Anton Chermnykh
Anton Chermnykh, born 1987, Primorsky Krai. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ussuriysk”. Sentence (November 30, 2022): 6 years of suspended imprisonment with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to management and… Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, December 11, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, April 5, 2020.
In brief
Primorsky Krai · Ussuriysk · Engineers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
of suspended imprisonment with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to management and participation in the work of public organisations for a period of 5 years, with additional restriction of freedom for a period of 1 year
Upheld May 18, 2023
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
"carried out actions to organise the recruitment of new members, aimed at continuing the illegal activities of the banned religious organisation 'Management Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia'"
Latest event
May 18, 2023 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, December 11, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, April 5, 2020
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 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
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ussuriysk
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ussuriysk
Other defendants in the case
- Sergey Korolchuk — At large, 6 years
- Dmitry Tishchenko — At large, 6 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ussuriysk
Details and sources
Full summary
In November 2019, charged with organising activities of an extremist organisation. A personal recognizance was taken. In March 2020, the prosecutor's office returned the case for further investigation. On 30 November 2022, 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.