October 20, 2026, 3:00 PMRSSRU

Alexandr Kruglyakov

At largeChecked October 18, 2026

Alexandr Kruglyakov, born 1979, Komi Republic. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Syktyvkar Jehovah's Witnesses's case”. Sentence (December 22, 2025): A fine of 470 thousand roubles. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion.

In brief

Komi Republic · Syktyvkar · Shop assistants · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

A fine of 470 thousand roubles

Verdict December 22, 2025

No information about an appeal ruling.

Charges

Full wording of the charges

According to the investigation, from 2017 to 2021, "acting under conditions of conspiracy, exercised general management of the organisation's activities, coordinated illegal activities, organised and held meetings of members of the banned organisation and collected funds to finance" the local cell of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Latest event

December 22, 2025 — first-instance verdict

The court delivered a guilty verdict.

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict

  2. · Preventive measure: ban on certain activities

  3. · Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”

  4. · Preventive measure: pre-trial detention

  5. · Persecution begins

    Syktyvkar Jehovah's Witnesses's case

Criminal case

Syktyvkar Jehovah's Witnesses's case

Other defendants in the case

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

A resident of Syktyvkar. On 2 March 2021 he was searched at his home, the next day he was taken into custody on charges of organising activities of an extremist organisation. On 28 April 2021, the preventive measure was reduced to a ban on certain actions. On 9 June 2022, the court returned the case to the prosecutor's office. On 17 January 2023, the case was retried by the Syktyvkar City Court.

On 22 December 2025, the court sentenced him to a fine of 470 thousand roubles.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Preventive measures
ban on certain activities
Sources (1)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

All 648 under this article →