A Kursk Appeals Court Upheld the Sentence of Five Believers, Including a Woman. Andrey Ryshkov has Served his Sentence and was Released

On January 20, 2022, the Kursk Regional Court denied Andrey Andreyev, Andrey Ryshkov, Aleksander Vospitanyuk, and Artem and Alevtina Bagratyan their appeals against a guilty verdict. It came into force, almost all the defendants received real prison terms for their faith.

However, on the same day Andrey Ryshkov was released from the pre-trial detention center. He served his term in full while being in custody for almost 2 years.

Andrey Ryshkov leaves the pre-trial detention center, having served his sentence in full. January 2022

On June 3, 2021, the Industrial District Court of Kursk found 5 Jehovah's Witnesses guilty of extremism for their religion. Andrey Andreyev was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison, Andrey Ryshkov — 3 years in prison, Alevtina Bagratyan — 2 years in prison. Alevtina's husband Artem Bagratyan was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison, but he served his term while still in jail, and was released in June 2021. The court sentenced Aleksandr Vospitanyuk to 2 years of suspended imprisonment. The believers appealed against the guilty verdict. They still consider themselves innocent of extremism and can appeal the appeal decision to the cassation and international instances.

Meanwhile, Andrey Andreyev continues to be held in the pre-trial detention center. He has spent more than 2 years behind bars. Alevtina Bagratyan is currently under house arrest.

The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Kursk region opened a criminal case against the Kursk believers in September 2019. About a month later, on October 16, groups of law enforcers raided them with searches and accused them of organizing and continuing the activities of a banned religious organization.

During the trial, the defense drew the attention of the court to falsifications in the case file, and several witnesses retracted their earlier testimony, explaining that the investigation put pressure on them. Also, according to them, interrogation protocols contained information they never reported.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution tried to prove their religious views as Jehovah's Witnesses, which they never concealed. The prosecution never explained what real crimes against the state and society were committed by the believers.