Parishioners were not allowed to support Sigida in court.

On November 27, armed, masked men took monetary donations and documents from Archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Viktor Pivovarov's church, after which they took his assistant, Ilya Sigida, with them. The latter's mother was informed that he was detained in connection with a criminal case for discrediting the army. On November 28, he was released under house arrest.

The Slavyansk City Court of the Krasnodar Territory issued three administrative fines within one week against clergyman Ilya Sigida, better known in church circles as Hieromonk Jonah.

The second representative of the Slavyansk City Court also reported A Caucasian Knot correspondent was informed that a hearing had been scheduled for Ilya Sigida, "who is under house arrest."

Parishers were not allowed to support Sigida in court

According to parishioners, on December 23, about 20 people with passports arrived at the courthouse, intending to attend the hearing as listeners.

"We arrived early, all with documents, but they didn't even let us in the door of the courthouse. "They told us to wait outside," parishioner Alexei told a correspondent.

Later, according to believers, they learned that the hearings were held in the judges' office, were extremely brief, and, according to sources, without questioning witnesses or any kind of investigation.

"They tried us very quickly, essentially based on denunciations from the security forces themselves. We were told that they 'suddenly' saw the publications on the church website three years later," parishioner Maria reported.

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Another parishioner,  Elena, said that after the persecution of Hieromonk Jonah began The security forces came to her too. “They searched my home, took my phone, and opened some kind of case. I was questioned about the elderly Bishop Viktor Pivovarov and Hieromonk Jonah. But I couldn’t say anything bad—only kind words,” she told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent. She added that she knew nothing bad about them and could not bear false witness due to her morality and faith in God.

Court decisions create the image of Sigida as a systematic violator

Lawyer Roman Pavlov, who specializes in freedom of expression cases, notes that the situation with Hieromonk Jonah looks like a combination pressure.

"We are seeing simultaneous criminal prosecutions and a series of administrative cases for old publications. Formally, these are different offenses, but in essence, they are punishment for the same line of statements," he says.

The publications date back to February 2022, but administrative cases are only being opened now. This creates the impression of selective and repressive application of the law.

According to the lawyer, the time gap also raises questions.

"The publications date back to February 2022, but administrative cases are only being opened now. This creates the impression of selective and repressive application of the law," he emphasized.

He also points out the issue of proportionality.

"Fines are imposed closer to the upper limit of sanctions, without taking into account the fact that the person is under house arrest and effectively deprived of the opportunity to earn money. At the same time, the standard payment period is formally stated—60 days, with the threat of doubling the amount."

The lawyer emphasizes that this practice can also be used in a criminal case. "A series of administrative decisions creates the image of a 'systematic violator' and can be used when extending a preventive measure or in accusatory rhetoric," the lawyer noted.

Ilya Sigida's relatives reported that he does not have a lawyer and does not want one. "My son relies on the God he serves," his mother said. Tatiana to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that Hieromonk Jonah (Ilya Sigida) of the Russian Orthodox Church was also fined 30,000 rubles in November 2023. The Slavyansk-on-Kuban court deemed his article defamatory of the Russian army.

The Russian Orthodox Church (RosOC) is a religious association of non-canonical Orthodoxy of the Russian tradition, operating in Russia and the former USSR. It does not have Eucharistic communion (joint celebration of liturgies) with the Moscow Patriarchate or with any of the local Orthodox churches, according to the "Modern Russian Encyclopedia."