The Court in Birobidzhan Sentenced the Postnikov Spouses to Suspended Sentences for Their Convictions

On April 25, 2022, Judge Mariya Tsimarno found Oleg Postnikov and his wife Agnessa guilty of involvement in and participation in extremist activities and sentenced them to 5.5 and 5 years suspended sentence, respectively. This is the 16th conviction of Jehovah's Witnesses from the Jewish Autonomous Region.

The prosecutor requested 5 and 5.5 years in prison for Agnessa and Oleg, respectively, although there were no victims in the criminal case, no specific facts of extremist actions were presented to the court, only the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses was proved by the defendants. A conditional sentence for faith was imposed on the Postnikov spouses with restriction of freedom for a period of 1 year 6 months with a probationary period of 5 years each: they are forbidden to change their place of residence, to leave the territory of the municipality without the consent of the state body, and they must also appear once a month for registration in specialized government agency.

Oleg Postnikov noted that despite what is happening, they have developed respectful relations with the investigator and court employees. Agnessa Postnikova said that the events she had experienced did not go unnoticed and had a negative impact on her health.

The couple faced repressions for their faith in May 2018, when searches were carried out in their house as part of the “Judgment Day” special operation. Almost two years later, Oleg became a defendant in a criminal case, and a year later a second criminal case was opened against him and two cases were brought against Agnessa. FSB investigator I. Fedorov later combined the cases into one proceeding. The believers have been under house arrest: Oleg since February 2020, and Agnessa since March 2021.

In June 2021, the consideration of the case began in the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region. One of the witnesses for the prosecution is the notorious police officer Yuliya Zvereva. Her testimony formed the basis of most similar cases against believers in Birobidzhan. Another prosecution witness is a woman who asked the couple to study the Bible. A hidden video camera was installed in her house to record conversations with believers. In court, she said of the benefits of these conversations: “I have become a better person. I could flare up [before]. Now I can keep within the limits”.

The verdict did not take effect. Believers insist on their complete innocence and can appeal against it.

In total, there are 19 similar criminal cases in the Jewish Autonomous Region against 23 Jehovah's Witnesses, 16 of whom have already been convicted for their faith.

The world community resolutely condemns the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Despite this, law enforcement officers in dozens of Russian regions continue to inappropriately persecute Jehovah's Witnesses simply because they do not renounce their beliefs.