On November 24, 2020, the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy City Court of the Kamchatka Territory convicted Brother Sergey Ledenyov. He was given a two-year suspended prison sentence with three years of probation. He does not need to go to prison at this time.

On the final day of hearings, Sergey boldly explained what it means to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He stated: “Jehovah is not the name of a people, an organization, or a faith. Jehovah is the personal name of God. In the Bible, in the book of the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah calls his faithful servants ‘my witnesses.’ Based on these words, at a convention in 1931, the name ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ was adopted. This name reflects the assignment to be witnesses of God, that is, to tell others about him as the Creator, Savior, and Sovereign of the universe and about his wonderful purpose for man. This is a tremendous honor for my fellow believers and me.”—Isaiah 43:10.

With great conviction, Sergey told the court: “I have no reason to be ashamed, as if I’ve committed some crime. My conscience is clean before God and man.”