Court in Naberezhnye Chelny Sentences Two Jehovah’s Witnesses to Suspended Terms

On April 30, 2026, the Naberezhnye Chelny City Court of the Republic of Tatarstan, presided over by Judge Emma Kharkovskaya, announced the verdict against Robert Ishberdin, 47, and 50‑year‑old Sergey Starikov. Each was given a six‑year suspended sentence.

"At first, after the search, there was a constant feeling of anxiety and depression; even everyday tasks became very difficult," Robert described the changes that came into his family's life after the prosecution began. "Trips and plans for the near future are simply not possible."

The criminal case was handled by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Tatarstan. Investigator Ayrat Giniyatullin initiated the proceedings in June 2024. The following spring, Robert and Sergey were placed under travel restrictions. According to Robert, even routine family matters then became dependent on decisions by the investigators and the court—for example, he had to ask permission to travel to see his elderly parents in Bashkortostan.

Sergey Starikov is a skilled tradesman: a lathe operator, carpenter‑joiner, and electrician. He works as a self‑employed apartment renovator. Sergey has lived in Naberezhnye Chelny since childhood; he is married, and the couple has an adult daughter. Robert Ishberdin graduated from the Faculty of Economics, worked as an economist and as a consultant on accounting software, and in recent years earned his living by lawn care. Together with his wife, he is studying sign language.

The case reached the court in the summer of 2025. During the trial, testimony was heard from a religious‑studies expert, a secret witness, and an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Their statements did not present facts confirming the believers' guilt in extremism. At the same time, the FSB officer stated that Jehovah's Witnesses should "stay at home, study [the Bible], and that's it."

In Tatarstan, 15 Jehovah's Witnesses have already faced prosecution for their religious beliefs. Four of them have been sentenced to actual prison terms in penal colonies.