Ivan Matsitsky
Ivan Matsitsky, born 1975, Saint Petersburg. Charges: Article 171 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Act of carrying out of business activities without mandatory registration by the government, or…); Article 282 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Incitement of hatred or enmity); Article 282.1 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (The creation and management of a extremist group); “The case of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg”. Sentence (August 24, 2023): 6 years 6 months' deprivation of liberty in a colony of general regime, ban from activities in public associations and… Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 21, 2018; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, January 15, 2018.
In brief
Saint Petersburg · Saint Petersburg · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases
Sentence
6 years 6 months
deprivation of liberty in a colony of general regime, ban from activities in public associations and religious organisations for a period of 2 years, release from execution of the punishment
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 171 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Act of carrying out of business activities without mandatory registration by the government, or without licenses or accreditation, if such an act has caused damage to individuals or the state.
- Article 282 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Incitement of hatred or enmity
- Article 282.1 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — The creation and management of a extremist group
Full wording of the charges
was involved in illegal entrepreneurship - selling books and providing various paid services, organising the activities of an extremist community and humiliating parishioners
Latest event
August 24, 2023 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 6 years 6 months.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 21, 2018
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, January 15, 2018
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict, released from serving the sentence · 6 years 6 months
· Persecution ends
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
The case of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg
Criminal case
The case of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg
Other defendants in the case
- Sahib Aliyev — At large
- Konstancia Esaulkova — At large
- Anastasia Terentyeva — At large
- Galina Shurinova — At large
Details and sources
Full summary
Arrested in June 2017 with accusation of illegal entrepreneurship, as well as leading an extremist community and humiliation of human dignity. In November 2019, a preventive measure in the form of a ban from certain actions was chosen. On 16 March 2021, sent to pre-trial detention centre again. 8 April 2022 sent to house arrest. 24 August 2023 sentenced to six and a half years in a general regime colony, released from punishment.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 171 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.