An Appeal in Lipetsk Upheld the Sentence of Three Jehovah's Witnesses—Fines for Talking About the Bible

On January 20, 2022, the Lipetsk Regional Court denied the appeal of Artur Netreba, Alexandr Kostrov and Viktor Bachurin and upheld the sentence of the lower court. Believers are required to pay a fine of 300,000 rubles each.

In November 2021, the court found three Jehovah's Witnesses from Lipetsk guilty of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and fined each of them 500 thousand rubles, but the amount was reduced to 300 thousand, since the believers spent almost a year in a pre-trial detention center. The court considered it a "grave crime against the constitutional order" for believers to participate in peaceful religious meetings and discuss the Bible with others.

The criminal case against Kostrov, Bachurin and Netreba was initiated on December 2, 2019, on the same day their homes were searched, followed by arrest.

A psychologist, a religious scholar and a linguist were involved in the criminal case as experts, who did not find signs of extremism in the activities of the defendants or the motivation of others to do so. There were no casualties or any harm from the actions of the believers.

The verdict has entered into force, but believers consider it illegal and can appeal in cassation, as well as in international instances.

In total, 10 people have already been prosecuted for their faith in the Lipetsk region, including 3 women. Repressions against Jehovah's Witnesses continue despite the explanation of the Plenum of the Supreme Court that the joint worship of believers in itself is not a crime.