Andrey Tolmachev
Andrey Tolmachev, born 1975, Irkutsk Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk”. Sentence (March 5, 2024): 7 years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, prohibition to engage in organisational activities in public… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since October 4, 2021; place of detention: Penal colony No. 14, Irkutsk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, October 8, 2021.
In brief
Irkutsk Oblast · Irkutsk · Drivers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
7 years
deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, prohibition to engage in organisational activities in public or religious associations for 5 years, and 1 year and 2 months' restriction of liberty
Upheld December 12, 2024
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
being "an adherent of the religious association "Management Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia", organised collective religious services consisting of successive performances of songs and prayers to Jehovah God, study of articles"
Latest event
December 12, 2024 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, October 8, 2021
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Irkutsk Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of nine Jehovah’s Witnesses in Irkutsk
Other defendants in the case
- Sergey Vasilyev — Location unknown, 3 years
- Yaroslav Kalin — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Sergey Kosteev — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Nikolay Martynov — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Michael Moish — Imprisoned, 7 years
- Igor Popov — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Denis Sarazhakov — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Alexei Solnechny — Imprisoned, 7 years
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Irkutsk
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 14, Irkutsk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
665809, г.Ангарск, Первый промышленный массив, квартал 9, строение 10/1, ФКУ «ИК № 14 ГУФСИН России по Иркутской области», Толмачев Андрей Владимирович, 1975 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Irkutsk. On 4 October 2021, Tolmachev's home was searched. The next day, the court sent him to custody on the case of organising activities of an extremist organisation and financing extremist activities in connection with his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters. On 5 March 2024, he was sentenced to seven years in a general regime colony.
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.