Additional Name(s): Шарифуллин Фарит Азатович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 18 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: February//2020
Date of Sentencing: October/19/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Religious Activity Religious Association Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Forgery Illicit Financing Terrorism
Farit Sharifullin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
In February 2020, authorities arrested Sharifullin after accusing him of organizing and participating in meetings for the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization and collecting contributions for it.
On October 19, 2022, the Central District Military Court in Yekaterinburg sentenced Sharifullin to 18 years in prison for "financing terrorist activities" (Art. 205.1-1 RCC), "organizing the activities of an organization…recognized as terrorist" (Art. 205.5-1 RCC), and “forging an official document…with the aim of concealing another crime or facilitating its commission” (Art. 327-4 RCC).
On September 4, 2023, the Military Court of Appeal upheld Sharifullin's sentence.
Related: Marsel Gimaliev
Photo attributed to Memorial
"Шарифуллин Фарит Азатович" Memorial
"Утвержден приговор стороннику «Хизб ут-Тахрир» из Казани" SOVA Center
USCIRF Country Update: Religious Freedom Conditions in the Russian Federation July 2023
"Вынесен приговор стороннику "Хизб ут-Тахрир" из Казани" SOVA Center
Additional Name(s): Mikhail Ivanovich Burkov, Бурков Михаил Иванович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 2 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: June/23/2023
Date of Sentencing: June/23/2023
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Mikhail Burkov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 25, 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Burkov to six years and two months in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC). Burkov and others were accused of holding worship services and “home-based Bible studies." Religious materials seized were used as evidence. Burkov was taken into custody following the verdict.
On December 27, 2022, the Amur Regional Court overturned Burkov's conviction and ordered a retrial. He was released following the decision.
On June 23, 2023, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Burkov to six years and two months in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On September 5, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld Burkov's sentence.
Related Cases: Vladimir Bukin, Valeriy Slashchev, Sergey Yuferov
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Second Appeal Upheld the Harsh Sentence of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. Four Believers Received More Than 6 Years in the Penal Colony Each" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Суд вынес приговор Свидетелям Иеговы из Тынды" SOVA Center
"Once Again, More Than Six Years in Prison for Faith. In the Town of Tynda, the Retrial of the Case of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Ended With Another Harsh Sentence" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"In Blagoveshchensk, an Appeal Overturned the Harsh Sentences of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. The Case Was Sent for a Retrial, And the Believers Were Released" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Свидетели Иеговы из Тынды приговорены к реальным срокам" SOVA Center
"Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced to Six Years in the Penal Colony in the Amur Region" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Sergey Vitaliyevich Yuferov, Юферов Сергей Витальевич
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 4 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: June/23/2023
Date of Sentencing: June/23/2023
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Sergey Yuferov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 25, 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Yuferov to six years and six months in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) and “recruiting…a person in the activities of an extremist organization” (Art. 282.2-1.1 RCC). Yuferov and others were accused of holding worship services and “home-based Bible studies” and talking about the Bible. Religious materials allegedly seized were used as evidence. Yuferov was taken into custody following the verdict.
On December 27, 2022, the Amur Regional Court overturned Yuferov's conviction and ordered a retrial. He was released following the decision.
On June 23, 2023, the Tyndinskiy District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Yuferov to six years and four months in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On September 5, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld Yuferov's sentence.
Yuferov is married with two children.
Related Cases: Vladimir Bukin, Valeriy Slashchev, Mikhail Burkov
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Second Appeal Upheld the Harsh Sentence of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. Four Believers Received More Than 6 Years in the Penal Colony Each" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Суд вынес приговор Свидетелям Иеговы из Тынды" SOVA Center
"Once Again, More Than Six Years in Prison for Faith. In the Town of Tynda, the Retrial of the Case of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Ended With Another Harsh Sentence" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"In Blagoveshchensk, an Appeal Overturned the Harsh Sentences of Four of Jehovah's Witnesses from Tynda. The Case Was Sent for a Retrial, And the Believers Were Released" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Свидетели Иеговы из Тынды приговорены к реальным срокам" SOVA Center
"Four of Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced to Six Years in the Penal Colony in the Amur Region" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia