Rights defenders declare believer from Novorossiysk as political prisoner

The criminal case initiated against Dmitry Mladov, a Jehovah's Witness* from Novorossiysk, violates the right to the freedom of religion, human rights defenders have stated, demanding his release from custody.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the above Dmitry Mladov was detained by law enforcers on December 23, 2024, in the Krasnodar Territory. Several days earlier, searches were conducted in the Moscow Region at homes of Jehovah's Witnesses*. Believers reported that they were pressured and persuaded to refuse from their lawsuits demanding to recognize the searches as legal.

Dmitry Mladov is accused of taking part in the activities of a liquidated legal entity – the Jehovah's Witnesses*. By this, investigators imply that he conducted religious services in his dwelling settlement.

The charge boils down to the fact that Dmitry was a member of an organized religious group, and is certainly unlawful, the human rights project "Support of Political Prisoners. Memorial"** has stated.

On June 7, 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) declared the ban on Jehovah's Witnesses* and the persecution of believers in Russia as illegal. The ECtHR ruled that Russia had violated the believers' right to the freedoms of religion, expression and assembly.

*All the 396 Russian organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses were recognized as extremist, and their activities in Russia were banned by court decision.

**On December 29, 2021, by the decision of the Moscow City Court, the Russian legal entities of the "International Memorial" and the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" were liquidated. Activists of the organizations have reported that both organizations will continue their work without forming legal entities.'