From left to right: the Mikhaylovs, Svetlana Shishina, Svetlana Ryzhkova and Aleksey Arkhipov on the day of the verdict

From left to right: the Mikhaylovs, Svetlana Shishina, Svetlana Ryzhkova and Aleksey Arkhipov on the day of the verdict

From left to right: the Mikhaylovs, Svetlana Shishina, Svetlana Ryzhkova and Aleksey Arkhipov on the day of the verdict

Unjust Verdicts

Court in Shuya Fined 5 Jehovah's Witnesses for Reading the Bible Together. They Must Pay the State From 380 to 950 Thousand Rubles

Ivanovo Region

On January 29, 2024, Anton Mokin, judge of the Shuya City Court of the Ivanovo Region, sentenced Aleksey Arkhipov, Svetlana Ryzhkova, Svetlana Shishina, and the couple Dmitriy and Yelena Mikhaylov to large fines for their faith in Jehovah God.

Aleksey Arkhipov was fined 380,000, Svetlana Shishina 400,000, Svetlana Ryzhkova 480,000, Yelena Mikhaylova 560,000, and her husband Dmitriy Mikhaylov 950,000 rubles. The prosecution requested a fine of 1,200,000 rubles for Mikhaylov, taking into account the time of detention; for Mikhaylova and Ryzhkova — 600,000 rubles; for Shishina and Arkhipov — 400,000 rubles. The believers insist on their innocence and have the right to appeal.

"Actually, I am accused of believing in God," commented Dmitriy Mikhaylov on the accusation. "I am charged with discussing religious topics with my friends." He also emphasized that the linguistic forensic expert study did not reveal signs of extremism in the materials examined. His wife Yelena said: "The charges against me are serious, but there is no concrete evidence."

Svetlana Shishina, a mother of two, said: "I have always respected people of different religious denominations, and I teach my children to do the same." "The charges against me are far-fetched, unfounded and not lawful," said Svetlana Ryzhkova. Aleksey Arkhipov, in turn, emphasized: "I have never plotted or intended to commit any illegal actions against the authorities, nevermind undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and state security, as this contradicts my beliefs as a Christian and a God-fearing person."

Criminal prosecution of the believers began in 2018; their homes were searched. Later it turned out, that prior to that, a hidden video camera had been installed at least at one of the addresses, and one person, on the instructions of the special forces, feigned interest in the Bible. After his arrest, Dmitriy Mikhaylov spent 6 months in a pretrial detention center. His wife, together with other women whose husbands were imprisoned for their faith in God, sent an open letter to the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights. In response to this letter, a request was sent to the General Prosecutor's Office to check the legality and validity of the criminal prosecution of citizens professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, the criminal prosecution did not stop. The case was returned twice to the investigator for revision and after 4 years it was re-submitted to the court, which considered the case for 1.5 years.

On April 26, 2019, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an opinion on Dmitriy Mikhaylov's complaint, calling on the Russian authorities to stop his criminal prosecution and grant him the right to compensation and reparation.

The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya

Case History
Wiretapping, deploying a provocateur, hidden video recording in the homes of believers — that is how the prosecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the town of Shuya began in the spring of 2017. A year later, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against peaceful believer Dmitriy Mikhaylov under three articles for extremism. In 2018, homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched: believers were treated rudely, pressured, and even a 10-year-old girl was interrogated. New defendants appeared in the case: Yelena Mikhaylova, Svetlana Ryzhkova, Svetlana Shishina and Aleksey Arkhipov. Mikhaylov spent 6 months in a pretrial detention center. The case was returned twice to the investigator for revision by the procecutor and by the judge. The consideration of the case on its merits began in May 2022. In January 2024 the court gave its guilty vedict, fining the believers: Arkhipov 380,000, Shishina 400,000, Ryzhkova 480,000, Mikhaylova 560,000, and Dmitriy Mikhaylov 950,000 rubles.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Ivanovo Region
Locality:
Shuya
Suspected of:
according to the investigation he participated in religious services, which is interpreted as participating in and funding of “the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802240009000024
Initiated:
April 19, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Ivanovo Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-1/2024 (1-2/2023; 1-138/2022)
Court:
Шуйский городской суд Ивановской области
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Антон Мокин
Case History
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