Andrzej Onyszczuk
Andrzej Onyszczuk, born 1968, Kirov Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kirov”. Sentence (June 2, 2022): Six years and six months' suspended deprivation of liberty, prohibition to engage in activities related to leadership… Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020.
In brief
Kirov Oblast · Kirov · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 6 months
Six years and six months' suspended deprivation of liberty, prohibition to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public and religious organisations for a period of 2 years
Upheld October 3, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, the suspects gathered in flats to sing Bible songs, improve their missionary skills, study banned religious literature, and collected money - "more than 500,000 rubles" - to pay rent for housing and "other premises" for meetings, bought equipment and transferred the money to the "Management Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia".
Latest event
October 3, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- 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
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Kirov Oblast
· Persecution begins
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kirov
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kirov
Other defendants in the case
- Vladimir Vasilyev — At large, 2 years 6 months
- Vladimir Korobeinikov — At large, 3 years 3 months
- Andrey Suvorkov — At large, 6 years 3 months
- Evgeny Suvorkov — At large, 6 years 3 months
- Maxim Khalturin — At large, 6 years 2 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kirov
Details and sources
Full summary
Detained on 9 October 2018 on charges of participation in the organisation and activities of an extremist organisation, as well as financing such activities. Taken into custody. On 3 September 2019, he was released on his own recognisance. Later the charge of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation was dropped. On 3 June 2022, sentenced to six and a half years' suspended sentence.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Poland
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.