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Defense of leader of Vissarion Community, two of his associates appeal verdict

Earlier, a Novosibirsk court sentenced Torop and Vedernikov to 12 years in prison, and Redkin to 11 years in prison

KRASNOYARSK, June 30. /TASS/. The defense team of Vissarion Community (Church of the Last Testament) leader Sergey Torop and his associates Vladimir Vedernikov and Vadim Redkin will appeal the guilty verdicts they received on Monday, lawyer of the community leaders Ivan Khoroshev told TASS.

Earlier, a Novosibirsk court sentenced Torop and Vedernikov to 12 years in prison, and Redkin to 11 years in prison.

"We will definitely [appeal the verdict]," Khoroshev said, adding that the defense insists they are innocent.

The court established that from 1991 to 2020, to get an income and submiss other people', Torop created religious association Community of One Faith and religious organization Church of the Last Testament in the Krasnoyarsk Region and in other places unidentified by the investigation. He led it jointly with Redkin, and since 2001, together with Vedernikov, he led the Kuraginsky local religious organization.

According to the investigation, the religious organization at one point had over 5,000 followers, calling themselves the Vissarion Community. According to investigators, the group subjected followers to heavy psychological abuse. As a result of the actions of community leaders from 1991 to 2020, 16 victims suffered moral harm, six suffered grievous harm to health, and one suffered moderate harm.

All three of the defendants were charged with creating and leading a religious association whose activities involve violence against individuals and caused other harm to their health. Besides, Torop and Redkin were charged with causing serious and moderate harm to health, while Vedernikov was charged with fraud.

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