Gevorg Gevorkyan
Gevorg Gevorkyan, born 1971, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Gevorg Gevorkyan's case”. Sentence (January 17, 2023): 6 years' suspended imprisonment. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 19, 2023.
In brief
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast · Nizhny Novgorod · Drivers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
suspended imprisonment
Upheld March 20, 2023
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
On 23 March 2023, the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court considered an appeal against the verdict of Jehovah's Witness Gevorg Gevorkyan and upheld it. Earlier, on 17 January 2023, the Avtozavodsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod found Gevorkyan guilty of organising the activities of an extremist organisation (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code) and sentenced him to six years' suspended imprisonment. https://avtozavodsky--nnov.sudrf.ru/modules.php?name=sud_delo&srv_num=1&name_op=case&case_id=106865660&case_uid=b69dc253-2d61-47de-bb97-5f5b076efd8e&delo_id=1540006 The case was initiated in November 2021, it was separated from another case of Jehovah's Witnesses from Nizhny Novgorod. The case went to court as early as in December, but was returned to the prosecutor in January. This was due to the fact that new materials had been added to the case without notifying the defendant and his lawyer. In July 2022, the case was handed back over to court. During the investigation, Gevorkyan was on his own recognisance.
Latest event
August 11, 2023 — added to the rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, January 19, 2023
Timeline
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Persecution begins
Gevorg Gevorkyan's case
Criminal case
Gevorg Gevorkyan's case
- Case number
- 1-17/2023 (1-490/2022;)
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nizhny Novgorod region
Details and sources
Full summary
On 17 July 2019, Gevorkyan's home was searched. The next day he was detained at work and taken for questioning. Based on indirect evidence, Gevorkyan realised that a listening device had been installed in his flat. On 26 August 2021, Gevorkyan was placed under his own recognisance, and his case was separated from the case of other residents of Nizhny Novgorod who were accused of organising or participating in the activities of an extremist organisation. In November 2021, Gevorkyan was charged with organising the activities of such an organisation. In December the case was handed over to the court, but in January it was returned to the prosecutor. This was due to the fact that new materials were added to the case without notifying the defendant and his lawyer. In July 2022, the case was again submitted to the court. On 17 January 2023, Gevorkyan was 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.