In Russia, the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring (Rosfinmonitoring) is a government agency responsible for countering financial crimes, such as funding extremism. It maintains a public list of people suspected of extremist or terrorist activity. A person can be included on the list even if guilt is not proven in a court of law.

Since the 2017 ruling by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation that effectively banned the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the names of 525 of our brothers and sisters have appeared on this list. a This number includes over 100 elderly Witnesses.

Those placed on this list are subjected to severe economic sanctions. For example, their bank accounts are frozen, and they are only permitted to withdraw from their bank a monthly allowance of approximately 10,000 rubles ($137 U.S.) per family member for living expenses. They are also subjected to a number of onerous restrictions that make normal activities impossible or extremely difficult. For example, they have significant challenges buying or selling real estate or a car, acquiring insurance, or receiving unemployment benefits, an inheritance, or a bank loan. Witnesses who are pensioners or disabled are especially affected because they struggle to pay for medical treatment and their use of public transportation travel passes is restricted.

Brother Anton Chermnykh in Ussuriysk, who was added to the list in December 2019, relates: “In order to receive my salary, I have to prove every month that I did not get the money by criminal means. I have to bring to the bank a lot of documents that the bank employees scan and then send to Moscow. The document inspection lasts two weeks. On an appointed day, I return to the bank and a bank employee withdraws my salary from my account, gives it to me, and then immediately freezes the account again. When new bank employees learn that I am on the list of terrorists, they become afraid of me.”

Despite these challenges, our brothers and sisters are maintaining a positive spirit. “My accounts were blocked,” said Brother Yuriy Belosludtsev, whose name was added to the list two and a half years before he received a six-year suspended prison sentence. “But my wife and I were assisted by fellow brothers and sisters. We are very grateful to Jehovah for their support.”

We know that Jehovah is fully aware of the injustices our brothers and sisters in Russia are enduring. We pray in full confidence that Jehovah will continue to provide for them during this ongoing trial.—Matthew 6:33.