"Behind the paperwork of the case is a person's life and the lives of those close to him." Court in Kurgan Fines Jehovah's Witness Roman Kuchin

On October 9, 2026, the Kurgan City Court, chaired by Judge Denis Cherkasov, issued the verdict against Roman Kuchin, 32. The believer was convicted of participating in the activity of an extremist organization and fined 300,000 rubles.

It took 7 weeks from the first court hearing to the verdict. The state prosecutor requested a 4-year sentence in a penal colony for the believer.

"I do not agree with the prosecution's conclusion about the criminal nature [of participating in meetings for worship]," Roman explained his position. "I didn't and still don't think that praying, reading the Bible, and talking with fellow believers means continuing the activity of a banned organization. To me, this was an expression of faith."

One of the key episodes of the proceedings was the interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym Korablev. When Roman asked the witness directly whether he had personally witnessed even one unlawful act on Roman's part, there was no answer.

A criminal case against Roman was initiated by the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Kurgan Region in late May 2026. At that time, the Kuchins were living in a rented apartment in Tyumen. "The search in the morning was a heavy shock for my wife and me. After that, we had to return to Kurgan. Now I take on the odd construction job and I'm looking for permanent work... I just ask you to remember that behind the paperwork of the case is the life of an actual person and his loved ones," Roman said in his final statement. Throughout the entire investigation, the believer was under a recognizance agreement.

In the Kurgan Region, 12 Jehovah's Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution for their faith.