Aleksandr Kostiuk
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Imprisonment (general regime)
- Sentence
- 6 years
- Date of verdict
- 2026-02-13
- Region
- Tver Oblast
- City
- Tver
- Address for letters
- 170100, Тверская область, г. Тверь, ул. Вагжанова, 141, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Тверской области, Костюк Александр Николаевич, 1972 г.р.
Case summary
A resident of Tver, a disinfector by trade. On 24 July 2023, a search was conducted at his home as part of a case of organising activities of an extremist organisation in connection with involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely on the basis of their religious activities, such as holding meetings and worship services and attracting new supporters. Kostiuk was given a recognisance not to abscond the country. On 13 February 2026, he was sentenced to six years in a general regime penal colony.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
What we write about political persecution
Recent material from this section. This is section navigation — the articles below are not about this person.
- 2026-09-04Georgia court clears extradition of Fugal ally to Russia
- 2026-09-04Russia labels Novaya Gazeta a 'foreign agent,' adds over 100 affiliated names
- 2026-09-04Russian court sentences hostage-takers from Rostov detention center to up to 29 years
- 2026-09-04Two Yabloko Duma candidates detained in Moscow two days before vote
- 2026-09-03British man says Russian police beat him, jumped on his head at station in Yessentuki
Source: this person’s record in the OVD-Info political persecution database
Published under CC BY 3.0. The criteria for treating a person as politically persecuted belong to OVD-Info; FACTUM relays their assessment and makes none of its own.
OVD-Info has been designated an «extremist» organisation in Russia — by decision of the Russian authorities, like other independent human rights and media projects.