Konstantin Sannikov
Konstantin Sannikov, born 1970, Tatarstan. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Konstantin Sannikov's case”. Sentence (February 15, 2023): 6 years and 6 months’ imprisonment in a general-regime penal colony; 1 year of restricted freedom; and a 5-year… Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 27, 2020.
In brief
Tatarstan · Kazan · Medical workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 6 months
6 years and 6 months’ imprisonment in a general-regime penal colony; 1 year of restricted freedom; and a 5-year prohibition on activities related to leadership and participation in public and religious organisations.
Upheld June 6, 2023
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
held illegal religious meetings with the aim of inducing [the audience] to hostile perceptions of people singled out on the basis of religious affiliation, as well as justifying the need to carry out aggressive, violent, brutal actions directed against a person because of his or her religious affiliation
Latest event
September 10, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 27, 2020
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Konstantin Sannikov's case
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Republic of Tatarstan
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
Criminal case
Konstantin Sannikov's case
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Kazan. On 27 August 2020 he was detained and taken into custody by court order 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 supporters.
The investigator refused Sannikov six times to visit his wife.
On 15 February 2023, Sannikov was sentenced to six and a half years in a general regime colony. In October, the court of cassation instance cancelled the verdict and returned the case for a new examination by the court of appeal instance, but in December the court of appeal instance again left the verdict unchanged.
On 9 April 2025, the court placed Sannikov under administrative supervision until the criminal record is expunged, presumably for eight years (until 10 September 2033).
On 10 September 2025, he was released from 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.