Sergei Filatov
Sergei Filatov, born 1972, Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Sergei Filatov's case”. Sentence (March 4, 2020): 6 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony; 1 year's restriction of liberty; 5 years' ban on engaging in… Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 30, 2019.
In brief
Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea · Dzhankoy · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony; 1 year's restriction of liberty; 5 years' ban on engaging in educational activities, activities related to public speaking and media publications, and on posting materials on information and telecommunications networks, including the internet
Upheld May 25, 2020
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
January 21, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, January 30, 2019
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Sergei Filatov's case
Criminal case
Sergei Filatov's case
Details and sources
Full summary
On the night of 16 November 2018, searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Dzhankoi. Sergei Filatov, who headed the local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organisation "Sivash", which was liquidated in 2017, was subsequently questioned. Banned literature was found at his home. It later became known that Filatov was suspected of organising the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Members of this community are prosecuted under extremist legislation solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters. He was placed under recognisance not to leave.
On 5 March 2020, he was sentenced to 6 years in a general regime penal colony. He was released on 21 January 2026.
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.