Nikolay Vasilyev

In December 2021, at least 10 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Samara. In one of the flats, law enforcers tortured and beat believers. Three men - Polosenko, Kuzyanin and Vasilнev - were arrested and sent to custody on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with their involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters.

The Jehovah's Witnesses claimed that when Nikolaн Vasilyev was detained at the home of a co-religionist, torture was used: after the owner of the flat refused to give the law enforcement officers the password to his laptop, they began to put a heated kettle on his hands and pour hot water on his arms, legs and neck; this continued until the witnesses arrived.

In December 2022, Vasilyev was transferred from custody under a ban on certain actions. In April 2023, the case went to trial.

On 25 January 2024, Vasilyev was sentenced to seven years in a general regime colony.