Andrey Sazonov
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal CodeArticle 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Fine
- Date of verdict
- 2021-12-23
- Region
- Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
- City
- Uray
Case 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.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
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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.
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