Court Imposes Large Fine on Alexei Timothy for Religious Activities in Karelia

Alexei Timothy, a 32-year-old man from Karelia, was sentenced on 31 August 2026 by the Petrozavodsk City Court to a fine of 500,000 roubles. He was found guilty of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, based on the claim that he had read the Bible and discussed it with acquaintances.

In his final statement, Timothy expressed his belief that he had done nothing to harm others or the state. “I have nothing to blame myself for — I have not killed, maimed, kidnapped or deceived anyone, otherwise harmed people or the State,” he said.

During the court hearings, inconsistencies were noted between the case file and the records of operational events. The defense highlighted these discrepancies and pointed to the testimony of witness Semak, who was acting on the FSB’s mission. The defense argued that Semak’s testimony contradicted audio and video recordings.

Timothy spent a month and a half in SIZO, a pre-trial detention facility. He described the experience as disorienting, feeling out of his normal life and routine. “I felt like I was out of the common system,” he said. He also mentioned the difficulty of being in a cell where smoking was constant, despite repeated requests for transfer.

Timothy’s wife, Marina, provided emotional support through letters and photos. “She sent her photos, I looked at them every day. It helped to feel that we were there and to imagine how we were going to be together again,” he recalled.

The criminal case against Timothy was initiated in March 2024, with seven addresses in Petrozavodsk, including a religious home, searched a week later. The case was brought to court in May 2025.

In Karelia, five more Jehovah’s Witnesses received large fines for their religious beliefs. Timothy Alexey Svodka is among those suspected of continuing to “support the main ideas of the said religious organization,” according to the decision to initiate criminal proceedings.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Russian)