Documented cases

4 people held for political reasons in Russia, Belarus, Georgia and Central Asia. Search by name, or filter by country, charge, arrest date and sentence.

Country

Urgency

Nina Purge

An 82-year-old Jehovah's Witness in Vladivostok received a suspended sentence. The case is part of a broader crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

LAST UPDATED · OCT 28, 2026

Dmitry Barmakin

Dmitry Barmakin was acquitted by a Vladivostok court in a landmark case for a Jehovah's Witness. The judge cited new Supreme Court amendments requiring proof of specific actions and motives.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · OCT 22, 2026

Yelena Zayshchuk

Yelena Zayshchuk, an 85-year-old woman, is among 93 people on trial in Russia for continuing the activities of the banned Jehovah's Witnesses. She was taken for questioning following a raid on her home in 2018.

HEALTH CONCERNS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · NOV 2, 2026

Yelena Zayshchuk

This report details the ongoing trials of Jehovah's Witnesses, highlighting 85-year-old Yelena Zayshchuk as the oldest defendant. The cases involve charges of continuing the activities of a banned extremist organization.

HEALTH CONCERNS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · OCT 28, 2026

on trial

Browse by statute

Letter-writing guides: Russia · Belarus

Browse the full case directory

A plain, paginated index of all 4 documented cases — every record in one list, no filters.