With Sentence Voided in Penza Ruling, Vladimir Alushkin Left the Pre-trial Detention Center in Mordovia and Rejoined His Wife and Friends

On March 30, 2020, Vladimir Alushkin, sentenced to six years in a colony for believing in Jehovah, left the pre-trial detention center after the sentence was canceled. In total, the believer spent almost nine months in prison -- 293 days. It was a touching scene as he rejoined his wife and friends on the way home.

Vladimir and his wife Tatyana Alushkina, as well as fellow believers Andrey Magliv, Vladimir Kulyasov, Denis Timoshin and Galiya Olkhova were found guilty of extremism on December 13, 2019. The essence of "extremism" boiled down to the fact that believers, following the example of first-century Christians, gathered together to discuss the Bible, chants and prayers to Jehovah God.

The most severe sentence - imprisonment in a colony - was received by Vladimir. The rest were given suspended sentences by the court. On March 25, the Penza Regional Court overturned this verdict, reversing the accusatory trend in the consideration of Jehovah's Witnesses cases.

"The cancellation of the verdict is essentially a precedent, since it proved the absurdity of accusing Jehovah's Witnesses of 'extremism', 'crimes against the state and public safety' - these are the wording that is full of criminal cases initiated against believers without evidence," said Yaroslav Sivulsky, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Five days after the cancellation of the verdict, Vladimir Alushkin was released from the pre-trial detention center, located in the Mordovian city of Ruzaevka. Upon Vladimir's return, there was a touching meeting with his wife and friends.