For His Love of the Bible, One of Jehovah's Witnesses From Barnaul Will Serve Forced Labor. The Court Considered Peaceful Religious Services to Be Extremism

The Industrial District Court of Barnaul sentenced Vitaliy Manuylov to 2 years of forced labor for his faith in God. Judge Yevgeniy Saprykin made this decision on November 19, 2024. On that day, the arguments of the parties and the defendant's last word took place. 10 minutes later, the court announced the verdict.

More than 20 years ago, Bible study changed a believer's life for the better. In his final statement, he said: "My lifestyle was not entirely healthy—I drank a lot, fought a lot and got into different stories. As I got to know God better, I loved him with all my heart. And now I try to live according to biblical principles and not violate them." However, investigator Yevgeniy Kozuchenko saw extremism in Manuylov's peaceful meetings with friends.

In early August 2023, the security forces came to search the believer's home. Then he was interrogated as a witness in the case of Valeriy Klokov, after which he was released. After 8 months, Vitaliy was again summoned for interrogation, where he was accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization because he "actively quoted the book of Holy Scripture" at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses. The believer was placed in a temporary detention center, and the next day the court sent him under house arrest.

Manuylov told what helped him cope with stress when he could not leave the house for more than 3 months: "Of course, first of all, exercise in the morning. Running from corner to corner is uncomfortable, of course, but then you get used to it. He took care of all the household chores in order to somehow relieve his wife." Fellow believers also supported Vitaliy—they brought food, helped financially.

The case went to court in June 2024. The prosecutor requested a sentence of 3 years of real imprisonment for Vitaliy Manuilov, 51.

In total, 9 Jehovah's Witnesses have already been persecuted for their faith in the Altai Territory. Two of them are serving their sentences in penal colonies.