Nikita Zhuravel, convicted in the Russian Federation for burning the Koran, is accused of “treason”

20-year-old Nikita Zhuravel, convicted of burning the Koran, is accused of high treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), TASS reports, citing the prosecutor’s office of the Volgograd region of the Russian Federation.

“According to the investigation, Zhuravel, through a messenger, offered cooperation to a representative of the Ukrainian security service. In March 2023, the person involved in the criminal case sent to an accomplice abroad video recordings of a train transporting military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces, flying military aircraft, data on the movement of an official car of one of the military units Ministry of Defense of Russia. Zhuravel fully admitted his guilt. The criminal case was sent by the regional prosecutor’s office for consideration on the merits to the Volgograd Regional Court. The sanction of Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for imprisonment for a term of up to 20 years,” writes TASS.

Let us recall that on February 27, 2024, the Visaitovsky District Court of Grozny (RF) sentenced 20-year-old Nikita Zhuravel, who burned the Koran in Volgograd, to three and a half years in prison. 13 imams of Grozny mosques acted as “victims” in the case. They called the act of burning the Koran a blatant insult that caused them “deep moral harm.” Nikita Zhuravel was found guilty under articles of hooliganism and insulting the feelings of believers. He partially admitted his guilt.

Nikita Zhuravel was born on January 25, 2004 in the city of Sevastopol. He studied at the Sevastopol Presidential Cadet School. Later he entered the branch of the Volgograd Social Pedagogical University in Sevastopol, from where he then transferred to Volgograd. On May 19, 2023, a video appeared on the Telegram channel “Morning Dagestan” in which an unknown person is holding a burning Koran in his hands, and the Volgograd Cathedral Mosque is visible in the background. Subsequently, the video quickly spread across social networks. On May 20, 2023, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported that local resident Nikita Zhuravel was detained in the Volgograd region, suspected of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public actions expressing clear disrespect for society and committed to insult religious feelings believers). The Investigative Committee reported that Zhuravel allegedly testified that he carried out the action of burning the Koran at the direction of the Ukrainian special services for a reward of 10 thousand rubles, subsequently handed over the video to an SBU officer, and also allegedly reported his involvement in the video recording of military facilities. On May 21, 2023, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported that by decision of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin, the criminal case against Nikita Zhuravel was transferred for further investigation to the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Chechen Republic in connection with “numerous appeals from residents of the Chechen Republic with a request to recognize them as victims.” . On the same day, Russian Justice Minister Konstantin Chuichenko said that Zhuravel should serve his sentence in a region with a predominantly Muslim population, since “this will promote respect for religion and the religious feelings of believers in our multinational and multi-confessional country.” On May 22, 2023, the Central District Court of Volgograd chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for Nikita Zhuravel. Before the court hearing on the selection of a preventive measure, Zhuravel told reporters: “I apologize to all Muslims. My action was very bad. I am very ashamed in front of all Muslims of the world.” On May 26, 2023, Zhuravel was transferred to Grozny. In Grozny, Zhuravel was beaten in a pre-trial detention center by 15-year-old Adam Kadyrov, the son of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. Adam Kadyrov was not only not punished for this, but was also rewarded.