Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly News Digest January 01-15
16.01.2026 – Aleksey Khabarov released after serving more than two years in penal colony for “wrong” religion
JW – When prisoner of conscience Aleksey Khabarov appeared at the gates of the penal colony, he was greeted with applause by family and friends — more than 40 people.
The 50-year-old believer from Pskov fully served his sentence on January 16, 2026. He spent most of his term in Penal Colony No. 4 in the city of Valday, and the last 6 months in Penal Colony No. 9 in the settlement of Parfino.
Aleksey described life in the colony as monotonous, like “Groundhog Day.” What brightened his days was correspondence with caring people — by the time of his release, he had received more than 2,300 letters.
In his free time, Aleksey conducted sports competitions, including chess. His parents could not visit him because of the long distances, so he is grateful to friends who came to see him, some traveling hundreds of kilometers.
16.01.2026 – The head of the Russian Catholics did not support the Christians of neighboring countries
IRPM NEWS – Regional and political selectivity: the statement of the KhMCC in defense of Christians of neighboring countries was not supported and not signed by the head of Catholics of the Russian Federation, Archbishop Pezzi
The head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia (KKER), Archbishop Pavel Pezzi, did not sign the application of the Christian Interfaith Advisory Committee (CHCC) in support of persecuted Christians, an informed source in the Russian Orthodox Church told RIA Novosti.
On January 15, 2026, the KhMCC published a statement condemning the use of religion in political interests, noting that this is happening in Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Armenia and other states. The KhMCC stressed that it had always defended the rights of Christians of different faiths, including Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants.
16.01.2026 – Four administrative fines for anti-war articles, criminal investigation underway
Sova – Independent Orthodox priest Iona Sigida has not appealed against four administrative fines imposed in late December 2025. At least two punished him for articles on his church’s website.
Forum 18 asked Slavyansk City Court why expressing religious views on politics and the war in Ukraine was considered “discreditation” of the Armed Forces or “disrespect” for society or the state.
The Court chair directed Forum 18 to the written decisions. Fr Iona is under house arrest as he undergoes criminal investigation. Moscow Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev’s retrial begins on 19 January.
12.01.2025 – Jehovah’s Witnesses, the most persecuted religious minority in Putin’s country
The European Times – Since 2017, over 900 criminal prosecutions, resulting in over 1,000 years of prison sentences on bogus charges of extremism.
Apart from several religious minorities in China, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia are the faith community that is most persecuted by the state in the world but most human rights or religious freedom organizations fail to report about this severe repression.
Since 2017, 906 individuals have faced criminal prosecution for their faith. Courts have convicted 665, with 215 receiving prison sentences.
12.01.2025 – A resident of Dagestan was fined for keeping Muslim books in the bedroom
Sova -On December 26, 2025, the Suleiman-Stalsky District Court of the Republic of Dagestan fined under Art. 20.29 of the Administrative Code (storage of extremist materials for mass distribution) of local resident Albert Hamidov. The amount of the fine is unknown.
It follows from the resolution that on December 16, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted an inspection of Hamidov’s house and found banned Islamic literature in his bedroom. According to law enforcement agencies, anyone could access it – members of Hamidov’s family, his guests, etc.
Hamidov himself pleaded guilty, confirming that the books were in the public domain, and added that he bought them about 15 years ago, but did not know about their ban. The court decided to confiscate the books.
12.01.2026 – Jehovah’s Witness was sentenced in Karachay-Cherkessia
Sova – On December 29, 2025, the Karachay District Court of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (KCR) sentenced 64-year-old Jehovah’s Witness Maria Ogoreva. The court sentenced her to two years of suspended imprisonment, finding her guilty under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).
The case was initiated on July 23, 2024. On August 9 of the same year, Maria Ogoreva and Tatiana Pasynkova, Alexei Pasynkov’s mother, and his wife Yulia, were searched in the village of Kardonikskaya (KCR). They took subscriptions not to go.
12.01.2025 – Residents of Dagestan were fined for keeping the book “Muslim’s Fortres”
Sova – In December, it became known that on November 11, 2025, the Karabudakhkent District Court of Dagestan fined a local resident Magomedmurad Sharipov a thousand rubles for the possession of prohibited literature.
He was found guilty under Art. 20.29 Administrative Code (storage of extremist materials for mass distribution). On November 21, the same fine was imposed on Gusen Bakhmudov.
The reason for bringing them to justice was the book “Fortress of a Muslim” by Said bin Ali bin Wahfa al-Kahtani. According to the court decision, we are talking about a publication banned in 2014 by the decision of the Ussuri District Court of Primorsky Krai. In addition to the fine, in both cases the court decided to confiscate the book.
08.01.2026 – Thousand years for faith: Repression against Jehovah’s Witnesses — 2025 year in review
JW – “Fewer arrests, but harsher punishments” — that was the headline of a similar review a year ago, when statistics gave hope that the crackdown on Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia was at least losing intensity, if not coming to an end.
A year later, it’s clear that this is not the case. In 2025, the number of raids, new criminal defendants, and incidents of unprovoked violence against believers has grown. Over more than eight years of persecution, the total prison terms handed down have exceeded 1,000 years.
This article looks at the human side of what is hidden behind the dry reports of those who claim to fight “extremism” — extremism that has never been proven — and at what Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia have faced during the past year.
07.01.2026 – The priests who refuse to bless the war: How Russia is punishing clergy of conscience
Bitter Winter – In today’s Russia, the Kremlin expects the churches to supply both soldiers and saints: the bodies to fight and the blessings to sanctify the killing. Those who refuse to cooperate—those who insist that the Gospel cannot be conscripted—are discovering that the Russian state has no patience for religious dissent. It prosecutes it, fines it, beats it, shaves it, and, when necessary, invents new legal theories to crush it.
The cases documented by “Forum 18” (on which recent report this article is based) form a chilling pattern: priests, monks, pastors, and religious journalists punished for the simple act of applying their faith to the war.
01.01.2026 – “Administration convinced: I’m not a threat to society” — One of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Oryol released early from compulsory labor
JW – Dmitriy Ignatov, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 28, was released on December 30, 2025. By court decision, he was released 11 months ahead of schedule.
Dmitriy was convicted in July 2024 for participating in peaceful meetings for worship of Jehovah’s Witnesses and sentenced to 2 years of compulsory labor followed by a 6-month restriction of freedom. He arrived at the correctional center in November 2024 and worked as a welder at a retail and refrigeration equipment plant.
