Nikolay Anufriev
Nikolay Anufriev, born 1957, Komi Republic. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Pechora town”. Sentence (December 17, 2024): a fine of 600 thousand roubles (~5.8k USD). Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 11, 2021.
In brief
Komi Republic · Pechora · Pensioners · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
a fine of 600 thousand roubles (~5.8k USD)
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
organised and conducted meetings, oversaw speeches, poetry readings of a religious nature, and sermons, coordinated the collection of funds, and issued instructions for carrying out preaching activities.
Latest event
April 14, 2026 — removed from the rosfinmonitoring list
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 11, 2021
Timeline
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Persecution ends
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Pechora town
Criminal case
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Pechora town
- Case number
- 1-174/2023
Other defendants in the case
- Alexander Vorontsov — At large
- Sergei Zabora — At large
- Eduard Merinkov — At large
- Pavel Ogorodov — At large
- Gennady Polyakevich — At large
- Alexander Prilepsky — Deceased
- Gennadiy Skutelets — At large
- Viktor Shchannikov — At large
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Pechora
Details and sources
Full summary
On 10 November 2020, a case was opened against Anufriev for organising extremist activities. He was placed under travel restrictions. On 20 January 2022, the court returned the case to the prosecution. Upon a second review of the case on 17 December 2024, Anufriev was sentenced to a fine, though the details remain unknown.
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.