On January 20, 2021, the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region convicted Brother Yevgeniy Golik. He received a two-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence. He does not have to go to prison at this time. He will appeal the conviction.

Yevgeniy Golik

• Born: 1975 (Birobidzhan, Jewish Autonomous Region)

• Biography: A welder by trade. Works as a boiler-room operator. Served in the Russian armed forces before becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses

  Learned the truth from his mother. Found answers to his questions about the meaning of life. Bible teachings also helped him to care more about others

In the early morning hours of May 17, 2018, 150 Federal Security Service (FSB) officers raided 22 homes of Witnesses in Birobidzhan, a city in Russia’s Far East. The FSB operation was code-named “Judgment Day.” Local authorities opened criminal cases against Brother Yevgeniy Golik and 21 other brothers and sisters from the Jewish Autonomous Region. His criminal trial began on January 29, 2020.

The prosecution submitted evidence that included surveillance footage of Yevgeniy studying the Bible and several of our Bible-based publications.

It is not easy to be the victim of a gross injustice. However, Yevgeniy relates: “A spiritual routine helps me to focus on Jehovah and not on myself. And helpful thoughts from God’s Word provide joy, which motivates me to share these same thoughts with others.”

He has benefited from meditating on Psalm 23:4. “[That Scripture] has helped me to be courageous and endure with joy,” explains Yevgeniy. “Even if a mortal threat were to arise, we know Jehovah is always right there with us.”

Yevgeniy’s fellow worshippers have also been with him. “The brothers and sisters came to court when the criminal case began, which was a huge encouragement,” he says. “Also, at this difficult time, Jehovah gave me a helper, a good wife. I experience a continuous feeling of joy. I have spiritual and physical food and support in abundance.”

Yevgeniy is determined to keep his relationship with Jehovah strong. To prepare others who have not yet directly faced persecution, he urges: “Learn [Kingdom] songs, train your heart to love your enemies, and train yourself to be a joyful servant of God in any situation.”

May we all continue to learn valuable lessons from our brothers and sisters in Russia. Just as Jehovah is strengthening them in their trials, he will strengthen us.—Psalm 29:11.