A third Jehovah's Witness from the village of Kholmskaya has been sentenced to imprisonment for practicing his faith. Aleksandr Shcherbina received a three-year prison sentence

On April 6, 2021, the judge of the Abinsky District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, Sergey Mikhin, sentenced Aleksandr Shcherbina to 3 years in a general regime colony, considering prayers and reading the Bible "the activities of an extremist organization." The verdict can be appealed, the believer insists on his innocence.

After the sentencing, Aleksandr was taken into custody in the courtroom. He was sent to a pre-trial detention center in Novorossiysk. On the eve he made his last word and, referring to his experience of participation in war, said: “I know firsthand what hatred and violence are,” and then added: “The Bible helps to get rid of such qualities. I study this book and try to follow the two main commandments that are given in it: to love God and to love your neighbor. I try to do good, respect the authorities, lead a calm and peaceful life. "

Aleksandr Shcherbina came to the village of Kholmskaya to take care of his mother who is ill. Soon after, in November 2020, a criminal case was opened against him for his faith - for discussing the Bible, praying and chanting with fellow believers. The law enforcement officers considered these actions to be a continuation of the activities of the banned organization, although the believer was not a member of the legal entity liquidated by the court. Within three months, the case was investigated by the Directorate of the FSB Directorate for the Krasnodar Territory, and on March 1, 2021, it was transferred to the court.

Prior to the initiation of the criminal case, Aleksandr Shcherbina was a witness in the case against another believer from Kholmskaya, Aleksandr Ivshin, who had already received 7.5 years in prison on similar charges. On March 30, 2021, another Jehovah's Witness from the village of Kholmskaya, Oleg Danilov, was sentenced to 3 years in prison. All of them faced religious persecution after a raid carried out by the Krasnodar FSB together with representatives of the local Cossacks.

Time and again, Russian courts have interpreted believers' exercise of their constitutional right to freedom of religion as extremist activity in violation of Article 28 of the Russian Constitution. According to the well-known religious scholar, Doctor of Philosophy, State Counselor of the Russian Federation Sergey Ivanenko: "I do not know of any court decisions or legislative acts that would say that the internal structure of Jehovah's Witnesses contradicts the legislation of the Russian Federation, and would contain any prohibitions related to the doctrine or cult practice of Jehovah's Witnesses."