The Krasnodar Regional Court will hear on Thursday the appeal of two US nationals against the rulings of a court in the southern Russian city of Novorossiysk that declared them guilty of violating border entry regulations, the defendants' lawyer, Sergey Gliznutsa, told Sputnik
KRASNODAR (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2019) The Krasnodar Regional Court will hear on Thursday the appeal of two US nationals against the rulings of a court in the southern Russian city of Novorossiysk that declared them guilty of violating border entry regulations, the defendants' lawyer, Sergey Gliznutsa, told Sputnik.
Media reports emerged on Wednesday that two US volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been detained on March 1 during a church meeting in Novorossiysk.
"We'll have an appeal [hearing] in Krasnodar today," Gliznutsa said.
According to the press secretary of the Novorossiysk court, the US citizens had violated Russian law by not being honest about the true intention of their visit. While they said they had come to Russia for the sake of religious activities, they were, in fact, giving English language lessons to locals. The defendants, who now face a fine and deportation, have refuted the accusations. They are currently staying at a temporary detention center for foreign citizens subject to deportation. Since their lawyers appealed the court ruling, it has not come into force yet.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, US Department of State and US Embassy in Russia have already confirmed this information.
