Six years in prison for Sergei Klimov. A Court in Tomsk Handed Down Another Guilty Verdict for Believing in Jehovah

On November 5, 2019, Dmitry Borisov, judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Tomsk, announced the verdict for a local resident, Sergey Klimov, who was convicted of professing the "wrong" religion: 6 years in prison in a general regime penal colony.

The judge found that the 49-year-old believer's guilt in grave crimes against the constitutional order of Russia had been fully proven, and all the arguments of the defense had been declared unbased on the law. The only reason for such a harsh sentence is the defendant's religious beliefs, which he did not renounce after the Supreme Court decision of April 20, 2017.

After serving his prison term, the believer will be sentenced to additional punishments: a ban on engaging in educational activities in all types of educational institutions and posting materials on the Internet and other networks for 5 years, as well as another year of restriction of freedom (a ban on attending cultural and entertainment events, including festivals, religious holidays, festivities, a ban on traveling outside Tomsk and on changing one's place of residence without the consent of supervisory authorities).

Sergey Klimov becomes the eighth Jehovah's Witness in modern Russia to be sentenced to a real prison term for his faith. Prior to that, 6 believers from Saratov and a Danish citizen Dennis Christensen received similar sentences.

Sergey Klimov's defense considers the verdict on the basis of religious affiliation illegal and plans to appeal against it.