Vladimir Melnik
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal CodeArticle 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Ban on activity, Imprisonment (general regime), Restriction of liberty
- Sentence
- 6 years
- Date of verdict
- 2023-10-13
- Region
- Oryol Oblast
- City
- Oryol
Case summary
A resident of Orel. On December 9, 2020, he was detained following a search. On December 11, the court ruled to place him in custody on charges of involvement in the activities of an extremist organization, citing his connection to a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation. Members of this community face prosecution under extremist articles solely for practicing their religion: holding gatherings, collective worship, and recruiting new adherents. On October 13, 2023, he was sentenced to six years in a general-regime penal colony. On April 9, 2025, he was released.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
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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.
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