Russians in Crimea convict 4 Jehovah's Witnesses for participation in "extremist community"

The occupation court of Yalta in Russian-annexed Crimea has sentenced four Jehovah's Witnesses who had been charged with involvement in the organisation and financing of an "extremist community" to various terms of imprisonment.

Source: Crimea.Realities: Radio Liberty, citing Russia's Investigative Service

Quote: "The three organisers were given various prison terms ranging from six and a half years to 6 years 1 month, which will be served in a general-regime penal colony. In addition, at the end of their sentence, their freedom will be restricted for a period of one year. The court gave the active member of the group a three-year suspended sentence with a similar probationary period. The court's verdict has not entered into force."

Details: The Russians say that a fifth Jehovah's Witnesses is currently "on the international wanted list". Neither the convicted individuals nor the accused have been named, and they have not made any public comments.

The Russian authorities have been persecuting Jehovah's Witnesses since the mid-2010s, and in 2017, the Supreme Court banned their activities in Russia and declared them extremist. The decision has been widely criticised by human rights groups and the international community, and in June, it was recognised as inconsistent with Moscow's commitments by the European Court of Human Rights. 

Hundreds of members of the denomination have been convicted of extremism under criminal law in Russia, and more than a hundred have been sent to prison.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!