Leonid Pyzhov
Leonid Pyzhov, born 1973, Omsk Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Omsk”. Sentenced on April 29, 2026. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion.
In brief
Omsk Oblast · Omsk · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
Compulsory labour
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Latest event
April 29, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· 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 Omsk Oblast
· Persecution begins
The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Omsk
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Omsk
- Case number
- 1-79/2026 (1-651/2025;)
Other defendants in the case
- Sergey Rygaev — At large
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Omsk. On 4 March 2024, a search was conducted at his home as part of a case concerning the organisation of an extremist group, linked to his involvement with the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. The following day, Pyzhov was taken into custody. On 26 August 2024, he was transferred to house arrest. On 24 February 2025, his preventive measure was changed to a restriction on certain actions.
Members of this community are persecuted under extremist statutes exclusively for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new followers.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- ban on certain activities
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.