Biography
Case History
In November 2020, a big special operation took place in Moscow—22 searches in the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Vardan Zakaryan was hospitalized due to injuries inflicted by the security forces. He, Vitaliy Komarov, Yuriy Chernyshev, Ivan Сhaikovskiy and Sergey Shatalov were placed in an isolation ward at 38 Petrovka Street. Four believers were accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, and Zakaryan was accused of involvement in it. It is noteworthy that Сhaikovskiy in 2010, through the ECHR, obtained compensation for the violation of his rights due to the illegal liquidation of the Moscow community of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In the winter of 2022, the case went to court. The accusation was based on the testimony of the FSB agent “Makarov”, who feigned an interest in the Bible. In March 2023, the court sentenced Сhaikovskiy, Komarov, Chernyshev and Shatalov to 6 years and 3 months in prison; Zakaryan was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in a penal colony. The appeal upheld this decision in April 2024.