Additional Name(s): Viktor Vladimirovich Zimovskiy, Зимовский Виктор Владимирович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Replaced with 6 Years, 2 Months' Suspended Imprisonment

Sentence: 6 Years, 2 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November/14/2022

Date of Sentencing: November/14/2022

Date of Release: March/1/2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing

Viktor Zimovskiy

Extra Bio Info:

Viktor Zimovskiy was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On January 23, 2020, authorities in Georgievsk detained Zimovskiy after summoning him for questioning. Zimovskiy was reportedly being investigated for holding religious services and having discussions about religious topics. 

On March 23, 2020, Zimovskiy was released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest.

On May 6, 2020, Zimovskiy's house arrest was lifted.

On November 14, 2022, the Georgievsk City Court of the Stavropol Territory sentenced Zimovskiy to six years and two 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). Zimovskiy was also reportedly convicted of “collecting funds…intended to finance the organization, preparation and commission of at least one of the crimes of an extremist orientation, or to ensure the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organization” (Art. 282.3-1 RCC). Zimovskiy was taken into custody following the verdict. 

On March 1, 2023, the Stavropol Regional Court replaced Zimovskiy's sentence with a suspended sentence. He was subsequently released from prison.

Sources:

 

Additional Name(s): Aleksander Seredkin, Aleksandr Ivanovich Seredkin, Серёдкин Александр Иванович

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' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November/15/2022

Date of Sentencing: November/15/2022

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 Religious Activity Religious Belief Singing, Playing, & Producing Religious Songs & Music

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Aleksandr Seredkin

Extra Bio Info:

Aleksandr Seredkin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 19, 2019, authorities detained Seredkin after executing raids on Jehovah Witnesses homes in Novosibirsk and other regions. Seredkin was accused of "organizing meetings and directing the reading and discussion" of religious literature.

On April 21, 2019, Seredkin was placed under house arrest.

On October 16, 2019, Seredkin's house arrest was lifted.

On November 15, 2022, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Novosibirsk sentenced Seredkin to six years 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). Seredkin was taken into custody following the verdict.

On June 16, 2023, the Novosibirsk Regional Court upheld Seredkin's sentence. 

Sources:

Nov 15, 2022

USCIRF Condemns Iran’s Death Sentences for Protesters Asserting Religious Freedom and Other Rights

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) deplores Iran’s pursuit of death sentences on religiously-grounded charges against protesters asserting their freedom of religion or belief. Iran has indicted over 2,000 protesters since the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini on September 16 for wearing “improper hijab,” a legal standard based on an interpretation of religion and imposed on Iranian women without their consent. On November 14, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced a protester to death on charges including “enmity against God” and “corruption on Earth,” both of which are grounded in religious interpretations. Scores of protesters face similar sentences, raising credible concerns of large-scale executions of protesters in Iran in the coming weeks.

“Iran’s desperate attempt to violently repress Iranians seeking fundamental guarantees of freedom of religion or belief is deplorable,” said USCIRF Commissioner Sharon Kleinbaum. “We applaud the United Nations Human Rights Council for scheduling a special session on Iran and urge the U.S. government to continue to advocate for a UN investigative mechanism to hold accountable Iranian government officials complicit in religious freedom and related human rights violations. Furthermore, the Biden administration must pursue every available measure to support Iranians asserting their internationally-guaranteed human rights and sanction officials responsible for these ongoing and violent crackdowns.”

Since the outbreak of protests, Iran’s government has escalated its use of violent force against protesters calling for greater religious freedom and other rights. Security forces have used live fire, including against children. Detained protesters have reported incidents of sexual harassment in Ward 209 of Evin Prison as well as threats of sexual assault and rape by interrogators.

“Despite government violence, arrests, mass trials, and death sentences, the Iranian people’s continuing struggle for religious freedom is inspiring,” said USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland. “The United States should lead the international community in uplifting and amplifying the voices of Iranians calling for greater freedom of religion or belief.”

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Iran as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. USCIRF recently published a country update on religious freedom conditions in Iran so far in 2022, held a hearing on “State-Sanctioned Religious Freedom Violations and Coercion by Saudi Arabia and Iran,” highlighted the situation for religious prisoners of conscience in Iran on a USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, and published a report with an accompanying event on Religious Propaganda in Iran.

###

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].

Subscribe to