OVERVIEW OF HEARING IN CASE OF DANISH BELIEVER IN OREL
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 25 May 2018
On this day [21 May 2018] in the trial, the questioning of witness Vera Ivanovna Banshchikova, a pediatric physician with 35 years experience who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, continued. Banshchikova was summoned to the court by the prosecution. The Danish television company DRTV was present in the session.
The judge continued to pose questions to her regarding her attitude toward transfusion of donor's blood. Having worked all her life as a physician, Banshchikova described in detail the medical risks associated with blood transfusion and also about the existence of realistic alternatives to this procedure. Among other things, Banshchikova mentioned Order No. 363 of the Ministry of Health that confirms the instructions for physicians in the use of blood components. According to the instructions, before the use of donor's blood the physician is required to inform the patient about the risks associated with it and to get his written consent. In the event of refusal, the physician does not have the right to ignore the patient's decision. The patient is not required to tell the physician the reason for refusing blood transfusion.
Who conducted the cleaning in the worship hall? Who locked and unlocked the gate? Was it Dennis Christensen? These questions still interested the judge very much, as if cleaning and unlocking the building are the same things as the crime of which Christensen is accused. Banshchikova explained that greeting at the entrance of the building is a usual practice in congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. In addition, in all liturgical buildings of Jehovah's Witnesses that she has attended, believers participate in cleaning the premises. In Banshchikova's opinion, these are matters of simple hospitality and etiquette. She herself has participated in cleaning when needed and when she could, motivated by her own initiative. She has not removed snow in the yard since the state of her health does not permit that, although she saw how Christensen arrived early and removed the snow so that it would be easier for people to walk.
When the prosecution asked her to describe what happened on 25 May 2017, when law enforcement personnel came to their service and Christensen was arrested, Banshchikova reported that "she had never seen such a spectacle in her life and it was very frightening, like a horror film." At that time several people became ill.
The questioning continued for more than 3 hours and concluded at 14:00.
For the next day it is planned to question a secret witness, whose face will not be visible and whose voice will be altered. Lawyers submitted a petition regarding the questioning of this person by ordinary means since questioning an anonymous witness restricts the possibility for the defendant to make his own defense. Besides, such questioning is possible only in the event of threat to the life and health of the witness, although in this case there are no such grounds for such fears.
The judge postponed resolution of this petition to the next day, 22 May 2018. (tr. by PDS, posted 25 May 2018)
OVERVIEW OF HEARING IN CASE OF DANISH BELIEVER IN OREL
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 25 May 2018
On 22 May 2018 it was planned to question a secret witness for the prosecution, whose face would not be visible and whose voice would be altered. However observers of the trial who arrived at the court were told that this questioning was postponed to 23 May.
On 23 May, at the beginning of the session, lawyers submitted an additional petition about disclosing the real information about the secret witness, since the defense had information that this witness is Oleg Gennadievich Kurdyumov, who was questioned back on 10 November 2017 by an investigator in this case under his real name, that is, there can be no grounds for secrecy. In addition, it is impermissible to question a single person in two statuses, as an ordinary witness and as a "secret" one. In order to be persuaded, it would be sufficient for the judge to compare the surname, name, and patronymic of the witness in the "secret envelope" and the surname, name, and patronymic of the witness in the record of the questioning of 10 November 2017, which are included in the materials of the case.
For resolving this petition, the judge went off into a conference room for about an hour. Upon his return, the judge declared that the defense petition was not resolved on the merits and therefore the session was declared in recess until Monday, 28 May 2018. (tr. by PDS, posted 25 May 2018)
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