Alexander Kuznetsov
Alexander Kuznetsov, born 1982, Yaroslavl Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavl”. Sentence (August 3, 2023): 2 years 6 months' suspended deprivation of liberty, 6 months' restriction of liberty. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 11, 2021.
In brief
Yaroslavl Oblast · Yaroslavl · Teachers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
2 years 6 months
suspended deprivation of liberty, 6 months' restriction of liberty
Upheld October 30, 2023
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Conducted worship meetings, "including via the Internet," during which he promoted prohibited teachings.
Latest event
February 25, 2025 — removed from the rosfinmonitoring list
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 11, 2021
Timeline
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Persecution ends
· Imprisonment ends
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavl
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavl
Other defendants in the case
- Andrey Vyushin — At large, 2 years 6 months
- Maria Kuznetsova — At large, 2 years 6 months
- Pyotr Filiznov — At large, 2 years 6 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavl
Details and sources
Full summary
On April 13, 2021, Kuznetsov's house was searched, and he was detained. On April 15, the court decided to keep him in custody as part of the case related to the activities of an extremist organization. On July 14, the preventive measures were changed to prohibition of certain actions. On August 3, 2023, Kuznetsov received a suspended sentence of two and a half years.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.