Since the beginning of the year, Russian security forces have conducted at least 15 searches in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Crimea. This was reported by the analyst of the human rights organization “CrimeaSOS” Yevhen Yaroshenko, reports UNN with reference to “Crimea Realities”.
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According to the data provided, as of mid-October 2024, Russian-controlled courts in Crimea sentenced 13 Jehovah's Witnesses, 11 of whom were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 6 to 6.5 years. The most severe sentence was given to Viktor Stashevsky, who was transferred from the colony to the Vladimir Central Prison this year due to regular disciplinary actions.
“4 representatives of the aforementioned cell, who were convicted by the Yalta City Court in 2023, were overturned by the Supreme Court of Crimea this year and sent back for retrial,” the analyst emphasized.
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Earlier, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner Dmytro Lubynets said that Russia had opened more than 100 criminal cases against Crimeans on religious grounds. According to the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, 30 believers have been prosecuted for their faith in Crimea over the past 7 years.