Igor Alekseev
Igor Alekseev, born 1977, Mari El. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yoshkar-Ola”. Sentence (February 13, 2025): a fine of 600 thousand roubles. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion.
In brief
Mari El · Yoshkar-Ola · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
a fine of 600 thousand roubles
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he "continued the activities of the religious organisation.... by convening meetings of followers of the religious beliefs (doctrine) of Jehovah's Witnesses and directly participating in them".
Latest event
May 15, 2026 — removed from the rosfinmonitoring list
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Persecution ends
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yoshkar-Ola
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yoshkar-Ola
Other defendants in the case
- Ilya Buryi — At large
- Ilya Kapitonov — At large
- Eduard Kapitonov — At large
- Alexei Kulikov — At large
- Sergey Kulikov — At large
- Sergey Naimushin — At large
- Denis Petrov — At large
- Evgenii Plotnikov — At large
- Vladimir Usenko — At large
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Yoshkar-Ola. On 25 April 2023, he was brought in as a defendant in a case of organising activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Alekseev was given a recognisance not to leave.
Representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely in connection with religious activities: holding meetings and worship services and attracting new supporters.
On 13 February 2025, Alekseev was sentenced to a fine of 600,000 rubles.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.