Alexander Parkov
Alexander Parkov, born 1967, Rostov 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 Rostov-on-Don”. Sentence (July 28, 2021): six years and six months' imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, September 22, 2019.
In brief
Rostov Oblast · Rostov-on-Don · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 6 months
six years and six months' imprisonment in a general regime colony
Upheld June 22, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Participated in organising the activities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
August 9, 2024 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, September 22, 2019
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Persecution ends
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· 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 the Rostov Region
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Rostov-on-Don
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
TDF of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Rostov-on-Don.
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Rostov-on-Don
Other defendants in the case
- Vilen Avanesov — At large, 6 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Rostov-on-Don
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Rostov region. On 22 May 2019, he was detained after a search, and on 26 May he was taken into custody by a court decision on charges of organising 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 followers.
On 29 July 2021, he was sentenced to six and a half years in a general regime colony. He was released on 9 August 2024.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.