Ivan Matsitsky

Extra Bio Info:

Ivan Matsitsky was detained for his religious activity and religious leadership role.

In June 2017, authorities detained Matsitsky, the director of the Church of Scientology in St. Petersburg, after the Federal Security Service (FSB) and SWAT police raided the church’s headquarters and the homes of all five of the church’s leaders including Matsitsky. Matsitsky and his colleagues were accused of illegally conducting paid courses and programs without proper registration, and religious literature that authorities declared extremist was allegedly found at their residences.  They were charged with “illegal entrepreneurship committed by an organized group associated with the extraction of income on an especially large scale” (Art. 171-2 (a & b) RCC), “organizing an extremist community” (Art. 282.1 RCC), and “inciting hatred or enmity, as well as at humiliating the dignity of a person or a group of persons…by an organized group” (Art. 282-2(c) RCC).

On November 15, 2019, Matsitsky was released on bail and banned for engaging in certain activities, including severe limitations on his contacts with family and friends. 

In March 2021, authorities took Matsitsky back into custody for violating the conditions of his bail by contacting family members without written permission from his correctional officer.

In April 2022, Matsitsky was released from detention and placed under house arrest.

On May 25, 2022, Matsitsky was taken back into detention again after authorities alleged that he had violated the conditions of his house arrest by leaving his apartment, an allegation Matsitsky and his lawyers deny.

On August 24, 2023, the Nevsky District Court of St. Petersburg sentenced Matsitsky to six years in prison. Matsitsky was released following the verdict due to already serving his entire sentence.