Alexander Skvortsov

Resident of Taganrog. On 31 May 2012, for his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community he was charged with organising activities of a public or religious association liquidated by a court decision due to its extremist activities. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, recruitment of new supporters. On 11 December, the court ruled that the indictment was illegal. However, even before that, in November, the investigation filed the same charges against him. Skvortsov was also accused of engaging two minors in a crime. On 29 July 2014, he was sentenced to five years and three months of suspended prison sentence and a fine of 100,000 rubles (exempt from payment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations). On 12 December, the Rostov Regional Court cancelled the decision of the Taganrog city court and sent the case for a new hearing. On 22 January new hearings in Taganrog city court started. On 30 November, he was sentenced to five and a half years suspended sentence and a 100,000 fine (exempt from payment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations).

In March 2021, Skvortsov found surveillance equipment at home, then his home was searched. On 7 December the authorities came again, after which they detained him. The next day, the court ordered Skvortsov to be taken into custody on a charges of organising the activities of an extremist organisation - once again due to his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. On 20 June 2023, he was sentenced to seven years in a general regime penal colony.