Yaroslav Kalin
Yaroslav Kalin, born 1969, Irkutsk Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk”. Sentence (March 5, 2024): 7 years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, prohibition to engage in organizational activities in public… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since October 4, 2021; place of detention: Penal colony No. 31, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, October 8, 2021.
In brief
Irkutsk Oblast · Irkutsk · Electricians · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
7 years
deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, prohibition to engage in organizational activities in public or religious associations for 5 years, and 1 year and 2 months' restriction of liberty
Upheld December 12, 2024
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
being "an adherent of the religious association "Management Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia", organized collective religious services consisting of successive performances of songs and prayers to Jehovah God, study of articles"
Latest event
December 12, 2024 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, October 8, 2021
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Irkutsk Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk
Other defendants in the case
- Sergey Vasilyev — Location unknown, 3 years
- Sergey Kosteev — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Nikolay Martynov — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Michael Moish — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Igor Popov — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Denis Sarazhakov — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Alexei Solnechny — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Andrey Tolmachev — Imprisoned, 7 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Irkutsk
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 31, Krasnoyarsk Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
660111 Красноярский край, г. Красноярск, ул. Кразовская д. 10, ФКУ «ИК № 31 ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю», Калин Ярослав Васильевич, 1969 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Irkutsk. On 4 October 2021, Kalin's home was searched. The next day, the court sent him to custody on the case of organizing activities of an extremist organization and financing extremist activities in connection with his involvement in 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. On 5 March 2024, Kalin was sentenced to seven 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.