October 20, 2026, 8:55 AMRSSRU

Dmitrii Terebilov

At largeChecked October 18, 2026

Dmitrii Terebilov, born 1980, Kostroma Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1.1, Russian Criminal Code (Involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The second Dmitrii Terebilov's case”, opened on April 20, 2023. Sentence (May 28, 2025): 4 years, 10 months and five days’ imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony; previously convicted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: at large. Recognition: SOVA Center — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, June 22, 2023; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, September 7, 2021.

In brief

Kostroma Oblast · Kostroma · Janitors · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

4 years 10 months

4 years, 10 months and five days’ imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony

Sentence changed May 28, 2025

First instance, January 23, 2025: 5 years

Other verdicts

  • September 5, 2021 — 3 years' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony

Charges

Full wording of the charges

The case was initiated on the basis of conversations with fellow inmates about faith.

Latest event

October 20, 2026 — case status changed

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

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · Appeal ruling

    sentence changed · 4 years 10 months

  2. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 5 years

  3. · Persecution ends

  4. · Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion

    SOVA Center

  5. · Criminal case opened

    The second Dmitrii Terebilov's case

  6. · Appeal ruling

    upheld

Criminal case

The second Dmitrii Terebilov's case

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

Dmitrii Terebilov's case

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

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

A resident of Kostroma. In July 2018, a search was carried out at Teribilov’s home in his absence. In June 2019, it became known that criminal proceedings had been initiated against him for participation in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with his alleged involvement in the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. Members of this community are prosecuted under extremism-related articles exclusively for their religious activities, including meetings, joint worship services, and the recruitment of new adherents.

Terebilov was placed under a travel restriction.

On 6 September 2021, he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony and taken into custody in the courtroom. The strict regime was imposed on the grounds that Teribilov had a prior conviction. According to his own account, he came to faith while serving a sentence in the previous case, and the prison administration itself petitioned for his early release.

In 2023, it became known that a new criminal case was initiated against Terebilov for participation in the activities of an extremist organisation, allegedly due to conversations about faith with a cellmate. On 23 January 2025, he was sentenced in this case to five years and five days’ imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony. On 28 May 2025, the appellate court reduced the sentence by two months.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Place of detention
Penal colony No. 1, Kostroma Oblast
Persecution episodes
2
Sources (3)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1.1, Russian Criminal Code

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

All 131 under this article →