Two and a Half Years Suspended for Resident of Birobidzhan. The 27th Conviction of One of Jehovah's Witnesses by Local Court

On November 14, 2025, the court sentenced Igor Prityko, 55, to a suspended term, recognizing him as a participant in the activities of an extremist organization. The believer himself pleaded not guilty and called the persecution a manifestation of "rejection of religious views."

"By the nature of my work, I communicate a lot with people and try to focus on the positive traits of a person. It helped me... to gain a reputation as a reliable partner, a responsive, friendly interlocutor," Prityko, who has changed several professions in the field of construction and repair work during his life, told the court. "Helping people find hope for the wonderful future promised by God, I became the happiest person. All this, Your Honor, is my contribution to maintaining peace in society," he added, highlighting the incompatibility of his lifestyle with extremism.

Birobidzhan is one of the Russian cities with the largest number of criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses: at the time of publication of this news, there were 24 of them (initiated against 28 people). Four believers were sent to a penal colony, and 21 people received suspended sentences. The persecution of Igor Prityko began in the winter of 2024 - the law enforcement officers conducted the first search , and the next year, after another raid, investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation D. Emelianenko opened a criminal case against the believer. Soon the trial began in the Birobidzhan District Court, led by Judge Svetlana Zemtsova.

Igor grew up in a large family and, being the eldest child, was used to taking care of his loved ones from childhood, but with the beginning of the investigation it became more difficult to do this. "I don't work much, and the entire financial burden fell on the shoulders of my wife," the believer explained the situation and added: "Although an active life slowed down due to various restrictions and it became difficult to provide for the family, we did not need anything. Misfortune has united us. There is less fuss and more time for the family."