Valerii Kniazev
Valerii Kniazev, born 1951, Udmurtia. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Third case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk”. Sentence (November 12, 2025): 3 years’ imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year's restriction of liberty, and a 3 years' prohibition on… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since November 12, 2025; place of detention: Medical correctional facility No. 12, Kirov Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, June 11, 2024.
In brief
Udmurtia · Izhevsk · Emergency services personnel · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
3 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year's restriction of liberty, and a 3 years' prohibition on engaging in activities related to work within religious organisations.
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
According to the investigation, he deliberately carried out actions of an organisational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. He organised videoconferences of members of a local religious organisation via Internet in order to study extremist literature and declare the superiority of this doctrine over other religious denominations, where participants also expressed the notion of the inadmissibility of fulfilling general civil duties and honouring State symbols of the Russian Federation; he instructed members of the organisation on the need to comply with conspiracy measures in the conditions of the ban on the activities of the organisation; he was also responsible for admitting new members into the group.
Latest event
November 12, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 3 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 11, 2024
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Persecution begins
Third case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk
Criminal case
Third case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk
- Case number
- 1-109/2025 (1-606/2024;)
Other defendants in the case
- Indus Talipov — Imprisoned, 3 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk
Write a letter
Facility: Medical correctional facility No. 12, Kirov Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
613020, Россия, Кировская обл., г. Кирово-Чепецк, ЛИУ-12 Кировской области, Князев Валерий Анатольевич, 1951 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Izhevsk and follower of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, reportedly acting as the elder’s “ministerial servant”, according to the Investigative Committee. On 5 June 2024, he was placed under restrictions on certain activities as a preventive measure in a case concerning the organisation of the activities of an extremist organisation. On 12 November 2025, Kniazev was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment 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.