A Jehovah’s Witness from Cherkessk has been transferred to a penal colony in Perm Krai.

37-year-old Jehovah’s Witness Yevgeny Semenov from Cherkessk has been transferred to Penal Colony No. 29 in Perm Krai to serve his sentence. This was reported by the portal “Jehovah’s Witnesses. Legal Situation in Russia.”

In February, Semenov was sentenced to six years and three months in a general regime penal colony on charges of organising the activities of an extremist organisation (Part 1, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code), participating in it and involving others (Parts 2 and 1.1, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code).

According to the investigators, in 2017, the believer “voluntarily took part in the activities of the ‘Local Religious Organisation of Jehovah’s Witnesses of Cherkessk,’” and since 2019, he “headed” it. Investigators believe the man “recruited” people “by persuading them of the need to adopt the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion, promoting its superiority over others,” and also organised gatherings and worship services where he led sermons and classes on the basics of the religion.

Semenov said that in his youth, biblical principles helped him change his life after a previous conviction on criminal charges. In August 2023, he was placed in custody for holding worship services. The charges were based on secret recordings of his conversations with two women who pretended to be interested in the Bible.

On 30 July, Yevgeny Semenov was transferred to Penal Colony No. 11 in Perm Krai. The reason for the transfer is unknown. This was reported by a portal covering the persecution of believers.