14 November 2026, 22:00
In Crimea, a teacher was punished for her religious beliefs
Ця стаття також доступна українською
Anna Moroz. PHOTO: jw-russia.org
In Simferopol, 28-year-old Anna Moroz was sentenced to four and a half years of probation. She was accused of being involved with the "Jehovah's Witnesses" religious community.
This was reported by the news site “Jehovah’s Witnesses: The Legal Situation in Russia.”
The criminal case arose from a bank transfer of 2,000 rubles that Moroz sent to an acquaintance. Representatives of the religious community explain that the woman was attempting to provide financial support to a family in which a relative had fallen ill. However, Russian investigators interpreted this assistance as funding an “extremist” organization.
Ordinary family photos of the convicted woman and a commemorative banner with wedding wishes from her loved ones were submitted as evidence of her guilt.
Read also:Crimean political prisoner released after six years in prison
The persecution of the young woman began at the start of the year. The case was opened on January 26, 2026, and as early as February, her home was searched and she was taken in for questioning. After that, a court controlled by the Russian Federation restricted her freedom of movement, banned her from using a phone and the internet, and prohibited her from contacting witnesses.
Anna Moroz had previously taught elementary school, but lost her job at the school due to pressure from law enforcement and the ongoing legal proceedings. During her closing statement at the hearing, she denied her guilt and insisted on her innocence. The defendant emphasized that she has followed this faith since childhood and that her beliefs do not harm anyone.
In 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation banned the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” religious community and declared it an “extremist organization.” As a result of this decision, ordinary religious gatherings and Bible readings in Russia have become grounds for searches, criminal cases, and actual prison terms. Subsequently, Russia illegally extended this ban to the occupied territories of Ukraine.
