Andrey Sazonov
Andrey Sazonov, born 1980, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “Andrei Sazonov's case”. Sentence (December 23, 2021): a fine of 500 000 roubles. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020.
In brief
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug · Uray · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
a fine of 500 000 roubles
Upheld October 17, 2025
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
He participated in organising the activities of an extremist organisation; together with other members of the organisation, he collected 26,000 roubles from fellow believers between 2017 and 2019.
Latest event
October 17, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug
· Persecution begins
Andrei Sazonov's case
Criminal case
Andrei Sazonov's case
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Uray
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Uray (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug). He was detained on February 6, 2019, in a case of organizing activities of an extremist organization, due to his alleged involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for their religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and recruiting new adherents.
By court decision, Sazonov was taken into custody. On February 26, he was placed under house arrest. On August 22, the court imposed a restraining order prohibiting certain actions. In November, it became known that another case for financing extremist activities had been opened against Sazonov.
On October 23, 2023, a first-instance court sentenced Sazonov to a fine of 450,000 rubles. On January 11, 2024, the court of appeal again overturned the sentence.
On October 17, 2025, the court of first instance again sentenced the believer to a fine of 450 thousand roubles.
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.