In Chekhov, the Court Gave Four Believers From Two to Six Years Probation for Discussing the Bible

On May 24, 2021, the judge of the Chekhov City Court of the Moscow Region, Irina Pantela, found four local Jehovah's Witnesses guilty of extremism and assigned them a suspended sentence: Yuriy Krutyakov - 6 years with a probation period of 5 years; Zinaida Krutyakova - 2 years and 3 months with a probationary period of 2 years, Konstantin Zherebtsov - 2 years and 2 months with a probationary period of 2 years, Vitaliy Nikiforov - 2 years with the same probationary period.

The verdict has not entered into force and can be appealed. The believers insist on their complete innocence.

69-year-old pensioner Yuriy Krutyakov has worked all his life in the construction industry and has gone from a foreman to the head of the production and technical department. Yuriy's wife Zinaida has also devoted more than 30 years to the construction industry. Criminal prosecutions for their faith damaged their health and robbed them of their livelihood.

Yuriy Krutyakov spent 445 days in the pre-trial detention center, despite the fact that he voluntarily came to the Investigative Committee, which means that he had no intention of hiding from the investigation. He was placed in a special unit for especially dangerous criminals. The believer suffers from a number of serious diseases, has undergone several operations, including on the eyes, as a result of which his vision has deteriorated sharply. Numerous appeals about proper medical examination and treatment, which Yuri sent to the management of the Moscow SIZO-7, where he was held until his transfer to a new place, remained unanswered.

Vitaliy Nikiforov served as an aircraft technician in the Russian Air Force in various regions, including the Arctic Circle. He took part in the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, has a war veteran's certificate. He was convicted of faith in God, thanks to which he got rid of alcohol addiction.

Konstantin Zherebtsov worked hard for many years at various nuclear power plants and other enterprises of the energy complex, he has numerous certificates and letters of thanks on his account. In connection with the criminal prosecution, Konstantin cannot financially support his family. In October 2019, due to stress, his heart problems worsened.

After night searches in October 2019, Zinaida Krutyakova, Konstantin Zherebtsov and Viktor Nikiforov were detained and sent to a temporary detention facility. Then they spent almost 600 days under house arrest.

A criminal case against Chekhov's believers was initiated on September 30, 2019 and was investigated by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region. The investigation lasted 445 days. On December 18, 2020, the case materials were transferred to the court.

The investigation regards the peaceful conversations of believers as extremist activity. The criminal case is based on the testimony of Stanislav Kuznetsky, with whom Yuriy Krutyakov met at the station and later discussed the Bible. As it turned out later, Kuznetsky worked for the FSB and, on instructions from the special services, portrayed an interest in biblical teachings. He called Krutyakov, complained about family troubles, asked for Bible advice and asked about like-minded people. The Zherebtsov, Nikiforov and Krutyakovs were under surveillance, their phones were tapped.

One of the investigators, Golovanov, who conducted operational-search measures against believers, admitted at a hearing in the Chekhov City Court that, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, the Bible cannot be recognized as extremist material, so Jehovah's Witnesses can read and discuss it together with others.

Lawyers and human rights activists both in Russia and abroad unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Government of the Russian Federation emphasized that "Acts of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation [of 20.04.2017 and 17.07.2017] do not assess the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually." According to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "members of the liquidated organization [of Jehovah's Witnesses] can independently practice a religious cult, including as part of religious groups that do not require registration."