Valery Semergei
Valery Semergei, born 1951, Krasnodar Krai. Charges: Article 163 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Demands to carry out property-related actions under the threat of damage or destruction of the…); “The case of the Gelendzhik human rights defenders”. Sentence (April 29, 2013): 8 years in a strict regime penal colony. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, December 9, 2013.
In brief
Krasnodar Krai · Gelendzhik · Human rights defenders
Sentence
8 years
in a strict regime penal colony
Upheld August 12, 2013
Charges
- Article 163 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Demands to carry out property-related actions under the threat of damage or destruction of the victim's property, dissemination of information that disgraces the victim or those close to them or violence.
Full wording of the charges
Extorted two million rubles (US$21,800) from the developers A. Petrosyan and H. Akrid, who were building a 9-storey apartment block with violations in the building procedure.
Latest event
February 19, 2020 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, December 9, 2013
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Persecution ends
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №3 (SIZO-3) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Krai
· Persecution begins
The case of the Gelendzhik human rights defenders
Criminal case
The case of the Gelendzhik human rights defenders
Other defendants in the case
- Gagik Avanesyan — At large, 8 years
- Zufar Achilov — At large, 11 years
- Vladimir Ivanov — At large, 13 years
Thematic group: The case of the Gelendzhik human rights defenders
Details and sources
Full summary
On 20 February 2012, Semergei was detained on charges of fraud but later the charges were reclassified as extortion. According to the prosecution, Semergei extorted money from developers who were building an apartment building with violations that allegedly occurred the same month. While Semergei was being detained, he was beaten and tortured. It was ruled that he remain in custody. On 30 April 2013, he was sentenced to eight years in a strict regime colony. On 13 August 2013, the court of second instance left the sentence unchanged. Semergei was released in February 2020.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 163 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.