Another Elderly Prisoner of Conscience Convicted in Novocheboksarsk. Aleksandr Protasov, 68, Received Suspended Sentence for His Faith in Jehovah God

On May 30, 2025, the court announced its verdict against Aleksandr Protasov — a 6-year suspended sentence for reading the Bible, discussing it with other people and praying to God. "My life is based on love, not hatred," he said at one of the hearings, and denied being guilty of extremism.

Protasov is a pensioner from Novocheboksarsk, and was awarded the Order of Honor. In May 2023, his family's home was searched. "I remember after everyone had left, we sat on the sofa, and didn't know what to do next," Aleksandr recalls. In the fall of the next year, a criminal case was initiated against him.

The prosecution brought new difficulties to the life of the Protasovs. "Recognizance agreement, bank accounts being blocked... And I have relatives who live outside the Republic, and now I could not visit them," Aleksandr said. "It was difficult to come to terms with such a situation." But, according to Protasov, his biggest worries were for his wife and son (both have disabilities): "They suffer from clinical depression, and this situation only aggravates their condition. I tried to be with them when it was very hard for them. We talked about our wonderful future and prayed a lot."

The trial of Protasov lasted 2 months, and the court hearings were closed. Although Jehovah's Witnesses did not have a registered legal entity in Novocheboksarsk, judge Dmitriy Yefimov found Protasov guilty of resuming the activity of the liquidated organization.

The criminal prosecution of Aleksandr Protasov in Novocheboksarsk was preceded by the case of 86-year-old Yuriy Yuskov. Up until now, nine of Jehovah's Witnesses have been convicted in Chuvash Republic.