Oleg Sakun on the day the verdict was announced. March 25, 2025

Oleg Sakun on the day the verdict was announced. March 25, 2025

Oleg Sakun on the day the verdict was announced. March 25, 2025

Unjust Verdicts

Court Ordered Pensioner, 72, From Kovrov, to Pay Fine for His Faith in God

Vladimir Region

On March 25, 2025, Artem Ozhev, judge of the Kovrov City Court, sentenced Oleg Sakun — the pensioner was fined 250,000 rubles for participating in peaceful meetings for worship.

The believer said: "Since February 2021, our family has faced searches and interrogations. My wife Valentina and I were already elderly at that time, and these events had a very strong impact on our health. Due to emotional distress, my wife developed diabetes. At the end of 2021, we fell ill with coronavirus, my wife died of complications: as the doctor said, her health was weakened due to the stress suffered and her body could not cope with the disease. In August 2023, a criminal case was initiated against me."

In May 2024, the case went to court. According to the prosecutor, Oleg Sakun continued the activity of a legal entity liquidated by the court, simply by practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. He requested a fine of 350,000 rubles for him. Objecting to the prosecuter's arguments, the believer used an illustration of a sewing factory outer garments, which was a legal entity, but went bankrupt and ceased operations. He asked the court: "Can it be concluded that former factory workers cannot sew clothes for personal needs or the needs of other people?"

In his final statement, Oleg Sakun said: "I am 72, never would I have thought that just because I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I would be put on par with terrorists and extremists."

The Case of Sakun in Kovrov

Case History
Oleg Sakun faced searches and interrogations in February 2021. Stress seriously affected the health of the believer and his wife, who soon died from complications of coronavirus. In August 2023, several searches were again carried out in the Kovrov District of the Vladimir Region. The Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Sakun. He was charged with extremism for his peaceful religious activity. After 2 days in the temporary detention facility, the believer was placed under house arrest for 4 months. In May 2024, the materials of the criminal case were transferred to the court. In March 2025, the verdict was announced — a fine of 250,000 rubles.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Vladimir Region
Locality:
Kovrov
Suspected of:
"committed actions aimed at continuing the illegal activity of this local religious organization... He took part in religious meetings, spoke at them, performed the functions of a ministerial assistant, namely... carrying out work on the introduction of the ideology of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Kovrov among the masses" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12302170010000075
Initiated:
August 21, 2023
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the city of Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Vladimir Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-19/2025 (1-273/2024)
Court of First Instance:
Kovrov City Court for the Vladimir Region
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Artem Ozhev
Case History
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