Denis Peresunko
Denis Peresunko, born 1978, Volgograd Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Financing extremist activities); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd”. Sentence (September 22, 2021): Six years three months' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, one year's restriction of liberty. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, September 24, 2021.
In brief
Volgograd Oblast · Volgograd · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 3 months
Six years three months' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, one year's restriction of liberty
Upheld March 17, 2022
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Financing extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
Participated in organising and financing the activities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
June 9, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, September 24, 2021
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Persecution ends
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 3 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd
Other defendants in the case
- Igor Egozarian — At large, 6 years
- Sergei Melnik — At large with restrictions, 6 years
- Vyacheslav Osipov — 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
On 16 May 2019, he was detained as part of a case on the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community, but was released in the status of a witness. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters. On 23 August, Peresunko was detained as a suspect in the case, he was taken into custody. Later, the measure of restriction was cahnged to a ban on certain actions. On 10 December 2020, the court did not extend the ban on leaving the house from 22:00 to 6:00.
23 September 2021 sentenced to six years and three months of general regime colony, taken into custody in the courtroom. On 1 October it became known that Peresunko was sent to the colony pending appeal. Later it was reported that he was in the pre-trial detention centre, not in the colony.
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.