Zaur Murtuzov
Zaur Murtuzov, born 1977, Moscow. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1.1, Russian Criminal Code (Involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The fifth case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow”. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, December 10, 2024.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Engineers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
No information about a verdict.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1.1, Russian Criminal Code — Involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of an extremist organization
Latest event
December 16, 2024 — added to the rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, December 10, 2024
Timeline
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
The fifth case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The fifth case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow
- Case number
- 01-0094/2026
Other defendants in the case
- Oksana Ivanova — Under house arrest
- Larisa Kislaia — Under house arrest
- Liliana Korol — Imprisoned
- Tatiana Levitskaia — Under house arrest
- Daria Petrochenko — Imprisoned
Write a letter
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
127055, г. Москва, ул. Новослободская д. 45, ФКУ СИЗО-2 УФСИН России по г. Москве ("Бутырка"), Муртузов Заур Борисович, 1977 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Moscow or the Moscow suburbs. On 5 December 2024, a search took place at his home. Presumably, force was used against him. After the search, Murtuzov was detained and placed in custody. He was charged with participation and involvement in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely because of their religious activities - holding meetings and services and attracting new supporters. As it turned out in court, the key witness in the case testified at the investigation under a false name - under a passport issued to her by the FSB officers so that she could participate in operational-search activities.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1.1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.