The Zheleznodorozhny District Court in Novosibirsk has handed down a 12-year strict regime prison sentence to Sergei Torop, founder of the "Church of the Last Testament" religious group (also called the Vissarion community), according to RIA Novosti.
Torop was convicted on multiple charges, including establishing a religious organization that violated citizens' rights (Criminal Code Article 239, Part 1), as well as organizing the deliberate infliction of severe and moderate bodily harm by a group (Criminal Code Article 112, Part 2, Paragraph "d"; Article 111, Part 3, Paragraphs "a" and "b").
TASS reports that two other leaders of the group, Vladimir Vedernikov and Vadim Redkin, received prison terms of 12 and 11 years respectively, as confirmed by prosecutors.
Before founding the community, Torop worked as a locksmith and a local police officer. In 1991, he established the "Church of the Last Testament," adopting the name Vissarion. The Russian Ministry of Justice officially registered the group in 1995. Followers built a self-sufficient settlement called the "City of the Sun" in southern Krasnoyarsk Krai, where they adhered to strict rules prohibiting smoking, alcohol, and monetary exchange.
Authorities arrested Torop, Vedernikov, and Redkin in 2020. Investigators found that the leaders misused members' funds and subjected them to psychological abuse, with over 20 victims identified. In 2022, a court ordered the dissolution of the "Church of the Last Testament."