Additional Name(s): Denis Yuriyevich Kuzyanin, Кузянин Денис Юрьевич
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: January/25/2024
Date of Sentencing: January/25/2024
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Denis Kuzyanin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 15, 2021, authorities in Samara detained several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Kuzyanin, following a raid on an apartment they were in. Kuzyanin was investigated 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) over his Jehovah's Witness activities.
In December 2022, Kuzyanin was released.
On January 25, 2024, the Samara District Court sentenced Kuzyanin to seven years in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On May 20, 2024, the Samara Regional Court upheld Kuzyanin’s sentence.
Related Cases: Nikolay Vasiliyev, Sergey Polosenko, Aram Danielyan
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Denis Kuzyanin" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Polosenko and others in Samara" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Court in Samara Sent Four Jehovah's Witnesses to a Penal Colony for Seven Years" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Samara. Three Were Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center, One Reported Torture During a Search" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Nikolay Vasiliyevich Vasiliyev, Васильев Николай Васильевич
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: January/25/2024
Date of Sentencing: January/25/2024
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Nikolay Vasiliyev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 15, 2021, authorities in Samara detained several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Vasiliyev, following a raid on an apartment they were in. Vasiliyev was investigated 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) over his Jehovah's Witness activities.
In December 2022, Vasiliyev was released.
On January 25, 2024, the Samara District Court sentenced Vasiliyev to seven years in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On May 20, 2024, the Samara Regional Court upheld Vasiliyev’s sentence.
Related Cases: Denis Kuzyanin, Sergey Polosenko, Aram Danielyan
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Nikolay Vasiliyev" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Polosenko and others in Samara" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Court in Samara Sent Four Jehovah's Witnesses to a Penal Colony for Seven Years" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"A Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Samara. Three Were Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center, One Reported Torture During a Search" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Andrey Nikolayevich Bochkarev, Бочкарёв Андрей Николаевич
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 3 Years, 1 Month's Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: January/19/2020
Date of Sentencing: February/20/2023
Date of Release: February/20/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Andrey Bochkarev was detained for his religious belief and activity.
On January 19, 2020, authorities in Kazan detained Bochkarev alongside several other Jehovah's Witnesses in relation to their religious activities.
On February 20, 2023, the Vakhitovsky District Court of Kazan sentenced Bochkarev to three years and one month 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). Bochkarev was released from prison following the verdict after serving his entire sentence in pretrial detention.
On November 1, 2023, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan upheld Bochkarev's sentence.
"Andrey Bochkarev" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Appeal in Tatarstan Upholds the Verdict of Three Jehovah's Witnesses"https://jw-russia.org/news/2023/11/281501.html Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Court passes judgment on Jehovah's Witnesses from Kazan" SOVA Center
"Three of Jehovah's Witnesses Sentenced in Kazan. The Believers Received Various Terms of Imprisonment" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Mass Detentions in Kazan: Department for Combating Organized Crime Finds Out Why People Aged 9 to 80 Read the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia