The Court of Cassation in the Krasnodar Territory Left One of Jehovah's Witness Aleksandr Nikolayev Behind Bars

On July 27, 2023, the Fourth General Jurisdiction Court of Cassation upheld the sentence and appeal ruling against Aleksandr Nikolayev, a resident of Kholmskaya – 2 years and 6 months in a penal colony. However, the court canceled the additional restriction of freedom following the main term imposed on the convict.

On December 23, 2021, the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory found the believer guilty of participating in the activity of an extremist organization for peacefully practicing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses and sentenced him to 2.5 years in a penal colony. The court of appeal upheld this decision.

In the cassation appeal, the defense drew attention to significant violations of the norms of the Criminal and Criminal Procedural Codes which influenced the outcome of the case. Thus, no evidence was presented in court that the convicted person had committed any unlawful acts or that his behavior was of a socially dangerous nature. In addition, there is no evidence whatsoever that Aleksandr Nikolayev had the intent to commit a crime or a motive to incite hatred or enmity, while exercising his right to freedom of religion.

Due to religious persecution, Aleksandr has been separated from his family and has been behind bars since September 2021. His release from the penal colony is planned for the end of September 2023.

According to Aleksandr, friends and other caring people help him to stay positive: “Because of our difficulties, fellow believers began to write to us from all over the world and sent parcels. One woman from America sent vitamins.”

Russian human rights activists and the global community condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, and criminal prosecution for their faith has been recognized as unlawful by the ECHR.