Vitalii Burik
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Ban on activity, Imprisonment (general regime)
- Sentence
- 6 years
- Date of verdict
- 2026-02-19
- Region
- Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea
- City
- Kerch
Case summary
Resident of Kerch, worked in a boiler room. On 9 October 2024, he was detained at work - in order to enter the production facility, the law enforcers cut a thick chain from the gate. After the detention, he was taken home to search his flat and two garages. After two days in the temporary detention centre Burik was placed under house arrest on the case of organising activities of an extremist organisation in connection with his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely because of their religious activities: holding meetings and worship services and involving new supporters.
On 19 February 2026, the court sentenced Burik to six years in a general regime penal colony.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
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Source: this person’s record in the OVD-Info political persecution database
Published under CC BY 3.0. The criteria for treating a person as politically persecuted belong to OVD-Info; FACTUM relays their assessment and makes none of its own.
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