October 20, 2026, 4:16 PMRSSRU

Gennady German

At largeChecked October 18, 2026

Gennady German, born 1969, Saratov Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region”. Sentence (September 18, 2019): Two years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime penal colony, one year's restriction of liberty and a five years… Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020.

In brief

Saratov Oblast · Saratov · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

2 years

Two years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime penal colony, one year's restriction of liberty and a five years ban on holding senior positions in public organisations

Verdict September 18, 2019

Upheld September 7, 2022

Charges

Full wording of the charges

participated in the activities of an extremist organisation

Latest event

September 7, 2022 — cassation

The court upheld the verdict.

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · Cassation ruling

    upheld

  2. · Persecution ends

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

    Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners

  4. · Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”

  5. · Preventive measure: pre-trial detention

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

  6. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 2 years

Criminal case

The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region

Other defendants in the case

Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Saratov region

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

June 12, 2018 he was detained after a search on suspicion of participation in the activities of an extremist organization, June 14 he was released on personal recognizance.

September 20, 2019 he was sentenced to two years of general regime penal colony.

February 6, 2020 he was beaten in the colony. Sent to a punishment cell due to the fact that he allegedly smoked, although Herman does not smoke due to his religious beliefs.

Released on July 29, 2021.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Sources (2)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code

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

All 929 under this article →