Additional Name(s): Aleksander Ivshin, Ivshin, Aleksandr Yevgeniyevich
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Health Concerns: Contracted COVID-19
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: February/10/2021
Date of Sentencing: February/10/2021
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 Religious Activity Religious Belief Singing, Playing, & Producing Religious Songs & Music
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Aleksandr Ivshin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On February 10, 2021, the Abinsk District Court of Krasnodar sentenced Ivshin to seven 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). Authorities accused him of discussing the Bible with friends and organizing online religious services that included singing religious songs. Ivshin was taken into custody following the verdict.
On April 15, 2021, the Krasnodar Regional Court upheld Ivshin's sentence.
Ivshin reportedly contracted COVID-19 while in state custody before being transferred to a prison.
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Aleksandr Ivshin" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Ivshin in Kholmskaya" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"In Krasnodar, Appeal Court Left Aleksandr Ivshin, 63, in a Colony for 7.5 Years. His Bible Was Ordered to be Destroyed" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"An unprecedentedly harsh sentence for a 63-year-old witness from the village of Kholmskaya: a seven-and-a-half year imprisonment for practicing faith" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Denis Petrovich Peresunko,
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, 3 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September/23/2021
Date of Sentencing: September/23/2021
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 Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing
Denis Peresunko is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On August 21, 2019, authorities in Volgograd arrested Peresunko in connection to a group of Jehovah's Witnesses reportedly accused of participating in “mass events to watch, listen to, and discuss audio and video materials propagating the cult of religious superiority of the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
On August 27, 2019, investigators interrogated Peresunko in relation to charges of “participating in the activities of a public or religious association, or any other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-2 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 November 22, 2019, investigators interrogated Peresunko in relation to charges of “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 December 26, 2019, Peresunko was released.
On September 23, 2021, the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Volgograd sentenced Peresunko to six years and three 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 “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). Peresunko was taken into custody following the verdict.
On March 18, 2022, the Volgograd Regional Court upheld Peresunko's sentence.
On January 19, 2023, the Fourth General Jurisdiction Court of Cassation in Krasnodar upheld Peresunko's sentence.
Related Cases: Igor Egozaryan, Sergey Melnik, Valeriy Rogozin
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Denis Peresunko" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"The Cassation Upheld the Sentence of Four Believers From Volgograd. They Will Continue to Serve Their Sentences in Penal Colonies" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"An Appeal in Volgograd Upholds the Sentence of Four Jehovah's Witnesses" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Six to Six and a Half Years in Prison for the Faith. Court in Volgograd Sentenced Four of Jehovah's Witnesses" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"All Four Prisoners of Conscience Were Released From Pre-Trial Detention in Volgograd" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"In Volgograd, Mass Detentions for Faith" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Valeriy Anatoliyevich Rogozin, Рогозин Валерий Анатольевич
Gender: Male
Current Location: Penal Colony No 6, Udmurtia
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 5 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September/23/2021
Date of Sentencing: September/23/2021
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 Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Illicit Financing
Valeriy Rogozin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On May 16, 2019, authorities in Volgograd arrested several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Rogozin. They were reportedly accused of participating in “mass events to watch, listen to, and discuss audio and video materials propagating the cult of religious superiority of the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Rogozin was charged with “participating in the activities of a public or religious association, or any other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-2 RCC).
On November 22, 2019, Rogozin 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) instead of “participating in the activities of a public or religious association, or any other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-2 RCC).
On December 26, 2019, Rogozin was released.
On September 23, 2021, the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Volgograd sentenced Rogozin to six years and five 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 “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). Rogozin was taken into custody following the verdict.
On March 18, 2022, the Volgograd Regional Court upheld Rogozin's sentence.
On January 19, 2023, the Fourth General Jurisdiction Court of Cassation in Krasnodar upheld Rogozin's sentence.
Related Cases: Igor Egozaryan, Sergey Melnik, Denis Peresunko
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Valeriy Rogozin" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"The Cassation Upheld the Sentence of Four Believers From Volgograd. They Will Continue to Serve Their Sentences in Penal Colonies" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"An Appeal in Volgograd Upholds the Sentence of Four Jehovah's Witnesses" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Six to Six and a Half Years in Prison for the Faith. Court in Volgograd Sentenced Four of Jehovah's Witnesses" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"All Four Prisoners of Conscience Were Released From Pre-Trial Detention in Volgograd" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"In Volgograd, Mass Detentions for Faith" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia