The Court of Appeal in Penza Upheld the Suspended Sentence for Viktor Shayapov

On May 31, 2023, the Judicial Chamber of the Penza Regional Court upheld the verdict against Viktor Shayapov - a 2-year suspended sentence. The verdict has entered into force and the believer has the right to appeal against it in the cassation procedure.

The Nikolskiy District Court of the Penza Region ruled in November 2022 that the believer was guilty of the activity of an extremist organization. Shayapov disagrees: “I did not engage in extremist or other unlawful activities. I lead a peaceful life, respect the authorities and obey the law because I believe in God”. The defense also argues that the court had no convincing reasons for the guilty verdict: no evidence of criminal actions by Viktor, no eyewitness testimonies, no victims.

In his final statement, Viktor Shayapov stated: "Jehovah's Witnesses have not committed any crime. However, there are those who try to label the actions of ordinary believers - reading the Bible, preaching, joint meetings, prayers and singing of spiritual songs - as a crime that undermines the order and security of the state." The judges did not allow Viktor to complete his statement and decided to uphold the verdict.

Despite the fact that the European Court of Human Rights has exonerated Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, local law enforcement officers and courts continue to repress believers solely for their religious views.