Additional Name(s): Valeriy Sergeyevich Kriger, Кригер Валерий Сергеевич
Gender: Male
Current Location: Detention Center No. 1, Jewish Autonomous Region
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Reduced to 6 Years, 9 Months' Imprisonment
Sentence: Originally 7 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: December/19/2022
Date of Sentencing: December/19/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing
Valeriy Kriger is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 19, 2022, the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region sentenced Kriger to seven years in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) and “collecting funds…intended to finance the organization, preparation and commission of at least one of the crimes of an extremist orientation, or to ensure the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organization” (Art. 282.3-1 RCC). Authorities had accused Kriger and others of holding religious services. Kriger was taken into custody following the verdict.
On June 1, 2023, the Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region reduced Kriger's sentence to six years and nine months in prison.
Related Cases: Alam Aliyev, Dmitriy Zagulin, Sergey Shulyarenko
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Valeriy Kriger" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Апелляционный суд сократил сроки заключения Свидетелям Иеговы из Биробиджана" SOVA Center
"Four Believers From Birobidzhan Received From 3.5 to 7 Years in Prison for Reading and Discussing the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia