Additional Name(s): Arsen Nazimovich Abdullaev, Абдуллаев Арсен Назимович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/1/2019
Date of Sentencing: November/25/2022
Date of Release: November/25/2022
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing
Arsen Abdullaev
Extra Bio Info:
Arsen Abdullaev was under house arrest for his religious belief and activity.
On June 1, 2019, authorities detained several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Abdullaev, following searches on their homes. They were accused of organizing religious gatherings and studying and discussing religious materials.
On April 30, 2020, Abdullaev was charged with “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 “collecting funds…intended to finance the organization, preparation and commission of at least one of the crimes of an extremist orientation, or to ensure the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organization” (Art. 282.3-1 RCC).
On May 27, 2020, Abdullaev was released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest.
On November 25, 2022, the Kirovskiy District Court of Makhachkala imposed a six years, six months' suspended sentence on Abdullaev. He was released from house arrest following the verdict.
Related Cases: Marat Abdulgalimov, Anton Dergalev, Mariya Karpova
Sources:
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Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Arsen Abdullaev" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"A Court in Dagestan Gave Suspended Sentences to Four of Jehovah's Witnesses for "Extremism." They Prayed and Discussed the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"The Dagestan Supreme Court Ruled to Release Four Believers From the Detention Center. They Spent in Prison Almost a Year" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"In Dagestan, Three Men and One Woman Jailed Following FSB Home Invasions" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Marat Nazimovich Abdulgalimov, Абдулгалимов Марат Назимович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/1/2019
Date of Sentencing: November/25/2022
Date of Release: November/25/2022
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing
Marat Abdulgalimov
Extra Bio Info:
Marat Abdulgalimov was under house arrest for his religious belief and activity.
On June 1, 2019, authorities detained several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Abdulgalimov, following searches on their homes. They were accused of organizing religious gatherings and studying and discussing religious materials.
On April 30, 2020, Abdulgalimov was charged with “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 “collecting funds…intended to finance the organization, preparation and commission of at least one of the crimes of an extremist orientation, or to ensure the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organization” (Art. 282.3-1 RCC).
On May 27, 2020, Abdulgalimov was released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest.
On November 25, 2022, the Kirovskiy District Court of Makhachkala imposed a six years, six months' suspended sentence on Abdulgalimov. He was released from house arrest following the verdict.
Related Cases: Arsen Abdullaev, Anton Dergalev, Mariya Karpova
Sources:
-
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Marat Abdulgalimov" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"A Court in Dagestan Gave Suspended Sentences to Four of Jehovah's Witnesses for "Extremism." They Prayed and Discussed the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"The Dagestan Supreme Court Ruled to Release Four Believers From the Detention Center. They Spent in Prison Almost a Year" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
-
"In Dagestan, Three Men and One Woman Jailed Following FSB Home Invasions" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Oct 14, 2022
In April 2017, the Russian Federation banned Jehovah’s Witnesses as an “extremist” organization. In the five years since that designation, law enforcement authorities across Russia have made it a regular practice to raid, detain, and arrest Jehovah’s Witnesses on “extremism” charges directly related to their peaceful religious activities. According to statistics published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, approximately 643 Witnesses have been charged with “organizing the activities of an extremist organization,” and nearly 350 individuals have been detained or arrested at some point in time. As of early October, 100 Witnesses are imprisoned in Russia for their beliefs.
David Williams, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Information, and Jarrod Lopes, Senior Communications Officer, from the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York join us today to discuss the ongoing persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia.
Read USCIRF's 2022 Backgrounder on Russia and Issue Update on The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Listen USCIRF's Spotlight Podcast on Abuses of Traditional Religion in Russia.