Alexey Budenchuk
Alexey Budenchuk, born 1982, Saratov Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region”. Sentence (September 18, 2019): Three years and six months' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, one year's restriction of liberty and a… Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, September 15, 2018; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, July 28, 2018.
In brief
Saratov Oblast · Saratov · Religious figures · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
3 years 6 months
Three years and six months' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, one year's restriction of liberty and a ban on holding senior positions in public organisations for five years
Upheld September 7, 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
September 7, 2022 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, September 15, 2018
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, July 28, 2018
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Persecution ends
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Saratov Oblast
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Saratov Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region
Other defendants in the case
- Bazhenov Konstantin Viktorovich — Not in Russia, 3 years 6 months
- Gennady German — At large, 2 years
- Roman Gridasov — At large, 2 years
- Felix Mahammadiev — Not in Russia, 3 years
- Alexey Miretsky — At large, 2 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region
Details and sources
Full summary
On the 12th of June 2018, he was detained following a search, and on the 14th of June, he was taken into custody on charges of organizing activities for an extremist organization. He was released on the 20th of May 2019, with a preventive measure in the form of a prohibition on certain actions.
Then, on the 20th of September, he received a sentence of three and a half years in a general regime penal colony.
On the 6th of February 2020, he was assaulted in the colony and subsequently placed in SHIZO (punitive isolation) on allegations of smoking, despite Budenchuk not smoking due to his religious beliefs.
Finally, on the 6th of July 2021, he was released.
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.