"Educated, Tactful and Does Not Arouse Suspicion". In Cheboksary Jehovah's Witness Sentenced to 6.5 Years Imprisonment

On September 22, 2026, the Novocheboksarsk City Court sentenced Albert Pilshchikov, 46, to 6.5 years in a penal colony. He was found guilty of organizing the activity of an extremist organization for practicing his religion. Pilshchikov was taken into custody immediately after the verdict was announced.

"What is wrong with the fact that I became a believer, gave up bad habits, became attentive, kind... loving?" Albert asked in his final statement. "Which of these things did the prosecution see as 'extremism'? Honestly, I do not understand."

At the prosecutor's request part of the trial, presided over by Judge Yekaterina Ogoreltseva, was held behind closed doors. Nevertheless, Albert's friends gathered outside the courthouse to support him — on various days, between 50 and 60. Pilshchikov's mother, despite having a disability, attended every hearing.

The key witness for the prosecution was "Nikolayev", whose identity remained classified. The defense twice filed motions to disclose his identity, but the court refused. "The prosecution actively relied on audio and video recordings made by Nikolayev," Albert commented in court. "But at the hearing, the witness stated that he did not make any recordings. So where did they come from?" Another prosecution witness, Afanasyev, officer for the Center for Counteracting Extremism, described the believer as follows: "Pilshchikov is educated, tactful, calm and does not arouse suspicion."

The evidence included a video that the investigation claimed to be a meeting for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses in French. However, when examined in court it was found to be a medical webinar on osteopathy.

The search of Albert's home took place back in the fall of 2020. A criminal case was initiated against him more than 5 years later, in March 2026. Then he was also detained. "Law enforcement officers knocked me to the ground, put handcuffs on me, dragged me into a minibus, and threatened to use physical force," Albert recounted. After several days in the pretrial detention center, he was placed under house arrest, which lasted until the verdict.

Pilshchikov is the tenth Jehovah's Witnesses in Chuvashia against whom a criminal case has been initiated. Most defendants in this region are elderly.