Believer from Krasnoyarsk Territory Received a 3-Year Suspended Sentence for Praying to Jehovah God

On December 26, 2024, Irina Ivanova, judge of the Nazarovo City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, found 60-year-old Pavel Chemrov guilty of extremism for saying prayers and reading religious literature. He was given a 3-year suspended sentence.

The believer maintains his innocence and can appeal the verdict in higher instance courts. In his final statement, he explained to the court that his "intent is for people to treat each other with love, kindness, respect and mercy, to always remain calm and to rely on God."

The Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia has been monitoring Pavel Chemrov since 2018. Later, in December 2023, a criminal case was initiated against him for participating in the activity of an extremist organization. His house was searched. The believer was interrogated and released under a recognizance agreement. In June 2024, the case went to court. Witnesses for the prosecution did not corroborate any of the prosecutor's allegations. During interrogation one woman said that she had heard "only good" from Chemrov. Despite this, the prosecutor requested 3.5 years in a penal colony for the believer.

During the hearings, Chemrov drew the court's attention to the fact that the RF Supreme Court did not prohibit Jehovah's Witnesses from continuing to practice their religion individually or jointly. He added: "It is insulting to expect that after the liquidation of a legal entity... believers... can conduct meetings for worship exclusively within the framework of other religious denominations, which in fact would mean renouncing their faith and would nullify the explanations of the Plenum of the RF Supreme Court."

In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, another 30 Jehovah's Witnesses are being prosecuted for their faith. Five of them are serving their sentences in penal colonies.