October 20, 2026, 8:28 PMRSSRU
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Evgenii Sokolov

At largeChecked October 18, 2026

Evgenii Sokolov, born 1976, Amur Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Voronezh Oblast”. Sentence (November 21, 2025): 7 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony; previously convicted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, November 5, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, November 5, 2020.

In brief

Amur Oblast, Voronezh Oblast · Voronezh, Zeya · Electricians · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

7 years

imprisonment in a general regime colony

Verdict November 21, 2025

No information about an appeal ruling.

Other verdicts

  • May 29, 2024 — 3 years' suspended sentence with a 3 years' ban to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in public organisations, and an additional 10 months' restriction of liberty.

Charges

Full wording of the charges

called meetings, organised speeches and worship services, preached and attracted "new supporters"

Latest event

October 20, 2026 — case status changed

Became known October 20, 2026 · checked October 18, 2026

Recognition by rights defenders

  • Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, November 5, 2020
  • Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, November 5, 2020
  • Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre

Timeline

  1. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 7 years

  2. · Preventive measure: pre-trial detention

    Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Voronezh Region

  3. · Appeal ruling

    upheld

  4. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 3 years

  5. · Criminal case opened

    Evgeny Sokolov's case of activities of an extremist organisation

  6. · Preventive measure: ban on certain activities

Criminal case

The case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Voronezh Oblast

Case number
1-1/2025

Other defendants in the case

Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Voronezh region

Evgeny Sokolov's case of activities of an extremist organisation

There are no other defendants in this case in the database.

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

A resident of Voronezh Region. On 13 July 2020, Sokolov's house was searched, after which he was detained. Later, the court decided to take him into custody in the case of organising activities of an extremist organisation. On 1 December, a preventive measure in the form of a ban on certain actions was chosen.

In December 2022, another case of organising activities of an extremist organisation was brought against Sokolov. The case was initiated in the Amur region, with an investigator from the Voronezh region conducting the interrogation in September 2023. On 29 May 2024, a court in Amur Region sentenced Sokolov to three years' suspended sentence.

On 21 November 2025, the court sentenced Sokolov to seven years in a general regime penal colony for the first criminal case.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Preventive measures
pre-trial detention
Persecution episodes
2
Sources (2)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

All 648 under this article →