Oleg Katamov
Oleg Katamov, born 1962, Tver 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 the Tver region”. Sentence (March 27, 2025): 6 years’ imprisonment in a general-regime penal colony, 1 year of restricted liberty, and a 3-year ban on engaging in… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 27, 2025; place of detention: Penal colony No. 6, Tula Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion.
In brief
Tver Oblast · Konakovo · Janitors · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
imprisonment in a general-regime penal colony, 1 year of restricted liberty, and a 3-year ban on engaging in activities involving the publication of appeals or other materials on public information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet.
Upheld October 2, 2025
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, together with his fellow believers from Konakovo, he “discussed the Bible via Zoom video calls and spoke to residents of the Konakovo district about biblical teachings.”
Latest event
October 2, 2025 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Tver Oblast
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Tver region
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Tver region
- Case number
- 12107280001075037
Other defendants in the case
- Aleksei Kuznetsov — Imprisoned, 6 years
- Alexandr Starikov — Imprisoned, 6 years
- Aleksandr Shchetinin — Imprisoned, 6 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tverskoy District
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 6, Tula Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
301654, Тульская область, г. Новомосковск, ул. Центральная, 27, ФКУ «ИК № 6 УФСИН России по Тульской области», Катамов Олег Викторович, 1962 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Oleg Katamov is a resident of Konakovo. On 21 June 2023, he was charged with organising the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted in Russia under extremist provisions solely for their religious activities — holding meetings and worship services, and recruiting new adherents. On 27 March 2025, Katamov was sentenced to six years in a general-regime penal 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.