The Case of Lukin in Biysk

Case History

In December 2022, in Biysk, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against unidentified persons, as part of which searches were conducted in the homes of local Jehovah’s Witnesses in January 2023. After that, Sergey Lukin, an entrepreneur from Biysk, was named as a suspect. According to the investigation, he took part in the “activity of an extremist organization” — this is how an ordinary meeting of believers to discuss the Bible is viewed. The reason for the criminal prosecution was a statement from a man who was allegedly interested in the Bible. After interrogation, Lukin was released under a recognizance agreement. In January 2024, the court began to consider the case on its merits. The trial resulted in a guilty verdict — a 4.5-year suspended sentence. The court announced the decision in December 2024. After 3 months, the court of appeal replaced the sentence with 4.5 years of forced labor.

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