Jehovah's witness at risk of extradition to Russia

After several courts in Russia arbitrarily designated local Jehovah’s Witnesses groups as “extremist” organisations, in April 2017 the Russian Supreme Court ruled that the central Jehovah’s Witnesses organisation in Russia should be closed, its activities stopped, and its property confiscated. Since then, any religious activity by Jehovah’s Witnesses has been regarded in Russia as criminal.

Criminal investigation against Nikolai Makhalichev and two other Jehovah’s Witnesses living in Urai, in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District in western Siberia, started in January 2019. They were accused of “organising activities of an extremist organisation” under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, a charge that carries a maximum of ten years in prison. A few months later the investigation charged Nikolai with a further offence – “financing extremist activities” under Article 282.3 (1) of the Criminal Code. Nikolai Makhalichev has never held any formal position with Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. According to his representative, he was just a believer who participated in their religious services. During the investigation, Nikolai Makhalichev was put on an interstate wanted list. This has led to his arrest and detention in Belarus.

Amnesty International regards prosecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia as an arbitrary and discriminatory measure, and a violation of the right to freedom of religion. The organization has called on the Russian authorities to quash the judicial decisions that have criminalized Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teachings and practices. Amnesty International has also consistently stressed that the anti-extremism legislation in Russia is often applied arbitrarily and used to crackdown on political and other dissent and has called on the authorities to review it and ensure respect for human rights in law and in practice. 

Amnesty International considers Nikolai Makhalichev and any Jehovah’s Witness deprived of their liberty solely in connection with the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of religion as prisoners of conscience (see here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/02/russia-the-authorities-m…). They must be immediately and unconditionally released, their convictions quashed and all pending charges against them dropped.