In the Kuzbass of the Jehovah's Witness with disabilities, they planted for 7 years

The Central District Court of Prokopyevsk, Kemerovo Region, sentenced the 53-year-old Jehovah witness Andrei Vlasov to seven years in a general regime colony, the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia website said . The believer was accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization.

According to the investigation, Vlasov organized the "activity of the prohibited legal entity" with several other believers.

The criminal case against Vlasov was opened in July 2020. Ten days later, the FSB officers searched in his house and at the workplace. The investigation lasted almost a year, in 2021 the case was referred to court.

Vlasov was placed under house arrest, despite the disability of the II group. The prosecutor requested him eight and a half years in prison.

The defendants in this case were two more local residents. They were charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organization.

In 2017, the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization in Russia recognized as extremist and banned its activities. The country continues the criminal prosecution of the followers of the organization. At the moment, in conclusion, there are more than 80 followers of Jehovah's witnesses.

In November 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that the services of Jehovah's Witnesses cannot be considered the activities of an extremist organization. The decision of the court, mandatory for the use of lower courts, indicates that the ban on religious organizations does not mean a ban on freedom of conscience and religion, including the joint confession of religion or worship.