Alexey Berchuk
Alexey Berchuk, born 1975, Amur Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Aleksei Berchuk and Dmitrii Golik”. Sentence (June 29, 2021): eight years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since January 21, 2019; place of detention: Penal colony No. 3, Mari El. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, May 30, 2019.
In brief
Amur Oblast · Blagoveshchensk · Construction workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
8 years
eight years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony
Upheld February 15, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Participated in organising the activities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
February 15, 2022 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, May 30, 2019
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Amur Oblast
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Persecution begins
The case of Aleksei Berchuk and Dmitrii Golik
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
Criminal case
The case of Aleksei Berchuk and Dmitrii Golik
Other defendants in the case
- Dmitrii Golik — At large, 6 years 2 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 3, Mari El
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
ул. Медведево, 1, Медведево, Респ. Марий Эл, 425200, ФКУ «ИК № 3 УФСИН по Республике Марий Эл», Берчук Алексей Александрович, 1975 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
On 21 January 2019, he was detained at Moscow airport, taken to Blagoveshchensk, and then released on his own recognizance on charges of organising activities for an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters.
On June 30, 2021, he was sentenced to eight years in a general regime penal colony.
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.