Statistics and Overview

Jehovah's Witnesses are under the yoke of repression. Results of 2019

December 31, 2019 Moscow

How many people were repressed for their faith in 2019? As of December 31, 2019, 313 followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are officially in the status of accused, suspected, indicted or convicted. Two-thirds of them (213) learned about the criminal prosecution in 2019. The total number of criminal cases initiated is 135 (most often 2 or more defendants in one criminal case).

What is the geographical scope of repression for faith as of the end of 2019? Criminal cases have been initiated in 52 regions of Russia. In 2019, cases were opened in 21 new regions of Russia. (There are a total of 85 regions in Russia, which means that 61% of the regions are persecuted by Jehovah's Witnesses.)

How many convictions for faith were handed down in 2019, and how many of them went into effect. Although criminal prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation began in 2018, the first sentences were handed down in 2019. During the year, 18 people were found guilty and sentenced by the courts to various punishments, from large fines to 6 years in prison. An appeal has already been filed against 10 people, and the sentences have entered into force. Another 8 people are waiting for the decision of the appeal.

List of sentences handed down and entered into force in 2019:

On 23.05.2019, the Oryol Regional Court upheld the decision on the prison term for Dennis Christensen.
13.06.2019 The Oryol Regional Court upheld the conviction of Sergey Skrynnikov.
05.09.2019 The Perm Regional Court upheld the conviction of Alexander Solovyov. For his faith, he will pay a large fine of 300 thousand rubles.
05.11.2019 The Khabarovsk Regional Court replaced Valeriy Moskalenko with 26 months of forced labor with a large fine.
20.12.2019 The Saratov Regional Court did not change the sentence of Konstantin Bazhenov, Alexey Budenchuk, Gennady German, Roman Gridasov, Felix Makhammadiev, Alexey Miretsky. For their faith, they will be sent to a colony for terms ranging from 2 to 3.5 years.

List of sentences handed down in 2019 but not in force:

05.11.2019 Six years in prison for Sergey Klimov. A court in Tomsk handed down another guilty verdict for believing in Jehovah.
14.11.2019 The Ordzhonikidze District Court of Perm sentenced Alexei Metzger to a fine of 350 thousand for the right to practice religion (the prosecutor asked for 3 years in prison).
On 13.12.2019, the Leninsky District Court of Penza sentenced Vladimir Alushkin to 6 years in prison for his faith. His wife, Tatiana, and their fellow believers Galiya Olkhova, Denis Timoshin, Andrey Magliv and Vladimir Kulyasov were sentenced to 2 years of suspended imprisonment.

How many Jehovah's Witnesses have passed through the pre-trial detention center and how many are still being held there. Since May 2017, 149 believers, including 22 women, have been sent to jail. More than half of the total – 84 people – were detained during 2019.

List of believers who have already spent more than 6 months in jail (more than 30 people):

Abdulgalimov Marat, born in 1991, Under arrest since: June 1, 2019, SIZO-1 in the Republic of Dagestan

Abdullaev Arsen, born in 1979, Under arrest since: June 1, 2019, SIZO-1 in the Republic of Dagestan

Avanesov Arsen, born in 1983, Under arrest since: May 22, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Rostov region

Avanesov Vilen, born in 1952, Under arrest since: May 22, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Rostov region

Akopov Alexander, born in 1992, 359 days in jail

Alushkin Vladimir, born in 1964, 3 days in the temporary detention facility, 181 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Penza region, 333 days under house arrest. On December 13, 2019, by a court verdict, he was again taken into custody

Bazhenov Konstantin, born in 1975, 3 days in the temporary detention facility, 341 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Saratov region. On September 19, 2019, by a court verdict, he was again taken into custody

Barmakin Dmitry, born in 1974, 447 days in jail

Buglak Irina, born in 1975, 181 days in jail

Budenchuk Alexey, born in 1982, Under arrest since: June 12, 2018, 3 days in the temporary detention facility, 364 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Saratov region. On September 19, 2019, by a court verdict, he was again taken into custody

Valentina Vladimirova, born in 1956, 191 days in jail

Galkevich Tatiana, born in 1959, 190 days in jail

Anton Dergalev, born in 1985, Under arrest since: June 1, 2019, SIZO-1 in the Republic of Dagestan

Deshko Yevgeny, born in 1989, 207 days in jail

Sergey Klimov, born in 1970, convicted, Under arrest since: June 3, 2018, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Tomsk region

Christensen Dennis, born in 1972, 731 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the city of Orel, on May 23, 2019, by a court verdict, was sent to correctional colony No. 3 in the Kursk region

Kuzin Dmitry, born in 1965, 182 days in jail

Malkov Viktor, born in 1959, Under arrest since: April 25, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Smolensk region

Felix Makhammadiyev, born in 1984, convicted, 3 days in the temporary detention facility, 364 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Saratov region. On September 19, 2019, by a court verdict, he was again taken into custody

Makhnev Roman, born in 1976, 182 days in pre-trial detention

Moskalenko Valery, born in 1967, 396 days in jail

Osadchuk Valentin, born in 1976, 275 days in pre-trial detention

Ostapenko Anton, born in 1991, 246 days in jail

Parkov Alexander, born in 1967, Under arrest since: May 20, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Rostov region

Savelyev Yuriy, born in 1954, Under arrest since: November 8, 2018, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Novosibirsk region

Samsonov Konstantin, born in 1977, 361 days in jail

Sorokina Natalia, born in 1975, 191 days in jail

Stupnikov Andrey, born in 1973, 241 days in jail

Shamil Sultanov, born in 1977, 361 days in pre-trial detention

Maria Troshina, born in 1977, 191 days in pre-trial detention

Shalev Valery, born in 1977, Under arrest since: April 25, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Smolensk region

On December 31, 2019, 5 women are in the pre-trial detention center:

Tatiana Shamsheva, born in 1977, has been under arrest since June 11, 2019 in SIZO-1 in the Bryansk region

Silaeva Olga, born in 1988, under arrest since: June 11, 2019, SIZO-1 in the Bryansk region

Maria Karpova, born in 1980, under arrest since: June 1, 2019, SIZO-1 in the Republic of Dagestan

Bagratyan Alevtina, born in 1977, under arrest since: October 16, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Kursk region

Pegasheva Ekaterina, born in 1989, under arrest since: October 3, 2019, pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Republic of Mari El

How many searches have been conducted in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses? Since the ban on Jehovah's Witnesses organizations came into force, a total of 778 searches have been conducted in their homes. Of these, 489 searches were conducted in 2019. (A search is a significant restriction of a person's constitutional right to liberty and security of person, privacy, personal and family secrets, honor, and good name.)

Chronicle of the incursions into the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2019:

01/12/2019 Ipatovo (Stavropol Territory): 1 search was conducted
20.01.2019 Nogliki (Sakhalin Region): 3 searches carried out
01/20/2019 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Sakhalin Region): 6 searches conducted
01/20/2019 Nevelsk (Sakhalin Region): 1 search was conducted
01/27/2019 Furmanov (Ivanovo Region): 1 search was conducted
03.02.2019 Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory): 3 searches carried out
05.02.2019 Kirov (Kirov region): 1 search was conducted
06.02.2019 Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory): 1 search was conducted
06.02.2019 Saransk (Mordovia): 9 searches carried out
06.02.2019 Urai (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug): 2 searches were conducted
06.02.2019 Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory): 1 search was conducted
02/15/2019 Surgut (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug): 22 searches carried out
02/25/2019 Kurilsk (Sakhalin Region): 2 searches carried out
02/27/2019 Arkhangelsk (Arkhangelsk Region): 6 searches carried out
02/27/2019 Ulyanovsk (Ulyanovsk Region): 5 searches conducted
27.02.2019 Nefteyugansk (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug): 1 search was conducted
02/28/2019 Pyat-Yakh (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug): 1 search was conducted
03/01/2019 Cherepovets (Vologda Region): 1 search was conducted
03/13/2019 Severodvinsk (Arkhangelsk Region): 7 searches carried out
03/17/2019 Luchegorsk (Primorye Territory): 3 searches carried out
03/20/2019 Magadan (Magadan Region): 8 searches conducted
03/20/2019 Yalta (Crimea): 8 searches were conducted
03/21/2019 Zeya (Amur Region): 5 searches conducted
03/26/2019 Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk Region): 10 searches carried out
03/26/2019 Kirov (Kirov Region): 12 searches carried out
03.04.2019 Porkhov (Pskov region): 2 searches carried out
04/11/2019 Abakan (Khakassia): 4 searches carried out
04/15/2019 Omsk (Omsk Region): 1 search was conducted
04/16/2019 Karpinsk (Sverdlovsk Region): 1 search was conducted
04/19/2019 Partizansk (Primorye Territory): 2 searches carried out
04/19/2019 Sharypovo (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 11 searches carried out
04/19/2019 Novosibirsk (Novosibirsk Region): 13 searches conducted
04/19/2019 Minusinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 5 searches conducted
04/25/2019 Smolensk (Smolensk Region): 3 searches carried out
30.04.2019 Ufa (Bashkortostan): 2 searches carried out
05/08/2019 Omsk (Omsk Region): 5 searches were conducted
05/15/2019 Ulyanovsk (Ulyanovsk Region): 1 search was conducted
16.05.2019 Smolensk (Smolensk region): 2 searches carried out
05/16/2019 Volgograd (Volgograd Region): 7 searches carried out
05/22/2019 Rostov-on-Don (Rostov Region): 13 searches carried out
05/24/2019 Kirov (Kirov region): 1 search was conducted
06/01/2019 Makhachkala (Dagestan): 13 searches conducted
06/01/2019 Karachaevsk (Karachay-Cherkessia): 1 search was conducted
04.06.2019 Sevastopol (Sevastopol): 10 searches carried out
06/07/2019 Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 2 searches carried out
11.06.2019 Unecha and Novozybkov (Bryansk region): 22 searches carried out
12.06.2019 Moscow (Moscow): 1 search was conducted
14.06.2019 Sukhobuzimskoye (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 9 searches carried out
06/18/2019 Ussuriysk (Primorye Territory): 2 searches carried out
06/26/2019 Budyonnovsk (Stavropol Territory): 9 searches carried out
06/28/2019 Novosibirsk (Novosibirsk Region): 1 search was conducted
04.07.2019 Kostroma (Kostroma region): 1 search was conducted
07.07.2019 Sevastopol (Crimea): 1 search was conducted
07/09/2019 Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory): 1 search was conducted
07/09/2019 Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 2 searches carried out
07/11/2019 Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 1 search was conducted
13.07.2019 Yevpatoria (Crimea): 2 searches carried out
07/17/2019 Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod Region): 35 searches carried out
17.07.2019 Razdolnoye (Primorye Territory): 1 search was conducted
07/17/2019 Kirov (Kirov Region): 1 search was conducted
07/18/2019 Kirov (Kirov Region): 1 search was conducted
07/22/2019 Kemerovo (Kemerovo Region): 2 searches carried out
07/26/2019 Kaluga (Kaluga Region): 6 searches conducted
07/29/2019 Novosibirsk (Novosibirsk Region): 6 searches conducted
07/31/2019 Kirov (Kirov Region): 1 search was conducted
07/31/2019 St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg): 1 search was conducted
31.07.2019 Kondopoga (Karelia): 6 searches carried out
31.07.2019 Petrozavodsk (Karelia): 10 searches carried out
08/02/2019 Sukhobuzimskoye (Krasnoyarsk): 1 search was conducted
08/06/2019 Khabarovsk (Khabarovsk Territory): 1 search was conducted
15.08.2019 Razdolnoye (Primorye Territory): 2 searches carried out
02.10.2019 Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk Region): 1 search was conducted
03.10.2019 Chekhov (Moscow): 4 searches carried out
03.10.2019 Yoshkar-Ola (Mari El): 3 searches carried out
10.10.2019 Sochi (Krasnodar Territory): 35 searches conducted
10.10.2019 Oryol (Oryol Region): 2 searches carried out
10/16/2019 Kursk (Kursk region): 13 searches carried out
10/17/2019 Chekhov (Sakhalin Region): 1 search was conducted
10/17/2019 Kholmsk (Sakhalin Region): 2 searches conducted
17.10.2019 Kirov (Kirovskaya): 1 search was conducted
10/20/2019 Norilsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 5 searches conducted
10/21/2019 Kirov (Kirov Region): 2 searches carried out
10/23/2019 Ussuriysk (Primorye Territory): 1 search was conducted
23.10.2019 Novozybkov (Bryansk region): 2 searches carried out
10/23/2019 Georgievsk (Stavropol Territory): 3 searches carried out
10/24/2019 Kursk (Kursk region): 4 searches carried out
10/30/2019 Smolensk (Smolensk Region): 1 search was conducted
31.10.2019 Kursk (Kursk region): 3 searches carried out
01.11.2019 Soligalich (Kostroma region): 1 search was conducted
03.11.2019 Podolsk (Moscow): 1 search was conducted
04.11.2019 Angero-Sudzhensk (Kemerovo Region): 1 search was conducted
06.11.2019 Borodino (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 1 search was conducted
06.11.2019 Kursk (Kursk region): 2 searches carried out
11.11.2019 Kursk (Kursk region): 1 search was conducted
11.11.2019 Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory): 3 searches carried out
11/14/2019 Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 8 searches were conducted
11/17/2019 Tynda (Amur Region): 9 searches conducted
11/18/2019 Kholmsk (Sakhalin Region): 2 searches conducted
11/21/2019 Smolensk (Smolensk Region): 1 search was conducted
22.11.2019 Smolensk (Smolensk region): 1 search was conducted
03.12.2019 Lipetsk (Lipetsk Region): 7 searches carried out
03.12.2019 Wärtsilä (Karelia): 1 search was conducted
06.12.2019 Surgut (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug): 2 searches carried out
12/16/2019 Cherkessk (Karachay-Cherkessia): 12 searches carried out
12/19/2019 Vologda (Vologda Oblast): 6 searches carried out
12/26/2019 Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 6 searches conducted
30.12.2019 Murmansk (Murmansk region): 5 searches conducted

Russian and foreign leaders and organizations unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Among them:

The Russian government has repeatedly stated that the decisions of the Russian courts on the liquidation and prohibition of organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses "do not assess the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually."