Advocate treats harsh treatment of believers in Stavropol colony as systematic

Olga Asanova, an advocate for Anna Safronova, a Jehovah's Witness*, imprisoned in a Stavropol colony, has informed the Prosecutor's Office about the torture of her client for refusing to wear a Saint George ribbon. This case fits into the general trend of tougher treatment of the convicts professing this religion, Yaroslav Sivulsky, a member of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses*, has stated.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Anna Safronova was placed into the dungeon (punishment cell) for long time periods.

Olga Asanova believes that Safronova is being humiliated in the colony. "Anna is a very courageous and optimistic person, but that day she cried a lot and said that these were tears of humiliation. On March 21, an order was announced obliging all the convicted women to sew a Saint George ribbon onto their jackets ... Safronova, having her religious beliefs, refused to do it," the advocate has explained.

"Unfortunately, pressure in colonies has become a widespread practice. Sometimes it takes the ugliest forms – torture and inhuman treatment. Apart from the cases of Bailo and Safronova, there is the story of Anatoly Marunov, 71, sentenced to 6.5 years of freedom deprivation. He was in critical condition due to protractions with medical care in a colony in the Tambov Region. In March 2025, he developed a high temperature with suffocation attacks ... Despite calling an ambulance, he was not hospitalized. They began treating him only after publicity and advocate’s complaints ... Rinat Kiramov, a resident of Akhtubinsk, was subjected to cruel torture in colony. Lyudmila Schekoldina from the Krasnodar Territory had to fight for a needed surgery for six months. All this time she suffered from severe pains," Mr Sivulsky has stated.

"There are also alarming reports that believers are forbidden to read the Bible," he has added.

*All the 396 Russian organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses were recognized as extremist, and their activities in Russia were banned by court decision.