Alexander Stefanidin
Alexander Stefanidin, born 1991, Udmurtia. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization). Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, June 11, 2024.
In brief
Udmurtia · Izhevsk · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
No information about a verdict.
Preventive measure: ban on certain activities since January 14, 2025
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he deliberately carried out actions of an organisational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. He organised videoconferences of members of a local religious organisation using the Internet, at which extremist literature was studied, the superiority of this doctrine over other religious denominations was declared, and an opinion was expressed on the unacceptability of fulfilling general civil duties and honouring State symbols of the Russian Federation; he instructed members of the organisation on the need to uphold conspiracy measures in the conditions of the ban on the activities of the organisation; he made decisions on admission new members to the organization.
Latest event
January 14, 2025 — preventive measure: ban on certain activities
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 11, 2024
Timeline
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Izhevsk, a follower of Jehovah's Witnesses, was reported by the The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation as an "official assistant" of the community's elder. On 4 June 2024 he was searched, electronic devices and storage media were seized, and he himself was taken for interrogation. On 5 June, he was sent to the pre-trial detention centre on the case of organising the activities of an extremist organisation. On 29 October 2024, Stefanidin was transferred to house arrest. On 14 January 2025, the pretrial restriction was changed to a ban on certain actions.
Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles exclusively in connection with religious activities: organising meetings and worship services, attracting new supporters.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.