Detention: On October 1, 2020, FSB officers conducted mass searches in the homes of believers in Sevastopol. Following this, Yevhen Zhukov, Volodymyr Maladyka, and Volodymyr Sakada were detained. All three were accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), although the charges were essentially based on conducting peaceful worship services, joint prayers, and Bible readings. Human rights defenders emphasize that the criminal prosecution is solely related to the exercise of the right to freedom of religion.

Sentence: On October 6, 2022, the Russian-controlled Gagarinsky District Court of Sevastopol found Yevhen Zhukov guilty and sentenced him to 6 years in a general regime colony. The court also imposed one year of restricted freedom after release. The appellate court upheld the sentence. The human rights project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial' recognized Yevhen Zhukov as a political prisoner, and international organizations viewed the case as an example of persecution for religious beliefs. On April 7, 2025, Yevhen Zhukov fully served the sentence imposed by the Russian court and was released.

Yevhen (Yevheniy) Zhukov is a resident of Sevastopol and a member of the religious organization 'Jehovah's Witnesses'.

Before the persecution, Yevhen Zhukov lived in Sevastopol with his family and was an active member of the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Open sources describe him as a peaceful person who did not engage in political activities or violent actions. According to fellow believers, the sole basis for the criminal prosecution was his participation in religious gatherings.

During the trial, the defense repeatedly emphasized that the case materials did not contain evidence of any extremist activity. The charges were based on covert audio and video recordings of worship services and testimonies from secret witnesses. Human rights defenders consider this practice a violation of the right to freedom of conscience and a fair trial.

After the verdict, Yevhen Zhukov was transferred to a facility of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation. He served his sentence in a general regime colony. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations repeatedly emphasized that his imprisonment resulted from peaceful religious practice, not any violent or unlawful actions. Throughout his imprisonment, Zhukov's case remained on the list of politically motivated persecutions of Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea.

On April 7, 2025, Yevhen Zhukov fully served the sentence imposed by the Russian court and was released. After his release, he stated that the greatest support for him was the letters from people around the world that he received while in the colony. In an interview with the Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, he noted that even after imprisonment, he did not lose faith and inner freedom. At the same time, after his release, the court-imposed restrictions on freedom continued to apply to him.

On June 9, 2026, after serving the unlawful sentence, Crimean political prisoner Yevhen Zhukov, who was sentenced by the occupiers to 6 years in prison for participating in the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, was released. This was reported on the 'Jehovah's Witnesses' website. Human rights organizations continue to consider him a victim of politically motivated persecution on religious grounds and emphasize the need to overturn the conviction and restore his rights.

Information used from open sources: Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial, Human Rights Center ZMINA, International Religious Organization 'Jehovah's Witnesses', Crimean Human Rights Group.

Photo: Crimean Human Rights Group.

Date of update: 12.07.2026.