Nikolay Zhugin
Nikolay Zhugin, born 1976, Orenburg Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of five Jehovah's Witnesses in Orenburg”. Sentence (August 28, 2023): Two years and 6 months' suspended sentence with a probationary period of 2 years 8 months' restriction of liberty. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, May 30, 2019.
In brief
Orenburg Oblast · Orenburg · Mechanics · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
2 years 6 months
Two years and 6 months' suspended sentence with a probationary period of 2 years 8 months' restriction of liberty
Upheld January 24, 2024
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
participated in the activities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
January 23, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, May 30, 2019
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Persecution ends
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years 6 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Persecution begins
The case of five Jehovah's Witnesses in Orenburg
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
Criminal case
The case of five Jehovah's Witnesses in Orenburg
Other defendants in the case
- Vladislav Kolbanov — At large, 3 years 6 months
- Vladimir Kochnev — At large, 2 years 6 months
- Pavel Lekontsev — At large, 3 years
- Sergey Logunov — At large, 2 years 6 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Orenburg
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Orenburg. On 16 May 2018, he was searched at his home in a case on the activities of an extremist organisation. A recognisance not to leave was taken.
On 14 January 2020, the court returned the case to the prosecutor's office, but later it came back to the court. On 28 August 2023, Zhugin was sentenced to two and a half years suspended sentence.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.