Court Ruled in the Case of Valeriy Klokov, Jehovah's Witness from Altai Territory: 3 Years in Penal Colony

On February 7, 2025, Dmitriy Malikov, judge of the Industrialnyy District Court of Barnaul, sentenced Valeriy Klokov to 3 years imprisonment. The court considered statements about the need to live according to God's commandments as "propaganda of exclusivity and superiority... of Jehovah's Witnesses."

Klokov faced criminal prosecution in July 2023. Then the Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory initiated a criminal case against him. The believer's home was searched, he was sent to a temporary detention facility for 2 days, and then placed under house arrest for 1 year. During that time, investigator Yevgeniy Kozuchenko charged Klokov with organizing the activity of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC). The case went to court in July 2024, at the same time the preventive measure imposed on him was changed to a ban on certain actions.

The believer does not agree with the verdict. "It pains me to hear that actions motivated solely by love for God and neighbor are being interpreted as a threat to society," he said in court. "In my opinion the charges against me are not only unfair, but they also cast a shadow on who I am as a person."

According to Valeriy, it was his faith in God that helped him avoid taking a dangerous path when he lost his parents in his teenage years. Then, he had to take care of his sick grandmother and a large farm, whilst graduating from secondary and music schools with honors. Valeriy is still caring for his grandmother.

Due to the criminal prosecution, Valeriy Klokov lost his job and therefore, could no longer provide for his family; the house arrest has had a detrimental effect on his health. But he tries to find something positive even in such difficult circumstances.

In the Altai Territory, already nine people have been prosecuted, two of them are in a penal colony.