The Appeal Court in Blagoveshchensk Upheld the Sentencing of Five Jehovah's Witnesses to a Penal Colony for More Than 6 Years for Their Beliefs

On May 11, 2023, the panel of judges of the Amur Regional Court did not grant the appeal of Sergey Afanasiyev, Sergey Kardakov, Sergey Yermilov, Anton Olshevskiy and Adam Svarichevskiy against the decision of the court of first instance, which equated peaceful religious activity with extremism. The verdict has entered into force.

Earlier, Daria Varkalevich, judge of the Blagoveshchensk City Court of the Amur Region, sentenced Sergey Afanasiyev to 6.5 years, Sergey Kardakov to 6 years and 4 months, Sergey Yermilov, Anton Olshevskiy and Adam Svarichevskiy to 6 years and 3 months in prison.

The courts considered it a crime to believe in Jehovah God and meet with like-minded people to pray and discuss the Bible. The believers insist that they did not commit any crimes. They have the right to file a cassation appeal.

Sergey Afanasiyev, considering the prosecution unjust, said: “Just as literal iron, having passed through fire, is tempered, so thanks to these trials, my faith has become even stronger”.

The persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk began back in 2017. Several of them were under covert surveillance. Later, their homes were searched. In October 2019, FSB investigator Obukhov initiated a criminal case against Anton Olshevskiy and Sergey Yermilov and charged the others within a year. All five were accused of organizing the activity of an extremist organization, and Afanasiyev was also accused of financing it.

The prosecution for their faith also affected the wives of two believers — Valentina Yermilova and Yekaterina Olshevskaya. Since July 2021, they have been defendants in another criminal case, which is also being investigated by investigator Obukhov. In the Amur Region, more than 20 believers have been prosecuted for extremism, four of whom are already serving sentences in penal colonies.

According to the decision of the RF Supreme Court, the decision of the Plenum of the RF Supreme Court and the letter of of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the RF, participation in peaceful religious services after the liquidation of the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses is not a crime.