RUSSIA: Further jail term for answering fellow prisoners’ questions about faith?

For the first time, a Jehovah's Witness prisoner of conscience is on trial in Kostroma for his exercise of freedom of religion or belief while imprisoned. Dmitry Terebilov answered questions about his faith from a...

RUSSIA: Heavy Prison Terms for 9 Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Occupied Territory of Crimea

In Russia the government has not only banned the Witnesses’ legal entities but it has clearly shown its intent to wipe out their peaceful worship. Nine Jehovah’s Witnesses living in the occupied territory of Crimea...

The Appeal Upheld the Verdict of Potapov and Gobozev. They Will Pay a Fine for Practicing an Unbanned Religion

On June 18, 2024, the Judicial Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Udmurt Republic upheld the verdict against Sergey Gobozev and Mikhail Potapov. The men will have to pay 450,000 and 400,000 rubles, respectively. The...

The Court of Cassation Did Not Change the Sentence of a 69-Year-Old Jehovah’s Witness From Novosibirsk—Six Years in a Penal Colony for His Faith

On May 29, 2024, the judicial panel of the Eighth Court of Cassation in Kemerovo upheld the verdict against Aleksandr Seredkin. The believer will continue to serve his sentence in the penal colony. [caption id="attachment_9167" align="aligncenter" width="1500"]...

Russia, Jehovah’s Witnesses banned since 20 April 2017

World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses (20.04.2024) – April 20th marks the seventh anniversary of Russia’s nationwide ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses, which has led to hundreds of peaceful believers jailed and some brutally tortured. International human rights advocates are decrying...

Opinion: Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses remain devout despite facing bans

This month, Vladimir Putin secured 87% of the vote in Russia to extend his hold on power. And, another ten Russian Jehovah's Witnesses have been convicted and sentenced to prison. Jarrod Lopes, spokesperson for the...

Russia, Jehovah’s Witness Tatyana Piskareva, 67, sentenced to 2 years and 6 months of forced labor

She was just participating in a religious worship online. Earlier, her husband Vladimir received six years in prison on similar charges. Tatyana Piskareva, a pensioner from Oryol, was found guilty of participating in the activities of...

RUSSIA: “Extremism” prosecutions of elderly Jehovah’s Witnesses

Courts have convicted 467 Jehovah's Witnesses from 2017 up to 18 March 2024, and ultimately acquitted none. Over a quarter of the Jehovah's Witnesses prosecuted have been aged 60 or older, with 12 individuals aged...

RUSSIA: Religious freedom survey, March 2024

Freedom of religion and belief, with interlinked freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and other fundamental freedoms remain seriously restricted in Russia. Forum 18's survey analysis documents violations including: "extremism"-related criminal prosecutions and jailings of Jehovah's...

Russia: Heavy sentences for nine Jehovah’s Witnesses for ‘extremist activity’

Since 2017, Russia's Supreme Court has labeled the Jehovah's Witness denomination "extremist," disbanding and banning its nearly 400 branches across the country. Nine Jehovah's Witnesses were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Russia today after...