Garegin Khachaturian
Garegin Khachaturian, born 1967, Rostov 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 Novocherkassk”. Sentence (June 26, 2024): 6 years 6 months' imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since August 11, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 8, Astrakhan Oblast. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 15, 2022.
In brief
Rostov Oblast · Novocherkassk · Construction workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 6 months
imprisonment in a general regime colony
Upheld September 26, 2024
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Accused of committing an offence under Part 1, Article 282.2 (Organizing Activities of an Extremist Organization) in connection with membership in a community of Jehovah's Witnesses banned in Russia. In custody since 11 August 2022.
Latest event
February 11, 2025 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 15, 2022
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №3 (SIZO-3) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Rostov Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Novocherkassk
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Novocherkassk
- Case number
- 1-451/2023
Other defendants in the case
- Lyubov Galitsyna — At large, 2 years 3 months
- Gevorg Yeritsyan — Imprisoned, 6 years 2 months
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 8, Astrakhan Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
414044 Астраханская область, г. Астрахань ул. Советской Гвардии, д. 50, ФКУ ИК-8 УФСИН России по Астраханской области, Хачатурян Гарегин Беникович, 1967 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
On 11 August 2022, searches took place in at least 10 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Novocherkassk (Rostov Oblast). Khachaturian was taken into custody on charges of organizing activities of an extremist organization in connection with 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. The hearings on the case began in September 2023.
On 26 June 2024, he was sentenced to six and a half years in a general regime colony.
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.