Court in Moscow Handed Down a Harsh Sentence to Three of Jehovah's Witnesses — From 6.5 to 7.5 Years in Penal Colonies for Their Faith

On December 22, 2023, the trial of three Jehovah's Witnesses from Moscow was completed. For singing religious songs and praying, Sergey Khomyakov, judge of the Cheremushkinsky District Court, sentenced the believers to a penal colony: Aleksandr Rumyantsev to 7.5, Sean Pike to 7, and Eduard Sviridov to 6.5 years.

At the end of the summer of 2021, a series of searches took place in the homes of believers in Moscow, as a result of which three ended up in a pretrial detention center. The investigation of the criminal case was carried out over 15 months by an investigator of the Directorate for the Yugo-Zapadny District of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. Then the case was considered in court for 13 months. As a result, by the time of the verdict, the believers had spent 2 years and 4 months in pretrial detention.

Eduard Sviridov, 59, in whose house meetings for worship were secretly recorded, denied the accusation of extremism and mentioned that the investigation did not provide full transcripts of these meetings. In court, he said: "It was not clear what was said at these meetings. Phrases taken out of context, distortions, loose paraphrase – that's what is presented in place of transcripts." He related what they learned at meetings for worship: "To show love to others, to maintain good relationships, to settle differences, to treat everyone without prejudice, to show hospitality."

Sean Pike, 52, father of two minor daughters, said: "And there can be no talk of hatred toward people or a feeling superior to anyone. This is contrary to kindness and goodness. This would not be an expression of love for God and people.This is not the Christian way. It's unthinkable for me!"

Aleksandr Rumyantsev, 46, who takes care of his mother, who is disabled, also emphasized: "I am sure that my religious beliefs benefit society and the state, because I live in harmony with the words: 'Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.'"

The prosecutor deemed peaceful religious practice to be organizing the activity of an extremist organization and requested that each of the defendants be sentenced to 8 years in a penal colony. They have the right to appeal the verdict.

In Moscow, 9 more Jehovah's Witnesses aged 45 to 70 have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for their faith.

A report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance expressed concern that "anti-extremist legislation [of the Russian Federation] is being used against certain religious minorities, in particular against Jehovah's Witnesses."