Sergei Melnik
Sergei Melnik, born 1972, Volgograd Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd”. Sentence (September 22, 2021): 6 years’ imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year’s restriction of liberty and a 3-year prohibition on… Status: at large with restrictions. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, September 24, 2021; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020.
In brief
Volgograd Oblast · Volgograd · Construction workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year’s restriction of liberty and a 3-year prohibition on engaging in activities related to the leadership and participation in the work of public religious organisations
Upheld March 17, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
He participated in organization of theactivities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
December 18, 2025 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, September 24, 2021
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, January 8, 2020
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Volgograd Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd
Other defendants in the case
- Igor Egozarian — At large, 6 years
- Vyacheslav Osipov — At large, 6 years 3 months
- Denis Peresunko — At large, 6 years 3 months
- Valeriy Rogozin — At large with restrictions, 6 years 5 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd
Details and sources
Full summary
A Volgograd resident. He was detained on 16 May 2019 and taken into custody by court order on 19 May on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters. On 26 December, a preventive measure in the form of a ban on certain actions was chosen. On 10 December 2020, the court did not extend the ban to leave the house from 22:00 to 6:00.
23 September 2021 he was sentenced to six years in a general regime penal colony, taken into custody in the courtroom.
In December 2025, he was released from the penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Sources (3)
- Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
- Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
- Memorial Human Rights Centre — Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.