Three Years of Forced Labor for Reading the Bible. Yuriy Chernykh, Father of a Minor, Was Found Guilty of Extremism

On September 28, 2023, the Tsentralniy District Court of the City of Prokopyevsk found Yuriy Chernykh guilty of participating in the activity of an extremist organization. Judge Alena Novoselova sentenced him to 3 years of forced labor with 15% of his salary going to the government.

The case was initiated on November 5, 2021. Previously, Yuriy was a witness in the case of Andrey Vlasov. In July 2020, the Chernykhs' home was searched, after which he and his wife were interrogated by the FSB. When the Chernykhs' home was searched again in November 2021,their electronic media drivers, a TV, as well as cards and personal notes, were seized. The believer was under an obligation to report and after five months he was placed under a recognizance agreement. In June 2022, the case went to court. Chernykh expressed his opinion about the charge as follows: "I want to state that I maintain my innocence and I believe that the charge against me is unlawful. I am not a criminal!” The prosecutor requested 2.5 years of forced labor for the believer with 15% of his salary going to the government.

Yuriy, a former miner with 20 years of experience, now works as a track fitter in the transport industry. He and his wife are happily married and have three sons, the youngest is still at school. Yuriy and Yelena love their grandchildren very much.

In the Kemerovo Region, 19 people have already been prosecuted for their faith. Five of them have received terms of punishment in a penal colony.