Source: www.forum18.org
Date: December 19, 2025
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
By Victoria Arnold, Forum 18
On 18 December, a court in Krasnodar Region in southern European Russia
fined an independent Orthodox priest the equivalent of at least several
weeks' average local wage for allegedly expressing "overt disrespect" for
society, state bodies, and state symbols. The precise grounds for this
prosecution are unclear, but appear to be connected with articles which
Hieromonk Iona Sigida published on his church's website, for which he is
also under criminal investigation.
Investigators lodged four administrative cases against 34-year-old Fr Iona
at Slavyansk City Court on 8 December. One is for "discreditation" of the
Russian Armed Forces (Administrative Code Article 20.3.3, Part 1), the
others for disseminating information expressing "overt disrespect for
society, the state, official state symbols of the Russian Federation, the
Constitution of the Russian Federation, or bodies exercising state power in
the Russian Federation" (Administrative Code Article 20.1, Part 3). He is
next due to appear, before different judges, on 23 December 2025 and 14
January 2026.
It is unknown which publications form the basis of the four cases, or why
the Investigative Committee or police have deemed it necessary to charge Fr
Iona with administrative offences at the same time as conducting a criminal
prosecution against him (see below).
On 20 November 2025, the Investigative Committee opened two cases against
Fr Iona under Criminal Code Article 354.1, Part 4, apparently for articles
he posted on his church's website criticising the way Victory Day (9 May)
and other Soviet holidays are marked. Slavyansk City Court placed him under
house arrest until 20 January 2026 (see below).
Forum 18 wrote to Krasnodar Region Investigative Committee, the Krasnodar
Region branch of the Interior Ministry, and the Slavyansk police, asking
them:
- to clarify what the grounds are for the four administrative cases against
Fr Iona;
- and whether the criminal cases against him remain open.
Forum 18 has received no response (see below).
Krasnodar Region Investigative Committee also did not reply to Forum 18's
earlier questions:
- which materials from the church website investigators are using as the
basis for their prosecution cases;
- and why they have banned Fr Iona from leading worship services (see
below).
In September, a St Petersburg court fined Grigory Okhanov, now a priest of
the Ecumenical Patriarchate, 10 days' average local wage under
Administrative Code Article 20.3.3, Part 1. Fr Grigory, who left Russia and
the Moscow Patriarchate in 2022, gave two interviews to independent Russian
media outlets in which he condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the
Moscow Patriarchate's support for it. "It is possible that this is a war
against Satanists, only the Satanists are clearly on this side, not that
side", he commented to TV2's Eyewitnesses project (see below).
St Petersburg City Prosecutor's Office did not respond to Forum 18's
question why the expression of religious views on the war is deemed to be
discreditation of the Armed Forces (see below).
"Even open and peaceful statements made by a clergyman within the scope of
his ministry and pastoral responsibility can become the target of
prosecution," the Peace to All group – which supports anti-war Orthodox
clergy and which has followed Fr Grigory's case - noted in September (see
below).
Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko of the Apostolic Orthodox Church
succeeded on 6 November in having his conviction under Administrative Code
Article 20.3.3 overturned in a cassational court. The cassational court
judge sent the case back for a new hearing at the appeal level. The
Archbishop is due to appear again at St Petersburg City Court on 26 January
2026. He was fined 10 days' average local wage on 1 April 2025 for a video
he had posted on Telegram, in which he describes the Russian invasion of
Ukraine as "unmotivated, aggressive armed actions" and draws an analogy
with the Biblical parable of the Gadarene swine (see below).
Criminal, administrative convictions for opposing Russia's war on religious
grounds
Since February 2022, courts have sentenced four people to imprisonment and
fined three (https://www.forum18.org/archi
criminal charges for opposing Russia's war against Ukraine on religious
grounds. Investigators have also opened four criminal cases against people
who have left Russia, and have placed them on the Federal Wanted List
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Most recently, the Investigative Committee charged exiled Orthodox
journalist (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Luchenko with "Public dissemination of knowingly false information about
the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for reasons of
political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or
for reasons of hatred or enmity against any social group" (Criminal Code
Article 207.3, Part 2, Paragraph d).
The retrial of Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev is due to begin on 25 December
2025 at Preobrazhensky District Court, according to the Moscow court
system's online portal. In October, Moscow City Court overturned his
conviction (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Criminal Code Article 207.3 ("Public dissemination of knowingly false
information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation"),
Part 2, Paragraph d ("for reasons of political, ideological, racial,
national or religious hatred or enmity, or for reasons of hatred or enmity
against any social group") on technical grounds. The City Court sent his
case back for re-examination.
Protestant pastor Nikolay Romanyuk is still awaiting transfer to a prison
colony (https://www.forum18.org/archi
4-year sentence after Moscow Regional Court upheld his conviction for
"Public calls to implement activities directed against the security of the
Russian Federation, or to obstruct the exercise by government bodies and
their officials of their powers to ensure the security of the Russian
Federation" (Criminal Code Article 280.4) "with the use of his official
position", and – because the 2022 sermon for which he was prosecuted was
livestreamed and uploaded to YouTube – "with the use of mass media, or
electronic, or information and telecommunication networks, including the
internet" (Part 2, Paragraphs b and v).
Individuals also continue to face prosecution under Administrative Code
Article 20.3.3 ("Public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation") for opposing the war in Ukraine from a
religious perspective.
Ever-increasing internet censorship has seen websites and materials blocked
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
content; opposition to Russia's war against Ukraine from a religious
perspective; material supporting LGBT+ people in religious communities;
Ukraine-based religious websites; social media of prosecuted individuals;
and news and NGO sites which include coverage of freedom of religion or
belief violations.
The Justice Ministry has also added 13 religious leaders and activists to
its register of "foreign agents"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
related to their opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Krasnodar Region: Orthodox priest faces four administrative prosecutions
On 18 December, Slavyansk City Court in Krasnodar Region found Fr Iona
(Ilya) Sigida (born 7 February 1991) guilty of disseminating information
which expresses "overt disrespect" for society, state bodies, and state
symbols. Judge Vladimir Otroshko imposed a fine of at least 30,000 Roubles.
A fine of 30,000 Roubles represents about two weeks' average local wage.
Fr Iona is already facing criminal charges
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
related offence of "overt disrespect for society about days of military
glory" (Criminal Code Article 354.1, Part 4), apparently for articles he
posted on the website of the Holy Intercession Tikhonite Church in
Slavyansk-na-Kubani.
Fr Iona is a hieromonk in an independent Orthodox church led by Archbishop
Viktor Pivovarov, who has himself faced both administrative and criminal
prosecution (https://www.forum18.org/archi
condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is not in communion
with the Moscow Patriarchate.
On 8 December 2025, Slavyansk City Court registered four administrative
cases against Fr Iona – one under Administrative Code Article 20.3.3,
Part 1 ("Public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation"), the other three under Administrative Code
Article 20.1, Part 3. The Court assigned the cases to different judges,
according to court records.
Administrative Code Article 20.1 punishes "Petty hooliganism" – Part 3
covers "Dissemination on information and telecommunications networks,
including the Internet, of information which expresses in an indecent form,
which insults human dignity and public morality, overt disrespect for
society, the state, official state symbols of the Russian Federation, the
Constitution of the Russian Federation, or bodies exercising state power in
the Russian Federation, with the exception of cases provided for in Article
20.3.1 of this Code, if these actions do not constitute a criminally
punishable act". Conviction under Part 3 carries a fine of 30,000 to
100,000 Roubles.
A fine of 100,000 Roubles represents about six weeks' average local wage.
It is unknown which materials form the basis of the four administrative
charges, or why Fr Iona is facing administrative prosecution at the same
time as a criminal investigation. "Maybe [police or investigators] want to
meet their quota by the end of the year and start more cases. Who knows?",
a church member based outside Russia commented to Forum 18 on 9 December.
It appears that investigators' focus remains on the church's website
https://eshatologia.org. Investigators recently visited the home of a
parishioner and questioned her about her participation in publishing
materials on the website, the church member outside Russia told Forum 18.
They confiscated her electronic devices, but do not appear to have opened
any administrative or criminal case against her. The website's contents,
which vanished on 27 November
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
itself still opens), have not reappeared.
Fr Iona and Archbishop Viktor posted articles on the church website until
summer 2024. As well as discussing theology and liturgy, these writings
often critically assessed aspects of Russian history and present-day
society from a religious perspective.
Forum 18 wrote to Krasnodar Region Investigative Committee, the Krasnodar
Region branch of the Interior Ministry, and the Slavyansk police on 15
December, asking them:
- to clarify what the grounds are for the four administrative cases against
Fr Iona;
- and whether the criminal cases against him remain open.
Forum 18 had received no response by the middle of the working day in
Krasnodar Region of 19 December.
Slavyansk City Court has scheduled two hearings for Fr Iona on 23 December
2025, one for the Article 20.3.3, Part 1 case before Judge Natalya
Kovalchuk, the other before Judge Viktoriya Statva for the second charge
under Article 20.1, Part 3. On 14 January 2026, Judge Nikolay Mironenko is
due to hear the final case under Article 20.1, Part 3.
Krasnodar Region: Orthodox priest also facing criminal investigation
Fr Iona Sigida is currently under investigation
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
"Dissemination of information expressing overt disrespect for society about
days of military glory and commemorative dates of Russia associated with
the defence of the Fatherland, as well as desecration of symbols of
military glory of Russia, insult to the memory of defenders of the
Fatherland or humiliation of the honour and dignity of a veteran of the
Great Patriotic War, committed publicly" (Criminal Code Article 354.1, Part
4).
Parishioners believe the cases to be based on articles Fr Iona wrote on the
church's website about Soviet holidays, in particular, Victory Day (9 May).
National Guard troops arrested Fr Iona at his church
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
During his interrogation, they or Investigative Committee officials
forcibly shaved his hair and beard, beat him, and shocked him with a stun
gun, Fr Iona stated after his release. On 28 November, Slavyansk City Court
placed him under house arrest until late January 2026.
Forum 18 wrote to Krasnodar Region Investigative Committee
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
- which materials from the church website investigators are using as the
basis of their prosecution cases;
- and why they have banned Fr Iona from leading worship services.
Forum 18 had received no response by the middle of the working day in
Krasnodar Region of 19 December.
Fr Iona was first fined
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Code Article 20.3.3 in November 2023 for an article entitled "The cult of
war". Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov was fined under Article 20.3.3 in March
2023, then under Criminal Code Article 280.3
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
"discreditation" in April 2024.
Viktor Ivanovich Pivovarov (born 8 February 1937) was ordained a priest in
the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), which opened parishes
inside Russia in the early 1990s. In 2006, he became an Archbishop in the
Russian [Rossiyskaya] Orthodox Church (RosPTs), which was founded after a
series of splits within ROCOR. He now leads a rival branch of RosPTs which
he established in 2009 after a further split. It is not in communion with
either other parts of ROCOR or the Moscow Patriarchate.
St Petersburg: Another Orthodox priest fined for "discrediting" Armed
Forces
On 24 September 2025, Nevsky District Court in St Petersburg found Fr
Grigory Sergeyevich Okhanov guilty for having condemned Russia's war in
Ukraine from a religious perspective. Judge Anna Volgina fined him 30,000
Roubles (about 10 days' average local wage) under Administrative Code
Article 20.3.3, Part 1. St Petersburg City Court upheld this decision on 2
December.
Prosecutors based their case on two interviews Fr Grigory had given to
Govorit NeMoskva
(https://nemoskva.net/2024/11/
autumn 2024 and TV2 Media's "Eyewitnesses 24/02/2022" project
(https://ochevidcy.com/grigory
2022 interview, Okhanov – then a lay reader - was living in St
Petersburg.
In her conclusions, seen by Forum 18, Judge Volgina drew attention to the
latter interview. In this interview, Okhanov said that "The main
traditional values [the Russian government] is interested in are violence
and power. And money. Very traditional values. Everything else is just a
cover", "One of my close relatives was mobilised. Of course, I'm very
worried about him, because he could die, because he could become a
murderer", and (when asked about the view of some Moscow Patriarchate
clergy that the invasion is a war against Satanism) "It is possible that
this is a war against Satanists, only the Satanists are clearly on this
side, not that side. This is a disgusting statement, and the Church will
definitely have to address it".
Judge Volgina decided that, with these comments, Fr Grigory was expressing
"an opinion about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces on Ukrainian
territory, distorting the true meaning and goals of the special operation".
Fr Grigory is a former reader and youth worker in the St Petersburg Diocese
of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), and previously served
as chair of the Kerygma Association of Orthodox Youth Communities in the
city. He left Russia for Turkey in December 2022 and was ordained as a
priest in the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Police officers approached Fr Grigory at St Petersburg's Moscow Station in
August 2025, while he was on a short visit back to Russia. They handed him
a summons to appear at a police station for the drawing up of the
administrative protocol against him, the Peace to All Telegram channel
reported on 24 September (https://t.me/murvsem/725). Fr Grigory returned to
Turkey before his case reached court.
(TV2 Media was an independent television station whose broadcasting licence
the state media regulator Roskomnadzor withdrew in 2015. Roskomnadzor
blocked its website in March 2022 for its anti-war content. TV2 now runs
the "Eyewitnesses 24/02/2022" project, which documents life in Russia and
Ukraine since Russia's invasion. Govorit NeMoskva is an independent online
media outlet which focuses on news stories from outside the capital.
Roskomnadzor blocked its website inside Russia in March 2024, and the
Justice Ministry added it to its registry of "foreign agents" in November
2024.)
Prosecutors viewed the YouTube video of Okhanov's Eyewitnesses interview in
their office on 14 July 2025 with the "representative of the public" (a
church layperson, according to Peace to All) who had drawn it to their
attention, according to the written verdict, seen by Forum 18.
"The prosecutor's office has effectively equated the moment an interview is
viewed with the moment a violation is committed. This means that the
violation of the law occurs not at the moment the statement is made, but
when officials decide to see and document it," Peace to All commented on 24
September (https://t.me/murvsem/725). "Thus, the authorities themselves
perceive their role not as a defender of rights, but as an instrument of
repression: an act of power does not record an event, but produces it."
It appears that this is why Fr Grigory faced prosecution in 2025 for things
he had said in 2022 and 2024, although the statute of limitations for
Administrative Code Article 20.3.3 is 90 calendar days. In her verdict,
Judge Volgina notes the fact that the interview could be accessed in July
2025 "indicates the ongoing nature of this offence".
Forum 18 wrote to St Petersburg City Prosecutor's Office on 24 November to
ask why the expression of religious views on the war is deemed to be
discreditation of the Armed Forces, and why Fr Grigory Okhanov was
prosecuted for interviews given long after the 90-day statute of
limitations for Administrative Code Article 20.3.3 had expired. Forum 18
had received no response by the middle of the working day in St Petersburg
of 19 December.
Darya Lebedeva of the St Petersburg court system's press service confirmed
to Forum 18 on 17 December that the 90-day statute of limitations period is
considered to begin from the moment an offence is detected – and so, in
this case, from the day the "representative of the public" watched the
video in the prosecutor's office.
St Petersburg: "Everything is based on lies. As an Orthodox Christian, I
couldn't accept this"
In his 2022 interview with TV2, Grigory Okhanov describes how he used to be
"a convinced Putinist" who supported Russia's annexation of Crimea and the
position of "fighters for independence" in the Donbas region of Ukraine,
but changed his opinions after 2014.
"I began to follow events closely, the violence that was unfolding out of
nowhere, and realised that something was wrong. And then I rethought my
position and adopted opposition views," Okhanov told TV2.
"Everything is based on lies. As an Orthodox Christian, I couldn't accept
this. For a long time, I believed that our government was reasonable,
genuine, honest, Christian, and that it couldn't lie. It simply didn't fit
in my head – how could they falsify elections? How could they say one
thing, then say another tomorrow? In 2014, I realised this, and my views
changed dramatically. The main traditional values they're interested in are
violence and power. And money. Very traditional values."
"I'm terrified to see how the patriarch and many priests in Russia support
what's happening [in Ukraine]", Okhanov commented on Russia's full-scale
invasion of 2022. "They're literally blessing soldiers to kill, they're
collecting so-called humanitarian aid. In reality, it's just uniforms for
those who have gone to fight in Ukraine. It's disgusting. But there are
many decent people who do not support this. Some of them speak out, others
silently observe what's happening. But at least they're not participating,
and that's a very honourable position".
Okhanov also discussed the "mainstream" Orthodox view that war is
permissible as long as it is "a just, defensive war":
"Of course, the Russian government is trying to portray what's happening as
a defensive war. But that seems very strange, because how can you wage a
defensive war on foreign territory if one way or another you're the one
giving the order to attack, and there's no evidence whatsoever that an
attack on Russia was actually being prepared? This is absurd. For Ukraine,
this is a defensive war, I believe, and it's a just war. For Russia, this
is not the case."
Asked by TV2's interviewer how he felt about "statements by famous
clergymen that this is a war against Western values and Satanism", Okhanov
replied that "It is possible that this is a war against Satanists, only the
Satanists are clearly on this side, not that side. This is a disgusting
statement, and the Church will definitely have to address it. I think this
will happen in 50 years, I hope."
In her 24 September decision, Judge Anna Volgina noted that "Discreditation
is defined as deliberate actions aimed at undermining trust in something,
its authority, or its image", and concluded that Okhanov's interviews had
been "clearly aimed at undermining trust in the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, at forming a negative attitude towards the special military
operation conducted by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in order
to protect the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens [and]
maintain international peace and security, and at discrediting their use
for these purposes".
Judge Volgina cited four statements in particular from the TV2
"Eyewitnesses" interview: about the Russian authorities' "traditional
values", about the war being "defensive" for Russia, about the war being
against "Satanism", and Okhanov's expression of concern for a mobilised
relative: "Of course, I'm very worried about him, because he could die,
because he could become a murderer."
Explaining her decision, the Judge noted that public support for activities
protecting Russia's interests and "international peace and security"
"serves as a manifestation of the constitutional principles of mutual trust
between society and the state, the protection of the dignity of citizens
and respect for the work of defenders of the Fatherland, the balance of
rights and responsibilities of citizens, and political and social
solidarity".
Expressing negative views of these activities, Judge Volgina added, "may,
especially given their cumulative effect, have a negative impact on the
implementation of relevant measures and decisions, reduce the decisiveness
and effectiveness of the execution of assigned tasks by the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation and other state bodies, [and] the motivation of
military personnel and other persons directly involved in this, and
thereby, in fact – even without directly pursuing this very goal –
assist forces that oppose the interests of the Russian Federation and its
citizens, hindering the maintenance of international peace and security".
"The case of Fr Grigory Okhanov illustrates how a mechanism of
administrative pressure is being developed in modern Russia against those
who speak out on issues of war, faith, and human dignity", Peace to All
stated on Telegram on 24 September (https://t.me/murvsem/725). "Even open
and peaceful statements made by a clergyman within the scope of his
ministry and pastoral responsibility can become the target of prosecution."
St Petersburg: Orthodox priest's "discreditation" case sent back for
re-examination
On 1 April 2025 at St Petersburg's Nevsky District Court, the same Judge
who had found Fr Grigory Okhanov guilty, Anna Volgina, also found
Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko guilty of "discrediting" the Russian
Armed Forces (https://www.forum18.org/archi
he had condemned Russia's war in Ukraine from a religious perspective. He
received a 30,000 Rouble fine (about 10 days' average local wage) under
Administrative Code Article 20.3.3, Part 1. This was upheld on appeal on 26
August.
On 6 November, however, the 3rd Cassational Court in St Petersburg
overturned the appeal court's ruling on technical grounds and sent the case
back for re-examination at the appeal level. St Petersburg City Court has
scheduled the first new appeal hearing for 26 January 2026, according to
its website.
St Petersburg City Court rejected the Archbishop's original appeal without
consideration on 12 May 2025. It ruled that the order appointing his lawyer
to the case did not grant the lawyer the power to lodge an appeal on his
behalf. The cassational court Judge, Yelena Maltseva, decided that the
lawyer did in fact have this authority. Although the City Court later
accepted and considered a resubmitted appeal, Judge Maltseva ruled that, as
its initial rejection "cannot be recognised as lawful and justified", its
subsequent appeal decision (upholding Archbishop Grigory's conviction and
fine) must be overturned.
In a video he posted on his Telegram channel
(https://t.me/turma_i_vera/947
the Russian invasion of Ukraine as "unmotivated, aggressive armed actions",
commented that "all citizens of the Russian Federation" will have to suffer
"the most severe defeat in history, military, economic, but most
importantly moral", and drew an analogy with the Biblical parable of the
Gadarene swine.
At the first-instance court, Judge Volgina concluded that this was "aimed
at undermining confidence in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, at
forming a negative attitude towards the special military operation",
according to the written decision, seen by Forum 18.
Grigory Aleksandrovich Mikhnov-Vaytenko (born 3 September 1967) is leader
of the Apostolic Orthodox Church, which was founded in 2000 by Gleb Yakunin
(whom the Moscow Patriarchate had defrocked and excommunicated after he
published information on the Soviet-era links between it and the KGB). It
is not in communion with the Moscow Patriarchate.
Archbishop Grigory has consistently opposed Russia's war against Ukraine
and helped Ukrainian refugees inside Russia. In July 2024, the Justice
Ministry named him a "foreign agent"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Russia
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
For background information see Forum 18's Russia religious freedom survey
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Follow us on Bluesky @Forum18
(https://bsky.app/profile/foru
Follow us on Facebook @Forum18NewsService
(https://www.facebook.com/Foru
Follow us on Telegram @Forum18NewsService
(https://t.me/s/forum18newsser
Follow us on WhatsApp Forum 18
(https://www.whatsapp.com/chan
Follow us on X/Twitter @Forum_18 (https://x.com/forum_18)
All Forum 18 material may be referred to, quoted from, or republished in
full, if Forum 18 is credited as the source.
All photographs that are not Forum 18's copyright are attributed to the
copyright owner. If you reuse any photographs from Forum 18's website, you
must seek permission for any reuse from the copyright owner or abide by the
copyright terms the copyright owner has chosen.
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855.