The Second Appeal Found Jehovah's Witnesses From the Town of Tynda Guilty of Extremism. Four Believers Received More Than 6 Years in the Penal Colony Each

On September 5, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld the sentence of four Jehovah's Witnesses. For meetings with fellow believers, Vladimir Bukin, Valeriy Slashchev and Sergey Yuferov will have to serve a sentence of six years and four months in prison, and Mikhail Burkov - six years and two months. The verdict has entered into force.

Back in October 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court sentenced believers to various terms of imprisonment ranging from six years and two months to six years and six months. However, an appeal overturned this decision, and the men were released from the pre-trial detention center, where they each spent two months. The retrial of the case was completed in June 2023. Judge Valentina Brikova issued a verdict that differed slightly from the first one - from six years and two months to six years and four months in prison.

In their appeals, the believers noted that "the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and did not assess the legitimacy of the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and the ways in which they were expressed." According to the accused, it follows that "despite the liquidation of legal entities, [they] still have the right to freely practice the religion of [their] choice, including reading the Bible and discussing it with others, praying to God, singing songs praising God, and talking to other people about their faith." Believers still insist on their innocence. They have the right to appeal the verdict in the court of cassation.

In the Amur Region, nine more of Jehovah's Witnesses were convicted for their faith and sentenced to six years or more in prison.