On October 22, 2021, the Gagarinsky District Court of Sevastopol, controlled by the invaders, found Jehovah's Witness Igor Shmidt guilty of “organizing the activities of an extremist organization” (part. 1 st. 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) The man was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment in a general regime colony. According to human rights activists, the defendant was taken into custody in the courtroom, says Espreso. TV.

49-year-old Schmidt has been in remand prison since October 1, 2020.

" But I never hid it. I am proud that I am a believer, "

In his last speech, Igor Schmidt stressed that he still would not give up his religious beliefs, because, as he noted, the Bible helped him " ) " In addition, he cited historical information about the brutal persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses by the Nazis and Communists..

In 2017, a complete ban on the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses was introduced on the territory of the Russian Federation. Like in China and countries where fundamentalist Islam is practiced.