Appeal in Chita Affirms Harsh Sentence for Jehovah's Witnesses: Six Years in Prison for Three of Them and Six Years Suspended for One

On September 20, 2022 the panel of judges of the Trans-Baikal Territory Court headed by Olga Dedyukhina confirmed the sentence to for four of Jehovah's Witnesses in Chita: Vladimir Ermolaev and Aleksandr Putintsev - 6.5 years of a penal colony, Igor Mamalimov - 6 years in a penal colony, Sergey Kirilyuk - 6 years suspended. The verdict of the lower court came into force.

All four still insist on their innocence. Addressing the court, Aleksandr Putintsev said: "Expression of hatred, hostility and violence is incompatible with my views. I respect representatives of other religions and nationalities. I was convicted only for my belief in God. Igor Mamalimov expressed a similar thought: "I exercise my constitutional right to believe in Jehovah God and live in harmony with my religious beliefs. And it is not a crime. Vladimir Ermolaev reminded that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, and Sergei Kirilyuk concluded: "I am a victim of discrimination... There were no signs of extremism in my actions, which is confirmed by transcripts of audio recordings of worship services and expert conclusions. Moreover, this is confirmed by the witnesses for the prosecution who were questioned.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not require the followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses religion to renounce their faith. And according to Article 13 of the Russian Constitution, the state system of Russia is aimed at protecting the ideological diversity, the principle of secular state and, above all, human rights and freedoms, which are proclaimed as the highest value. However, law enforcement agencies continue to erroneously equate the peaceful religious activity of believers with extremism.