Court in Naberezhnye Chelny Gives Two Jehovah’s Witnesses Suspended Sentences

On April 30, 2026, Judge Emma Kharkovskaya of the Naberezhnye Chelny City Court of the Republic of Tatarstan announced the verdict against Robert Ishberdin, 47, and Sergey Starikov, 50. Each was given a 6‑year suspended sentence.

"After the search, initially there was a constant feeling of anxiety and depression; even everyday tasks became very difficult," Robert described the changes his family faced after the prosecution began. "Trips and dreams are put on hold for the foreseeable future."

The criminal case was handled by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Tatarstan; investigator Ayrat Giniyatullin initiated the proceedings in June 2024. The following spring, Robert and Sergey were placed under a recognizance agreement. According to Robert, even routine family matters were dependent on decisions by the investigators and the court — for example, he had to ask permission to travel to see his elderly parents in Bashkortostan.

Sergey Starikov is a skilled tradesman: a lathe operator, carpenter‑joiner, and electrician. He is self‑employed and renovates apartments. Sergey has lived in Naberezhnye Chelny since childhood; he is married, and the couple has an adult daughter. Robert Ishberdin graduated in economics, worked as an economist and as a consultant on accounting software and in recent years has earned his living caring for lawns. Together with his wife, he is studying sign language.

The case went to court in the summer of 2025. During the trial, testimonies were heard from a religious‑studies expert, a secret witness, and an FSB officer, which did not contain any facts confirming the believers' guilt in extremism. Moreover, the FSB officer stated that Jehovah's Witnesses should "stay at home, study [the Bible], that's it."

In Tatarstan, 15 Jehovah's Witnesses have already faced prosecution for their religious beliefs. Four of them have been sentenced to terms in penal colonies.