Five and a half years in prison is the average sentence for reading the Bible and preaching to Jehovah's Witnesses.
Extremist articles for reading the Bible via video link and joint prayers
OVD-Info analysts released a new report on the persecution of followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization, which has been declared "extremist."
Since 2012, a total of 1014 followers have been prosecuted. In 2026, 44 new criminal cases were opened—almost as many as in 2023 (49).
Until 2023, the average prison term was 4,3 years in prison; from 2023, it will be 5,5 years. The charge of participation in an extremist organization is almost always used. Human rights activists consider the punishment particularly harsh: approximately half of those prosecuted are over 51 years old, and almost a quarter of the defendants are women.
Human rights activists note that this is one of the first organizations whose members were prosecuted in Russia on charges of "extremism," and its example clearly illustrates the methods used by law enforcement agencies. Cases are often built on hidden recordings made by undercover agents and the testimony of "secret witnesses." Investigators consider any communal prayers, singing religious hymns, or Bible readings via video link to constitute a crime. "Experts" on Jehovah's Witnesses note that the believers' conviction in the truth of their path is a sign of "religious superiority" and extremism. Pacifism and refusal to perform military service are portrayed as incitement to evade civic duty.