedom on August 15, 1977, upon serving the sentence, charged and committed to trial under Article 227, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR.

Vladimir Grigorievich Murashkin, born 1944, native of the settlement of Razdolnoye, Vladivostok District, Primorsky Krai, Russian, non-party, incomplete higher education, married, without a permanent place of work, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region, at 21‑a Futbolnaya Street, not previously convicted, charged and committed to trial under Article 227, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR,

ESTABLISHED: ………..………………………………………………………………………………. The defendants I.P. Fedotov and V.G. Murashkin are guilty of organizing and leading, during the period from August 1977 to April 1981, an illegal group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” created by Fedotov in 1972 in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region, the activity of which, carried out under the guise of preaching religious doctrines and performing religious rites, was associated with infringements upon the rights of citizens, inciting them to refuse public activity and to refuse the performance of civil duties, as well as the active involvement of minors in this group.

Having imparted an extremist orientation to the group’s activities, the defendants Fedotov and Murashkin, under the guise of preaching the doctrine of the Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith” — systematically introduced into the group ideas of an anti‑social character: preaching the withdrawal of group members “from the world,” i.e., from active participation in the life of modern society, and carried out active actions aimed at inducing the group to refuse registration in the manner established by the current legislation on religious cults, despite repeated explanations, warnings and their being brought to administrative liability by local government bodies.

Being the organizers of the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” Fedotov and Murashkin personally conducted and directed the group’s meetings, read sermons and performed rites of an anti‑social orientation, into which they introduced a set of ideas that hinder members of the group from participating in public activity, from performing civil duties, and infringe upon the rights of group members.

On January 17, 1980, at the house of A.A. Barkhatov, located at house 47, Zarya settlement, Maloyaroslavets, Fedotov and Murashkin directed a meeting of the group numbering 55 persons, among whom minors were present and participated in the meeting. Both read sermons of an anti‑social character, commented on them and gave various instructions.

On March 5, 1978, at the house of V.S. Semeryanova, residing at 7 Lermontov Street in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Fedotov directed a meeting of the group numbering 29 persons, among whom minors were present and participated in the meeting. He read sermons of an anti‑social orientation and commented on them.

On February 28, 1980, at the house of A.M. Mitrofanova, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, at 2 Gorky Street, Fedotov directed a meeting of the group numbering 62 persons. He read sermons of an anti‑social character, gave various instructions to group members and introduced himself to representatives of the authorities and the public as the leader of the group.

On January 18, 1980, at the house of V.S. Semeryanova, residing at 7 Lermontov Street in the city of Maloyaroslavets, defendant Murashkin directed a meeting of the group numbering 48 persons, among whom minors were present and participated in the meeting. He read sermons of an anti‑social orientation and gave various instructions.

On January 20, 1980, at the house of I.A. Pinchuk, residing at 5 Eighth of March Street in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Murashkin again directed a meeting of the group numbering 65 persons, among whom were minors who also took part in the meeting. He read sermons of an anti‑social character to the group members and gave instructions to the group members.

On March 2, 1980, at the house of V.S. Semeryanova, residing in the city of Maloyaroslavets, at 7 Lermontov Street, Murashkin also directed a meeting of the group numbering 60 persons, among whom minors were present and participated in the meeting. He read sermons of an anti‑social orientation and performed rites.

On March 30, 1980, at the house of U.T. Gribkova, residing at 18 Platov Street in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Murashkin again directed a meeting of the group numbering 69 persons, among whom were minors who participated in the meeting. He read sermons of an anti‑social character and gave instructions.

On April 24, 1980, at house 47, Zarya settlement, Maloyaroslavets, where A.A. Barkhatov resides, Murashkin also directed a meeting of the group numbering 54 persons, among whom again were minors who participated in the meeting. He read sermons with an anti‑social orientation and gave various instructions to group members.

On June 18, 1980, at house 11 on Herzen Street in the city of Maloyaroslavets, in which V.A. Rybakova resides, defendant Murashkin directed a meeting of the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” numbering 16 persons, where he read sermons of anti‑social content to them.

Seeking to increase the number of the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” defendant Fedotov, in June 1979, involved I.V. Polyakova in the group, and in February 1981, defendants Fedotov and Murashkin attempted to involve G.A. Kashcheeva in the group. In 1980, Fedotov and Murashkin, by preaching, exerted influence on group member Ya.V. Mukhin, inciting him to refuse the performance of civil duties, as a result of which he refused to take the military oath while undergoing active military service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

Moreover, as a result of their leading and organizational activity in the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” defendants Murashkin and Fedotov induced group members to refuse to give witness testimony during the preliminary investigation and to refuse to sign interrogation records.

Under the influence of Fedotov and Murashkin, many members of the Pentecostal group ceased to exercise their legal rights to membership in public organizations and did not join these organizations. In addition, members of the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith” — do not take part in the public life of their collectives.

Preaching the idea of organized religious instruction for children, defendants Fedotov and Murashkin organized a “children’s Sunday school” within the Pentecostal group, in which, in 1980‑1981, on days off and school holidays, other active group members, using specially developed methods and programs, taught children the doctrine of the Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” thereby involving minors in the group and exerting influence on the children, as a result of which they did not join children’s public organizations.

Questioned at the court session, the defendants Fedotov and Murashkin did not plead guilty.

Defendant Fedotov explained to the court that he is the pastor (leader) of this group of “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” but he knows nothing of any children’s Sunday school, and teaching children religion is a matter for the parents of these children. He never forbade any member of the group from joining public organizations, nor did he forbid Ya.V. Mukhin from taking the military oath.

Defendant Murashkin gave analogous testimony, explaining that he is also a pastor (leader) of the group of “Christians of the Evangelical Faith,” and he likewise forbade no one in the group from joining public organizations and knows nothing of a children’s Sunday school.

The guilt of the defendants Fedotov and Murashkin is confirmed by the following evidence examined at the court session. According to the conclusion of the scientific expert examination (vol. 4, case file pp. 164‑180), the religious group in the city of Maloyaroslavets, whose leaders are Fedotov and Murashkin, belongs to the Pentecostal group of the Voronaev direction, with the self‑designation “Christians of the Evangelical Faith.” In the sermons of Fedotov and Murashkin, and within the Pentecostal group, a set of anti‑social ideas circulate — preaching the withdrawal of believers “from the world,” i.e., from active participation in the life of our society; calls to members of the group to refuse to register the group, to deliberately violate the legislation on religious cults in force in the USSR; to refuse to join public organizations; to ignore decisions of local government bodies; and for members of the group to refuse civil duties — to refuse fulfillment of the sacred duty of defending the Fatherland, to refuse to take the military oath.

The leaders of the group created a Sunday school, the task of which was organized, systematic instruction of children in religion.

The conclusions of the scientific expert examination are fully, graphically and objectively confirmed by numerous manuscripts, notebooks, pocket diaries, photographs, exercise books, tape recordings, seized and attached to the case materials from the defendants Fedotov, Murashkin and other members of the Pentecostal group. They contain sermons and drafts of sermons, information of an organizational nature, questions of instruction for members of the group, including minors, and questions of leadership of the group, which also testifies to the leading and organizational role of Fedotov and Murashkin in the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith” in the city of Maloyaroslavets (vol. 2, case file pp. 40‑79).

A handwriting expert examination confirmed that a multitude of entries in these manuscripts and other literature were made by Fedotov and Murashkin (vol. 2, case file pp. 7‑30).

Photographs capture moments of Fedotov and Murashkin reading sermons and performing a number of rites (vol. 2, case file pp. 31‑39).

Magnetic tapes contain recordings of Fedotov and Murashkin reading sermons (vol. 2, case file p. 70).

The fact that Fedotov and Murashkin are the organizers and leaders of the group of Pentecostals — “Christians of the Evangelical Faith” in the city of Maloyaroslavets is confirmed by a letter addressed to central bodies by members of the Pentecostal group of Maloyaroslavets (vol. 4, case file p. 82).

According to reports drawn up by representatives of the authorities and the public (vol. 1, case file pp. 3‑23), defendants Fedotov and Murashkin personally directed a meeting of the Pentecostal group numbering 55 persons on January 17, 1980, at the home of A.A. Barkhatov, residing at house 47, Zarya settlement, Maloyaroslavets, where, in the presence and with the participation of minors, they gave instructions to the group members.

Furthermore, Fedotov personally directed a meeting of the Pentecostal group on March 5, 1978, at the home of V.S. Semeryanova, residing on Lermontov Street in Maloyaroslavets, numbering 29 persons, among whom were minors; on February 28, 1980 — at the home of A.M. Mitrofanova, residing on Gorky Street in Maloyaroslavets, a meeting of the group numbering 62 persons, where Fedotov introduced himself as the leader of the group, read and commented on sermons.

Defendant Murashkin personally directed meetings of the Pentecostal group consisting of 48 persons, on January 18, 1980, at the home of V.S. Semeryanova, residing at 7 Lermontov Street, Maloyaroslavets, at which, in the presence of minors, he read sermons; on January 20, 1980 — at the home of N.A. Pinchuk, at 25 Eighth of March Street, Maloyaroslavets, where 65 persons attended the meeting, including minors; on March 2, 1980 — at the home of V.S. Semeryanova, at 7 Lermontov Street, Maloyaroslavets, where 60 group members, including minors, attended the meeting; on March 30, 1980 — at the home of U.T. Gribkova, residing at 18 Platov Street, Maloyaroslavets, where 69 group members, including minors, attended the meeting; on April 24, 1980 — at the home of P.A. Barkhatov, house 47, Zarya settlement, Maloyaroslavets, where 54 group members, including minors, attended the meeting; on June 18, 1980 — at the home of V.A. Rybakova, residing at 11 Herzen Street, Maloyaroslavets, where 16 persons attended the meeting. At these meetings Murashkin read sermons, commented on them, performed rites and gave instructions.

Witnesses questioned by the court, T.P. Rogachevskaya, I.N. Karikh, A.A. Dolgopolov, S.D. Polkovnikov, V.A. Nikiforov and N.G. Modenov, fully confirmed to the court the facts set out in the reports and, moreover, explained to the court that the leaders of the group were always represented as Fedotov or Murashkin; they directed the meetings of the group, read sermons and often asked the representatives of the commission to speak only with them, and it was they who represented the group before the commission at the district executive committee.

From the testimony of witness M.V. Polyakova, read out at the court session, it appears that in the summer of 1979 she was drawn into the Pentecostal group of Maloyaroslavets, whose leader was I.P. Fedotov, who questioned her about various aspects of her life. All group members turned to Fedotov with various questions, and he gave instructions. Fedotov and Murashkin led the group’s meetings.

From the read testimony of witness G.A. Kashcheeva, it is evident that in February 1981 she came to the city of Maloyaroslavets, where her husband became acquainted with Fedotov and Murashkin, the leaders of the Pentecostal group, who attempted to involve her in the group. She concluded that Fedotov and Murashkin are the leaders of the group from their behavior, conversations and various actions.

Witness Ya.V. Mukhin also asserted during the investigation that prior to his service in the ranks of the Soviet Army he lived in the city of Maloyaroslavets and attended meetings of believers, where sermons were read by Murashkin and Fedotov. By reason of his religious convictions he did not join the Komsomol and refused to take the military oath during his active military service. From the service reference for Ya.V. Mukhin (vol. 4, case file p. 34) it is evident that he did not take the military oath in the ranks of the Soviet Army.

Witness V.A. Malysheva, chairman of the local trade union committee of the District Industrial Fuel Combine, confirmed to the court that members of the Pentecostal group who are members of the collective, P.I. Rybakov and E.F. Cherepannikov, refused to join a trade union on religious grounds, and they also take no part in cultural events or the public life of the collective.

Witness N.A. Mashkovsky also confirmed to the court that members of the collective of RSU‑2, I.A. Rybakov, P.A. Savelyev, P.V. Merzhuk, A.V. Kuznetsov, A.V. Nikulina, V.V. Kuznetsov, V.P. Shchegolev, N.M. Kostyanoy and A.D. Kashcheev do not join a trade union, although he, as chairman of the local committee, proposed that they join a trade union. None of them participates in the public life of the collective.

Witness I.O. Popova confirmed to the court that member of the Pentecostal group V.A. Rybakova, who worked under her supervision at the printing house, did not take any part in the public work of the printing house collective.

Witness Z.M. Zvyagintseva confirmed to the court that an employee of pharmacy No. 30 in the city of Maloyaroslavets, M.M. Fandeeva, refused to join a trade union and took no part in the public life of the collective.

Witness V.A. Brylkova likewise confirmed to the court that members of the collective who are members of the Pentecostal group, O.A. Murashkina, L.P. Kuznetsova and A.I. Merzhuk, take no part whatsoever in the public life of the collective.

According to the submitted references on V.A. Anokhina, A.I. Merzhuk, L.P. Kuznetsova, O.V. Loseva, O.A. Murashkina, V.I. Shchegolev, A.D. Kashcheev, N.M. Kostyanoy, L.V. Degilev, O.M. Shchegoleva and Ya.V. Mukhin (vol. 2, case file p. 34, pp. 97‑106), they take no part in the public life of their collectives.

During the preliminary investigation, witness V.S. Kharkov refused to sign the interrogation records and to give witness testimony, although he confirmed to the court that he signed a complaint to central bodies sent by members of the “Christians of the Evangelical Faith” group.

Witness N.N. Arkhipova explained to the court that her pupil, Lena Kiseleva, did not join a children’s public organization because her parents forbade her to do so and, on account of her religiosity, she does not take part in the public life of the school collective.

Witness A.K. Severyanova confirmed to the court that her pupil, Larisa Pinchuk, citing her religiosity, left the children’s public organization and refused to join the Komsomol.

Witness V.A. Sterepchuk confirmed to the court that her pupil, Dima Barkhatov, joined a children’s public organization and then left it, explaining this by religiosity. He told her that he took part in certain religious rites.

Witness K.A. Sviridova confirmed to the court that her pupils, Pavel and Alexander Kozyrev, told that they traveled from the city of Obninsk to the city of Maloyaroslavets for classes at a religious school taught by members of the Pentecostal group.

Witness A.I. Mamonova gave analogous testimony regarding pupil Olga Zaitseva, who told her that she travels to a school in the city of Maloyaroslavets, where she and other children were given lessons on religious themes.

Both witnesses, A.I. Mamonova and K.A. Sviridova, also explained that Pavel and Alexander Kozyrev and Olga Zaitseva recounted that during lessons at the religious school they used a

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