Jewish Autonomous Region court upholds Anastasiya Sycheva's suspended sentence for participating in Jehovah's Witnesses worship services

On March 11, 2021, the court of the Jewish Autonomous Region upheld the suspended sentence of 43-year-old Anastasia Sycheva from Obluchye. The verdict has entered into force. The believer insists on her innocence. She has the right to appeal the verdict in cassation, as well as in international instances.

On January 21, 2021, Olga Afanasyeva, judge of the Obluchensky District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region, found Anastasiya Sycheva guilty of participating in a banned organization and sentenced her to 2 years of suspended imprisonment with a 2-year probationary period and 6 months of restriction of freedom. This is the kind of punishment the prosecutor requested.

At the hearing in the court of appeal, Anastasiya described the charge in the following words: “There is no logic. It is absent. After all, I'm not being judged for real crimes, but for my faith in God. But a good sense of humor helps out. Otherwise, you can get crazy if you take all this seriously."

In addition to criminal prosecution, Anastasiya had many life’s trials: in just one year, her older sister died of cancer, and later she lost her mother and brother. She has raised two nephews, and now she is caring for her sick father. She spent almost a year and a half under recognizance not to leave, which limited her free movement outside the region.

In total, 19 similar criminal cases were initiated in the administrative center of the Jewish Autonomous Region, Birobidzhan, against 23 believers who peacefully profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The accusation against Anastasia Sycheva and a number of believers from Birobidzhan is based on the testimony of the only witness for the prosecution - police officer Yulia Zvereva. However, in court, she stated that she did not know anything about the events in which Sycheva was accused. According to the defendant, in the minutes of the court sessions of the first instance, "what did not actually happen and was not said was added."

Actions such as divine services, prayers and chants are not prohibited by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On the contrary, they are guaranteed by the Russian Constitution as fundamental human rights and freedoms. In February 2021, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: “During the consideration of the case [in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation], neither the legitimacy of the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, nor the ways of expressing them, were assessed. […] Members of a liquidated organization can independently practice their religion, including as part of religious groups that do not require registration. "

Despite this, Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia continue to be sentenced to prison terms because of their faith. Russian and foreign human rights organizations unanimously condemn the persecution of believers in Russia. In January 2021, at a meeting with the Human Rights Council, President Putin re-ordered the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to deal with violations of the legislation on freedom of conscience, religion and religious associations.