Russian Court Convicts Jehovah's Witness Andrey Sazonov for Third Time on Extremism Charges

Third Conviction for Uray Resident

A Russian court in Uray has once again found Andrey Sazonov, a local Jehovah's Witness, guilty in an extremism case, imposing a fine of 450,000 rubles. The verdict was delivered on October 17, 2025, marking the third time the Uray City Court has issued a guilty ruling in the same case. This latest conviction follows a protracted legal battle that has spanned 6.5 years.

Sazonov's legal troubles began in January 2019 when a criminal case was initiated against him for allegedly organizing and financing extremist activities. He was detained in February 2019 during mass searches, subsequently placed in a pre-trial detention center, then under house arrest, and later subjected to a ban on certain actions.

Previous Rulings and Appeals

The case against Sazonov has seen multiple iterations. The initial trial, conducted between June 2020 and December 2021, resulted in a fine of 500,000 rubles. This decision was later overturned on appeal, and the case was sent back for a new trial.

A second round of hearings commenced in June 2022, concluding in October 2023 with another fine of 450,000 rubles. This verdict was also overturned by a second court of appeal in January 2024, leading to the case being reconsidered once more. The recent October 2025 ruling reinstates the 450,000 ruble fine.

Context of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

The persecution of Andrey Sazonov is part of a broader crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian Federation. In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court banned the religious organization, declaring it an 'extremist' group. This ruling led to the liquidation of their national headquarters and 395 local religious organizations, with their property ordered to be seized.

Russian anti-extremism laws, which were expanded to include non-violent groups in 2007, have been criticized for their overly broad definition of 'extremism,' which can be applied to peaceful forms of religious expression. Since the 2017 ban, hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses have faced criminal charges, detentions, and imprisonment for continuing their religious practices. Penalties can range from fines of 300,000 to 600,000 rubles to prison sentences of up to 10 years for those deemed to be leaders of such activities.

In June 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Russia's liquidation of Jehovah's Witnesses was unlawful, describing it as a 'policy of intolerance' by Russian authorities.