Alexey Bogatov
Alexey Bogatov, born 1960, Saratov Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); case “Jehovah's Witnesses in Balakovo”. Sentence (November 23, 2023): 6 years' deprivation of liberty on a suspended sentence with a probationary period of 4 years, additional punishment in… Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion.
In brief
Saratov Oblast · Balakovo · Drivers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
deprivation of liberty on a suspended sentence with a probationary period of 4 years, additional punishment in the form of deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership in the work of voluntary organisations for 5 years and restriction of liberty for 1 year
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, they "resumed and organised on the territory of Balakovo the activities of the local religious subdivision of Jehovah's Witnesses, expressed in convening meetings, preaching activities, collecting money under the guise of donations"
Latest event
December 9, 2023 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
Jehovah's Witnesses in Balakovo
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
Jehovah's Witnesses in Balakovo
Other defendants in the case
- Vladimir Mavrin — At large, 6 years
- Andrei Murych — At large
- Sergey Tyurin — At large
- Yevgeny Fomashin — At large
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Balakovo
Details and sources
Full summary
In May-June 2021, residents of Balakovo city were followed and their conversations were recorded. A month later, searches took place in 8 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Alexei Bogatov, Vladimir Mavrin, Yevgeny Fomashin, Andrei Murych and Sergei Tyurin were placed in a temporary detention centre after overnight interrogations. Two days later they were imprisoned in a pre-trial detention centre 170 kilometres away from home. The court repeatedly extended the period of detention of the believers in the pre-trial detention centre, as a result of which they spent 10 months in custody.
In January 2023, the court decided to change the believers' preventive measure to a ban on certain actions. On 29 June 2023, the case came before the Balakovo District Court of the Saratov Region. On 23 November 2023, Bogatov was sentenced to six years' suspended sentence.
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.