October 20, 2026, 9:08 AMRSSRU

Aram Danielyan

ImprisonedChecked October 18, 2026

Aram Danielyan, born 1990, Samara 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 Samara”. Sentence (January 25, 2024): 7 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since January 11, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 12, Mordovia. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 30, 2024.

In brief

Samara Oblast · Samara · Office workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

7 years

imprisonment in a general regime colony

Verdict January 25, 2024

Upheld May 20, 2024

Charges

Full wording of the charges

According to the investigation, he participated in the continuation of the activities of the "Management Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" in the Samara region.

Latest event

July 1, 2024 — imprisonment begins

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · Imprisonment begins

  2. · Appeal ruling

    upheld

  3. · Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion

    Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners

  4. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 7 years

  5. · Preventive measure: pre-trial detention

    Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Samara Region

  6. · Preventive measure: ban on certain activities

Criminal case

The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Samara

Case number
1-105/2023

Other defendants in the case

Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Samara

Write a letter

Facility: Penal colony No. 12, Mordovia

Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)

431101, Мордовия, Зубово- Полянский р-н, пос. Молочница, ул. Новая д.2, ФКУ «ИК № 12 УФСИН России по Республике Мордовия», Даниелян Арам Рудикович, 1990 г.р.

Address checked October 18, 2026

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

Aram Danielyan was detained at Samara airport on 10 January 2022 and sent to a pre-trial detention centre the next day on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters. His case was merged into one proceeding with the case of Polosenko, Kuzyanin and Vasiliev.

In December 2022, he was transferred from custody under a ban on certain actions. In April 2023, the case went to trial.

On 25 January 2024, Danielyan was sentenced to seven years in a general regime colony.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Sources (1)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

All 648 under this article →