Sergey Rygaev
Sergey Rygaev, born 1971, 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 · Manual workers · 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
- Leonid Pyzhov — At large
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Omsk. On 4 March 2024, a search was conducted at his home, before which law enforcers met Rygaev on the street, threw him to the ground and gave him several blows, forcing him to unlock his phone. The next day Rygaev was taken into custody on charges of organising the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. On 26 August 2024, Rygaev was transferred to house arrest. On 24 February 2025, the preventive measure was changed to a ban on certain actions.
Representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters.
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.