Досье
According to minimum estimates, as of May 19, 2026, a total of 994 Jehovah's Witnesses have been criminally prosecuted.
Awaiting sentencing are 264 Jehovah's Witnesses:
- Detention — 36 people
- House arrest — 25 people
- Other preventive measures or wanted — 203 people
Sentences have been passed against 497 Jehovah's Witnesses:
- Imprisonment or forced labor — 158 people
- Suspended sentences — 229 people
- Fines — 110 people
Criminal cases have been closed against 220 Jehovah's Witnesses:
- Served sentence — 166 people
- Criminal prosecution terminated — 40 people
- Died — 14 people
Full description
In recent years, a campaign of persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been waged in Russia, which assumed a large-scale character after the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation issued a decision on April 20, 2017, recognizing the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia as an extremist organization. This campaign sharply intensified in April 2018, when searches and arrests began in various regions, which affected dozens of believers, many of whom became defendants in criminal cases and were taken into custody. Most were charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Organization of the activities of a religious organization in respect of which a decision has been made to liquidate in connection with the implementation of extremist activity,” up to 10 years’ imprisonment); believers are also persecuted under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Participation in the activities of a religious organization that has been decided to be liquidated due to extremist activity,” up to 6 years’ imprisonment) and under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Incitement, recruitment or other involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization,” up to 8 years’ imprisonment). In addition, we know that in some cases, criminal cases have been initiated under Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Involvement of a minor in a criminal group,” up to 8 years’ imprisonment). Moreover, in addition to Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, cases have also been initiated under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Financing of extremist activity,” up to 8 years’ imprisonment).
