Jehovah’s Witnesses Face Increased Persecution in Russia with New Cases and Fines

In 2017, the Russian Supreme Court designated Jehovah’s Witnesses as an extremist organization, leading to the dissolution of the Administrative Centre and nearly 400 regional congregations across the Russian Federation. This marked a significant escalation in the legal restrictions placed on the group, which had previously been banned in certain regions. The decision prompted widespread reports of increased pressure on Jehovah’s Witnesses, including acts of vandalism targeting sites associated with the organization and instances of harassment involving teachers and police officers.

Cases against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia often rely on covert recordings made by undercover agents and testimonies from so-called “secret witnesses.” Authorities interpret communal prayer, singing of religious hymns, or Bible reading over video calls as continuing the activities of a banned organization. Legal experts hired by investigators frequently frame believers’ conviction in their faith as evidence of “religious superiority” and extremism, a characterization that has drawn criticism from human rights organizations.

A Jehovah’s Witness from Saratov, a major city on the Volga River, was beaten with a stun gun during a search, highlighting the physical violence sometimes used against members of the group. In Karachay-Cherkessia, a republic in the North Caucasus, a Jehovah’s Witness received a suspended sentence, while another from Kurgan, a city in the Urals, was fined 300,000 roubles (US$3,300) in an extremism case. These cases reflect the varied legal responses to Jehovah’s Witnesses in different regions of Russia.

Security forces have conducted searches targeting Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Saratov region, a federal subject in southern European Russia. A Jehovah’s Witness from Kazan, another major city on the Volga River, was released after five years in prison, while a resident of occupied Crimea was detained on charges of leading a Jehovah’s Witnesses group. These incidents underscore the ongoing legal and security challenges faced by the group in Russia.

In Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia, a Jehovah’s Witness was released from a penal colony after serving their sentence, and a Jehovah’s Witness from Chelyabinsk had their prison term reduced. However, a Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to eight years in prison has experienced a worsening of their kidney condition, raising concerns about the health and well-being of those incarcerated. The prosecutor has requested three and a half years in prison for another Jehovah’s Witness from Kurgan, illustrating the persistent legal scrutiny faced by members of the group.

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