Alexander Sazhin
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Suspended prison sentence
- Sentence
- 3 years
- Date of verdict
- 2025-01-28
- Region
- Primorsky Krai
- City
- NULL
Recognition by human rights organisations
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religionby Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
This is the assessment of the organisation named above, not ours. FACTUM reports it with attribution and does not make its own.
Case summary
Sazhin is a resident of Primorsky Krai. He worked on fishing vessels, including as a captain, then as a taxi driver and a technician in telecom stores. In April 2023, his home was searched as part of a case on participation in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely because of their religious activities such as holding meetings and worship services and attracting new supporters. Sazhin signed a recognisance bond not to leave the country. On 28 January 2025, he received a three-year suspended sentence.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
What we write about political persecution
Recent material from this section. This is section navigation — the articles below are not about this person.
- 2026-09-04Georgia court clears extradition of Fugal ally to Russia
- 2026-09-04Russia labels Novaya Gazeta a 'foreign agent,' adds over 100 affiliated names
- 2026-09-04Russian court sentences hostage-takers from Rostov detention center to up to 29 years
- 2026-09-04Two Yabloko Duma candidates detained in Moscow two days before vote
- 2026-09-03British man says Russian police beat him, jumped on his head at station in Yessentuki
Source: this person’s record in the OVD-Info political persecution database
Published under CC BY 3.0. The criteria for treating a person as politically persecuted belong to OVD-Info; FACTUM relays their assessment and makes none of its own.
OVD-Info has been designated an «extremist» organisation in Russia — by decision of the Russian authorities, like other independent human rights and media projects.