Valerii Khmil
Valerii Khmil, born 1982, Lipetsk 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 Gryazi”. Sentence (July 28, 2025): fine of 400 thousand rubles. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 11, 2021.
In brief
Lipetsk Oblast · Gryazi · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
fine of 400 thousand rubles
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
deliberately, acting out of extremist motives expressed in propaganda of the advantage of followers of the religious doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses over other persons, negative evaluation of persons who are not followers of this religious doctrine ... continued spreading the ideology and beliefs of this extremist organisation among the residents of the town of Gryazi in the Lipetsk region
Latest event
July 28, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 11, 2021
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Gryazi
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Gryazi
Other defendants in the case
- Svetlana Vyrezkova — At large
- Sergey Kretov — At large
- Tatiana Morlang — At large
- Natalia Perekatiy — At large
- Alexander Podolin — At large
- Alexander Popras — At large
- Evgeny Reshetnikov — At large
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Gryazyakh
Details and sources
Full summary
On 1 June 2021, Khmil's home was searched. He was detained after interrogation in the case of activities of an extremist organisation, later the court placed him under house arrest. On 6 August, he was released from house arrest. On 28 July 2025, the court sentenced him to a fine of 400 thousand rubles.
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.