Olga Mirgorodskaya and Sergey Kazakov
The Regional Court in Khabarovsk Reduced the Fine of One of the Two Jehovah's Witnesses Convicted for Faith
Khabarovsk TerritoryOn October 30, 2023, a panel of judges of the Khabarovsk Regional Court approved the conviction of Olga Mirgorodskaya and Sergey Kazakov. Believers will pay fines to the state. Olga — 300,000 rubles, as ruled by the court of first instance, and Sergey — 200,000 rubles, which is 2.5 times less than the amount originally appointed by the court.
Both believers still insist on their innocence and believe that the decisions of the courts violate the laws of the Russian Federation. According to Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya, they were convicted not for real extremism, but "only for professing beliefs based on the Bible and peacefully practicing their Christian faith as Jehovah's Witnesses."
The defense stated that what was happening "is reminiscent of the totalitarian regime in Soviet times, when Jehovah's Witnesses were exiled to the eastern part of the USSR in special Gulag camps ... The actual purpose of the verdict is to violate the rights of the convicted persons and force them to change their religion or renounce their faith under pain of criminal prosecution."
Convictions for beliefs of another 13 residents of the Khabarovsk Territory have already entered into force. Twelve believers were given suspended sentences, and one received a fine.