Vitaly Zhuk
Vitaly Zhuk, born 1972, Khabarovsk Krai. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Khabarovsk region”. Sentence (October 10, 2024): 7 years' suspended imprisonment with a probation period of 5 years. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, June 27, 2024; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, January 8, 2020.
In brief
Khabarovsk Krai · Khabarovsk · Mechanics · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
7 years
suspended imprisonment with a probation period of 5 years.
First instance, June 20, 2024: 8 years 4 months
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
Participated in organising the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Jehovah Witnesses is banned in Russia because it is proclaimed an extremist organisation.
Latest event
October 10, 2024 — appeal
The court changed the sentence to 7 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 27, 2024
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, January 8, 2020
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, January 30, 2019
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
sentence changed · 7 years
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years 4 months
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Khabarovsk Territory
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Khabarovsk Territory
· Persecution begins
The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Khabarovsk region
Criminal case
The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Khabarovsk region
Other defendants in the case
- Tatiana Zhuk — At large, 4 years
- Maya Karpushkina — At large, 3 years
- Stanislav Kim — At large, 7 years 2 months
- Nikolay Polevodov — At large, 7 years 6 months
- Svetlana Sedova — At large, 4 years
Thematic group: The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Khabarovsk Krai
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Khabarovsk Krai. Detained during a raid on a cafe in Khabarovsk on 10 November 2018. On 12 November, he was taken into custody by court order on charges of organising the activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Members of this community are prosecuted under extremist laws solely for their religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters.
On 14 January 2019, Zhuk was placed under house arrest. On 18 January 2020, he was released from house arrest. On 3 August, the case was returned to the prosecutor's office. On 20 June 2024, Zhuk was sentenced to eight years and four months in a general regime prison. On 10 October 2024, the appeal court commuted his sentence to a seven-year suspended sentence.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Sources (3)
- Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
- Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
- Memorial Human Rights Centre — Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.