Supreme Court of Tatarstan Upholds the Sentence Against Three Jehovah's Witnesses from Nizhnekamsk — 6 Years Suspended

On December 8, 2023, the Judicial Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan upheld the verdict against Stanislav Klyuchnikov, Dmitriy Yarchak and Denis Filatov. The decision has entered into force; the convicted persons have the right to appeal in the court of cassation.

The believers drew attention to the fact that they were found guilty of extremism on the basis of the decision of the Supreme Court of April 20, 2017, but this decision was not a ban on a religious denomination with its inherent teachings, spiritual terminology, the arrangements for meetings for worship and the dissemination of religious beliefs.

In his final statement before the court of appeal, Dmitry Yarchak emphasized: "I am in the dock not for murder, not for theft, not for some evil deeds, but for being a disciple of Jesus." Yarchak has been disabled since childhood; participating in investigative actions and the trial is not easy for him. However, he does not lose courage. "Of course, my physical and emotional health has been shaken, but my faith has become stronger," he said in court.

Stanislav Klyuchnikov noted: "How can people who adhere to the rules or principles written in the Bible be dangerous to the state and society and be called 'extremists'?" He also drew the court's attention to the fact that his faith in Jehovah God helped him break with an antisocial group and become a useful member of society: "In fact, I was a danger to society before I became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1998."

The defendants are among 13 Jehovah's Witnesses from Tatarstan who have been prosecuted for their beliefs.