The court in Astrakhan approved real sentences for four Jehovah's Witnesses

On March 3, the Astrakhan Regional Court approved real sentences for Jehovah's Witnesses Rustam Diarov, Sergei Klikunov and Evgeniy and Olga Ivanov. Information and Analytical Center "Sova" about this.

reports the Trusovsky District Court of Astrakhan in October 2021, eight years in a general regime colony for Diarov, Ivanov and Klikunov. Olga Ivanova was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

appointed The men were found guilty of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code) and financing extremist activities (Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code). Ivanov - participation in the activities of an extremist organization (Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code).

The court found that the defendants organized meetings of believers, and agreed with the conclusions of the investigation that the defendants promoted their religious teachings and distributed literature. According to the investigation, not wanting to be exposed, Astrakhan Jehovah's Witnesses used secrecy measures, including video conferencing, and also collected money.

The prosecutor asked the court to sentence Diarova, Klikunova and Ivanova to eight and a half years of imprisonment in a colony with deprivation of the right to manage and participate in the work of public organizations for five years and with restriction of freedom for a year, and Olga Ivanova - four years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to lead and participate in the work of public organizations. participate in the work of public organizations for a period of three years and with restriction of freedom for a year.

“Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia” that Olga and Evgeniya Ivanov, Sergei Klikunov and Rustan Diarov are being transported to the place where they are serving their sentences - it became known that they were transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Astrakhan. Previously, they were in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Dagestan.

On May 4, it was reported that on April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court declared the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” an extremist organization, liquidated it and banned its activities on the territory of Russia. In August, all organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses were added to the list of prohibited organizations. After this, a stream of criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses throughout Russia. admitted entered started