Additional Name(s): Valeriy Vladimirovich Slashchev, Слащёв Валерий Владимирович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 4 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: June/23/2023
Date of Sentencing: June/23/2023
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Valeriy Slashchev
Extra Bio Info:
Valeriy Slashchev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 25, 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Slashchev to six years and six months in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) and “recruiting…a person in the activities of an extremist organization” (Art. 282.2-1.1 RCC). Slashchev and others were accused of holding worship services and “home-based Bible studies” and talking about the Bible. Religious materials allegedly seized were used as evidence. Slashchev was taken into custody following the verdict.
On December 27, 2022, the Amur Regional Court overturned Slashchev's conviction and ordered a retrial. He was released following the decision.
On June 23, 2023, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Slashchev to six years and four months in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On September 5, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld Slashchev's sentence.
Slashchev is married.
Related Cases: Vladimir Bukin, Sergey Yuferov, Mikhail Burkov
Sources:
-
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Суд вынес приговор Свидетелям Иеговы из Тынды" SOVA Center
-
"A Second Appeal Upheld the Harsh Sentence of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. Four Believers Received More Than 6 Years in the Penal Colony Each" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Once Again, More Than Six Years in Prison for Faith. In the Town of Tynda, the Retrial of the Case of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Ended With Another Harsh Sentence" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"In Blagoveshchensk, an Appeal Overturned the Harsh Sentences of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. The Case Was Sent for a Retrial, And the Believers Were Released" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Свидетели Иеговы из Тынды приговорены к реальным срокам" SOVA Center
-
"Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced to Six Years in the Penal Colony in the Amur Region" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Vladimir Valeriyevich Bukin, Букин Владимир Валерьевич
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 4 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: June/23/2023
Date of Sentencing: June/23/2023
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Vladimir Bukin
Extra Bio Info:
Vladimir Bukin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 25, 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Bukin to six years and six months in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) and “recruiting…a person in the activities of an extremist organization” (Art. 282.2-1.1 RCC). Bukin and others were accused of holding worship services and “home-based Bible studies” and talking about the Bible. Religious materials allegedly seized were used as evidence. Bukin was taken into custody following the verdict.
On December 27, 2022, the Amur Regional Court overturned Bukin's conviction and ordered a retrial. He was released following the decision.
On June 23, 2023, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Bukin to six years and four months in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On September 5, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld Bukin's sentence.
Bukin is married.
Related Cases: Valeriy Slashchev, Sergey Yuferov, Mikhail Burkov
Sources:
-
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"A Second Appeal Upheld the Harsh Sentence of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. Four Believers Received More Than 6 Years in the Penal Colony Each" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Суд вынес приговор Свидетелям Иеговы из Тынды" SOVA Center
-
"Once Again, More Than Six Years in Prison for Faith. In the Town of Tynda, the Retrial of the Case of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Ended With Another Harsh Sentence" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"In Blagoveshchensk, an Appeal Overturned the Harsh Sentences of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. The Case Was Sent for a Retrial, And the Believers Were Released" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Свидетели Иеговы из Тынды приговорены к реальным срокам" SOVA Center
-
"Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced to Six Years in the Penal Colony in the Amur Region" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Oct 26, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Blasphemy Laws in Nigeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Blasphemy Laws in Nigeria – The increasing enforcement of blasphemy laws enshrined in Nigeria’s criminal and Shari’a codes poses a significant risk to religious freedom for Nigerians, especially religious minorities and those who espouse unpopular or dissenting beliefs, worldviews, or religious interpretations. This policy update describes Nigeria’s blasphemy laws in social and political contexts. It describes both penal and Shari’a codes in Nigeria that criminalize blasphemy, as well as high-profile blasphemy cases in recent years. The report highlights the problematic impacts these cases have on freedom of religion or belief for Nigerians. The findings of the report conclude with a recommendation for the U.S. government to support a national dialogue on combatting religious intolerance without restricting freedom of speech under the law, as called for in UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 16/18 (2011). It also highlights several interim policy options for protecting the rights of religious minorities and individuals with dissenting worldviews as the needed civic dialogue unfolds.
In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. In September 2022, USCIRF published a policy update and hosted a hearing on the intersection of religious freedom and violence in Nigeria and how the U.S. government can adjust its policy to address atrocity risk and violence. In June 2022, USCIRF conducted a research delegation to Nigeria and published a USCIRF Spotlight Podcast episode detailing the visit’s findings and takeaways.
###
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].