Additional Name(s): Орлов Олег Петрович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Sentence: 2 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/27/2024

Date of Sentencing: February/27/2024

Date of Release: August/1/2024

Current Status: Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities

Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Oleg Orlov

Extra Bio Info:

Oleg Orlov is imprisoned in relation to his human rights work.

On February 27, 2024, the Golovinsky District Court in Moscow sentenced Orlov, the 70-year old co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization Memorial, to two years and six months in prison for "discrediting the Russian armed forces" (Art. 280.3-1 RCC) after he held several single-person protests opposing Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and authored an article criticizing Russia's invasion. Orlov's imprisonment comes amid a sweeping crackdown on Russian human rights organizations and defenders, including those working on religious freedom issues. Memorial under Orlov's tenure extensively documented, reported on, and defended FoRB prisoners of conscience in Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea. Orlov was taken into custody following the verdict. 

Sources: