Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest April 15-30
29.04.2025 – The prosecutor requested from 2.5 to 6.5 years of imprisonment Jehovah’s Witnesses from Lesosibirsk
Sova – On April 25, 2025, during a debate in the Lesosibirsk City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the prosecutor asked to appoint a Jehovah’s Witness Andrei Shiyan, accused under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of the activities of an extremist organization), six and a half years of a general regime colony, and the believer Anna Matveeva, who is being tried under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the activities of an extremist organization), two and a half years of imprisonment.
29.04.2025 – Jehovah’s Witnesses from the village of Pavlovskaya were sentenced to imprisonment
Sova – Believer Alexander Davydenko was found guilty under the ch. 1.1 and 2 Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code and sentenced to more than four years in a colony.
On April 28, 2025, the Krasnodar Regional Court confirmed the verdict of Jehovah’s Witness Alexander Davydenko on the ch. 1.1 and 2 Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization and participation in one).
On February 25, 2025, the Pavlovsky District Court of the region sentenced the believer to four years and two months in a general regime colony, as well as one and eight months of restriction of liberty and a three-year ban on engaging in activities related to the organization of public associations and participation in them.
28.04.2025 – The Krasnodar Regional Court refused to consider the complaint of the Jehovah’s Witness, who died in the pre-trial detention center
Sova – The case of the believer Valery Bailo from the village of Kholmskaya, sentenced to two and a half years in a colony under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code and an appeal pending in the pre-trial detention center, closed.
On April 22, 2025, the Krasnodar Regional Court issued a decision to terminate the criminal case against Jehovah’s Witness Valery Bailo in connection with his death. Bailo’s son objected to the termination of the case on non-rehabilitating grounds and insisted on the consideration of his father’s appeal on the merits, but the court ignored his objections.
25.04.2025 – Me. Lantratova asks the prosecutor to recognize the foundation that helps priests as an undesirable organization
Sova – On April 23, 2025, the head of the State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, Public and Religious Organizations Yana Lantratova sent an appeal to the prosecutor of the Moscow region Sergei Zabaturin with a request to conduct an inspection and give a legal assessment of the activities of the organization “Peace to All” and recognize its activities as undesirable.
According to Lantratova, this organization under the guise of helping clergymen “spreads destructive narratives, tries to destabilize the socio-political situation in Russia, discredits the decisions and actions of the country’s top political leadership, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, law enforcement agencies”.
25.04.2025 – Raid by security forces in the Naro-Fominsk mosque
Sova – On April 25, 2025, it became known that in Naro-Fominsk near Moscow, law enforcement officers, the military registration and enlistment office, the Main Directorate of Regional Security of the Moscow Region and riot policemen conducted a joint raid on a local religious organization of Muslims.
On the day of Friday prayer, the arrivals checked the documents of 208 people, inspected the premises and cars.
During the raid, violations of migration legislation were revealed, as well as Art. 5.26 Administrative Code (violation of legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations).
22.04.2025 – The Kamchatka Regional Court confirmed the sentence of the Jehovah’s Witness
Sova – The court sentenced Alexei Ovchar to six years of suspended imprisonment under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 UK.
On April 22, 2025, the Kamchatka Regional Court left unchanged the sentence that the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court handed down to Jehovah’s Witness Alexei Ovchar on February 26.
The believer was found guilty under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of the activities of an extremist organization), he was sentenced to six years of suspended imprisonment with a three-year probationary period. As an additional punishment, the court imposed a restriction of liberty for a year and a three-year ban on leading and participating in religious associations.
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21.04.2025 – Arson of the imam’s house in Rostov-on-Don
Sova – On April 15, 2025, in Rostov-on-Don, two attackers tried to set fire to the house of the chief imam of the Rostov region Muhammad Bikmayev. The fire was quickly extinguished, no one was injured.
On the fact of the incident, a case was initiated under Article 30 and Part 2 of Art. 167 of the Criminal Code (attempt to intentional destruction or damage to property from hooligan motives motivated by political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred) and Part 2 of Article 213 (hooliganism committed by a group of persons).
D. was detained on suspicion of committing a crime. Lapin and V. Kotsiubinsky. The Kirovsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for two months – up to June 15. Both detainees were previously brought to criminal responsibility.
16.04.2025 – Judicial statistics on cases of “illegal missionary work” for 2024 have been published
Sova – On April 16, 2025, the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation published statistical information on the application of Art. 5.26 Administrative Code (violation of the legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations) in 2024.
According to this data, in 2024 the courts considered 431 cases under this article, which is more than a year earlier (354).
17.04.2025 – The case of the pastor of the church of the HVE, who allowed anti-war statements in the sermon, is being investigated in the Moscow region
Sova – On October 18, 2024, law enforcement officers detained the pastor of the Holy Trinity Church of Christians of the Evangelical Faith in Balashikha Nikolai Romanyuk. A criminal case was opened against him under Art. 280.4 of the Criminal Code (public calls for activities directed against state security). On October 20, the court placed him in a pre-trial detention center.
During the search, the pastor was hit on the head with a butt, although he did not resist. As a result, he was deaf in one ear. Later it became known that Romanyuk had a microstroke in the detention center.
17.04.2025 – Criminal prosecution to follow fine for anti-war post?
Forum 18 – Police prosecuted Apostolic Orthodox Church Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko for allegedly “discrediting” Russia’s Armed Forces in a 2022 online video. On 1 April, a St Petersburg court fined him a week’s average wages. He quoted in court Jesus’ words “blessed are the peacemakers”, adding “the Church is obliged to voice precisely this position”. A court spokesperson explained his conviction: “He uploaded a video in which it was said that Russia groundlessly invaded Ukraine. What other reasoning do you need?” Archbishop Grigory expects a second “discreditation” accusation and criminal prosecution.
16.04.2025 – Criminal trial of anti-war believer begins, another continues, third awaited
Forum 18 – On 14 April, a military court began the trial of Christian preacher Eduard Charov on criminal charges of repeat “discreditation” of the Armed Forces and “public justification of terrorism”. He is accused over social media posts criticising Russia’s war against Ukraine. The trial of Zen Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev – arrested in June 2024 – continues in Moscow over anti-war posts he made “solely out of religious conviction”. Protestant pastor Nikolay Romanyuk is under investigation for an anti-war sermon. A court extended pre-trial detention until June, despite his poor health.