One of Jehovah's Witnesses From Barnaul Will Serve Forced Labor for His Love of the Bible The Court Deemed Peaceful Meetings for Worship to Be Extremism

The Industrialnyy 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 closing arguments of the parties and the defendant's final statement were presented. The court announced the verdict 10 minutes after.

More than 20 years ago, studying the Bible changed the 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 situations. As I got to know God better, I loved him with all my heart. And now I try to live according to Bible principles and not violate them." However, investigator Yevgeniy Kozuchenko saw extremism in Manuylov's peaceful meetings with friends.

In early August 2023, the law enforcement officers searched the believer's home. Then he was interrogated as a witness in the case of Valeriy Klokov, after which he was released. Eight months later, Vitaliy was again summoned for interrogation, where he was accused of participating in the activity of an extremist organization because he "actively quoted the Holy Scriptures" at the meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses. The believer was placed in a temporary detention facility, and the next day the court placed 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. I took care of all the household chores in order to somehow help my wife." Fellow believers also supported Vitaliy — they brought food and helped financially.

The case went to court in June 2024. The prosecutor requested a sentence of 3 years imprisonment for 51-year-old Vitaliy Manuylov.

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