Convicted for Faith Konstantin Bazhenov Expects Early Release From the Colony. The Trial Is Scheduled for October 28

On October 28, 2020 Dimitrovgrad city court of Ulyanovsk region will decide whether Konstantin Bazhenov will leave the colony in exchange for a fine. This Jehovah's Witness from Saratov, who was convicted for faith in God for 3.5 years, has already served 80% of his sentence and earned a reputation of a peaceful and hardworking man in prison.

"Konstantin Bazhenov was not convicted of a crime - he did not harm anyone. For many months he was unreasonably kept in jail, deprived of citizenship. He has a serious heart condition. It would be humane from the side of justice to stop persecuting a man suffering only because of his religious beliefs," said Jehovah's Witnesses European Association representative Yaroslav Sivulsky.

Konstantin Bazhenov, 45, has been in the Dimitrovgrad correctional colony since February 2020. He was escorted here from the Saratov detention center just over a month after an appeal court confirmed Saratov's conviction of the Leninsky District Court on September 19, 2019. The court found Konstantin and five of his fellow believers guilty of extremism for not giving up their peaceful religious beliefs.

On September 21, 2020 Bazhenov's defense exercised its legal right to apply for replacement of undone part of prison sentence of a believer with a fine. By that time, Konstantin had already served four-fifths (or 80 percent) of his sentence, including his stay in the Saratov temporary detention center and pretrial detention facility.

According to Viktor Shipilov, Konstantin Bazhenov's lawyer, all conditions were met to mitigate the sentence.

"First, Konstantin served more than half of his sentence. Secondly, he has various incentives, behaves respectfully and correctly towards the employees of the penitentiary system, is not in conflict, and is an exemplary family man," lawyer Viktor Shipilov said.

During his imprisonment, the believer has developed good relations with the administration of the colony and other prisoners who treat his religion in a kind manner.

Konstantin received rewards from the colony's administration for his participation in cultural and sporting events, as well as for his honest attitude to work and exemplary behavior. This contributed to the fact that in August 2020 the believer was transferred to easier conditions of detention. He did not receive any penalties during the entire time he was serving his sentence.

Konstantin Bazhenov has successfully mastered the profession of a painter-plasterer and is currently studying as a tiler. Konstantin's master describes him as "an accurate, ready to help others, proactive and attentive student."

"It is expected that the court will take the above facts into account when deciding on mitigation of Konstantin's sentence. By the way, not only his family and friends are waiting for him at home. One of the organizations is already ready to employ him as a driver with the possibility of receiving a social package," says the lawyer, stressing that at present there is no valid reason to refuse mitigation of punishment to Konstantin Bazhenov.

The arrest of Saratov believers, along with other cases of harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, has been strongly condemned by the international community.