Appeal Upholds Sentence for Faith Against Anatoliy Isakov, Cancer Patient. He Will Pay a Fine of 400 thousand Rubles

On November 14, 2024, the Kurgan Regional Court decided not to toughen the sentence of Anatoliy Isakov, 60, as Deputy Prosecutor of Kurgan Dmitry Kulikov sought. In his appeal, he requested eight years in a penal colony for the believer with disability.

Anatoliy's peaceful meetings with friends, where biblical topics were discussed, were presented by the prosecution as organizing the activities of an extremist organization. Among the evidence presented against the believer were testimonies from witnesses who either did not know Anatoliy or retracted their previous statements. A secret witness admitted during interrogation that Isakov's actions did not violate anyone's rights.

From the very beginning of the criminal prosecution, Isakov faced health threats—he was placed in custody despite serious illnesses that precluded such a measure. Only after the intervention of human rights organizations was Anatoly released from the pre-trial detention center.

"The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses," the believer emphasized in his last plea. "I still have the right to freely practice the religion I have chosen, including reading the Bible and discussing it with others, praying to God, singing songs praising God, and talking to others about my faith. [...] What is happening to me is political repression. In fact, I was found guilty of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. By their actions, the state authorities have portrayed me in an unfavorable light before society, contributing to the spread of prejudice."

Many believers with disabilities face similar treatment from law enforcement. Among them are Andrey Vlasov, Vladimir Fomin, Adam Svarichevsky, Vladimir Skachidub, Denis Peresunko, and Aleksandr Lubin. The latter died a month after the guilty verdict was handed down.