Evgeny Yelin
Evgeny Yelin, born 1974, Sakhalin 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 Nevelsk”. Sentence (January 30, 2022): 6 years' 6 months of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of 3 years', 1 year's of restriction of freedom… 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
Sakhalin Oblast · Nevelsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk · Construction workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 6 months
6 years' 6 months of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of 3 years', 1 year's of restriction of freedom, a ban on engaging in activities related to the management and participation in the work of public and religious organizations for a period of 2 years'
Upheld November 7, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Carried out "management of a religious group consisting of professing Jehovah's Witnesses residents of the Nevelsk town, providing material and other support of the group's activities, convening relevant meetings, professing beliefs, ensuring the performance of religious rites and ceremonies, providing religious education and upbringing".
Latest event
July 21, 2025 — removed from the rosfinmonitoring list
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
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Persecution ends
· Imprisonment ends
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· 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 Nevelsk
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nevelsk
Other defendants in the case
- Vyacheslav Ivanov — At large, 2 years
- Alexander Kozlitin — At large, 2 years
- Sergey Kulakov — At large, 6 years 6 months
- Tatiana Kulakova — At large, 2 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nevelsk
Details and sources
Full summary
On 10 December 2019, a criminal case was opened against Yelin for organising activities of an extremist organisation in connection with involvement in the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely because of religious activities - holding meetings and worship services, engaging new supporters. On 31 January 2022, he was sentenced to six and a half years' suspended sentence.
In the 1990s was sentenced to two years in prison for refusing to take up arms. Later amnestied.
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.