Russian Crackdown: Convictions of Jehovah's Witnesses Amid Covert Surveillance

Four Jehovah's Witnesses were recently convicted and jailed in Russia for extremist activity based on covert video recordings. This is part of a larger crackdown on the group, labeled extremist since 2017. Despite international condemnation, the crackdown continues with numerous imprisonments across the country.

In a controversial move, Russian authorities have convicted and jailed four Jehovah's Witnesses on charges of extremist activity. According to a spokesperson for the faith group, the convictions are based on secretive video recordings made by undercover agents during prayer meetings.

Since 2017, when Russia banned Jehovah's Witnesses as an extremist organization, over 220 members have been imprisoned. Despite rulings from the European Court of Human Rights deeming the ban unlawful and condemnation from international bodies like the U.N. Human Rights Committee, the crackdown shows no signs of abating.

In recent cases, Oleg Postnikov received a sentence in Birobidzhan, while Valeriy Tolmazov, Aleksandr Kostyuk, and Maksim Barbazyuk were sentenced in Tver. The use of covert operatives, who integrated themselves deeply into the communities, highlights the extent of surveillance employed by the FSB to gather selective evidence.

(With inputs from agencies.)