Court in Zeya Gave Yevgeniy Sokolov a 3-Year Suspended Sentence. He Defends his Beliefs in Two Courts

On May 29, 2024, Arina Fedorova, judge of the Zeya District Court of the Amur Region, gave Yevgeniy Sokolov, 48, a 3-year suspended sentence. He attended the last hearings via video conferencing, as he is simultaneously being tried in another criminal case in Voronezh — 7400 kilometers from Zeya.

The court found him guilty of participating in the activity of an extremist organization. The believer was also given a probation period of 3 years with deprivation of the right to engage in leading and participating in any activity of public organizations for 3 years and additional restriction of freedom for 10 months. The prosecutor requested a 3-year sentence in a penal colony. The verdict has not entered into force.

The Zeya case was initiated in December 2022. The charge was based on hidden audio and video recordings of meetings for worship, which, at the direction of the FSB, were made by a woman who pretended to be interested in the Bible.

Speaking before the court, Sokolov said: "I am not acting against the constitutional foundations of the state, but on the contrary, I am defending my constitutional right, which I am guaranteed — to practice my Christian religion together with others."

The Amur Region today holds the record for the number of Jehovah's Witnesses imprisoned in penal colonies — 13 believers are already serving time for their peaceful beliefs.