The panel of judges of the Altai Regional Court uphelds the verdict against the believer. April 2025

The panel of judges of the Altai Regional Court uphelds the verdict against the believer. April 2025

The panel of judges of the Altai Regional Court uphelds the verdict against the believer. April 2025

Unjust Verdicts

Court of Appeal in Barnaul Upheld the Prison Sentence Against Valeriy Klokov

Altai Territory

On April 25, 2025, the panel of judges of the Altai Regional Court upheld the verdict against Valeriy Klokov: 3 years in a penal colony. This Jehovah's Witness, was charged with organizing extremist activity, deeming it a crime to hold religious meetings that are not prohibited by law.

The prosecutor requested that Valeriy's term be increased to 8 years imprisonment with additional punishments. The believer does not agree with the charge. Speaking in the court of first instance, he said: "My faith does not make me an enemy of the state, it makes me a good citizen. I am aware that as a believer I am now facing injustice, but I believe that even in such circumstances, love and good deeds will continue to transform the world for the better."

Back in 2019, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Russian authorities to "drop charges against and to release all those detained for exercising their rights to freedom of religion or belief, the freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association."

The Case of Klokov in Barnaul

Case History
In the summer of 2023, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Valeriy Klokov and Vitaliy Manuylov in Barnaul. A search was conducted in Klokov’s house. After interrogation and 2 days in a temporary detention facility, Klokov was placed under house arrest. Both men were charged with participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In April 2024, the charge against Klokov was reclassified to organizing the activity of an extremist organization. After 2 months, the criminal case against Manuylov was made into a separate proceeding. In early July 2024, Klokov’s case went to court. He was sentenced to 3 years in a penal colony in February 2025, and in April, the court of appeal upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Klokov
Valeriy

Criminal case

Region:
Altai Territory
Locality:
Barnaul
Suspected of:
"carried out actions to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses Barnaul, including holding conversations in order to promote the activity of this organization and participating in events held by representatives of the organization"
Court case number:
12302010022000019
Initiated:
July 10, 2023
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Altai Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-29/2025 (1-579/2024)
Court of First Instance:
Industrialnyy District Court of the City of Barnaul of the Altai Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Dmitriy Malikov
Case History
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