Additional Name(s): Olga Aleksandrovna Panyuta, Панюта Ольга Александровна

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 4 Years, 4 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 4 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/10/2023

Date of Sentencing: February/10/2023

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 Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Olga Panyuta

Extra Bio Info:

Olga Panyuta is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

On November 25, 2018, authorities in Spassk-Dalniy detained Panyuta after searching the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses. Panyuta was accused of holding Jehovah's Witness meetings, distributing religious materials, and recruiting new members.

On November 27, 2018, Panyuta was placed under house arrest.

On November 19, 2019, Panyuta's house arrest was lifted.

On February 10, 2023, the Spassky District Court of Primorsky Krai sentenced Panyuta to four years and six months in prison for “recruiting…a person in the activities of an extremist organization” (Art. 282.2-1.1 RCC). She was taken into custody following the verdict.

On May 24, 2023, the Primorsky Regional Court reduced Panyuta's sentence to four years and four months in prison.

On October 16, 2023, the Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction upheld Panyuta's most recent sentence.

Related Cases: Aleksey Trofimov, Dmitriy Malevaniy

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Dmitriy Yuryevich Malevaniy, Малеваный Дмитрий Юрьевич

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 6 Years, 10 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 7 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/10/2023

Date of Sentencing: February/10/2023

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 Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Dmitriy Malevaniy

Extra Bio Info:

Dmitriy Malevaniy is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On November 25, 2018, authorities in Spassk-Dalniy detained Malevaniy after searching the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses. Malevaniy was accused of holding Jehovah's Witness meetings, distributing religious materials, and recruiting new members.

On November 27, 2018, Malevaniy was placed under house arrest.

On November 19, 2019, Malevaniy's house arrest was lifted.

On February 10, 2023, the Spassky District Court of Primorsky Krai sentenced Malevaniy to seven years 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). He was taken into custody following the verdict.

On May 24, 2023, the Primorsky Regional Court reduced Malevaniy's sentence to six years and ten months in prison.

On October 16, 2023, the Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction upheld Malevaniy's most recent sentence.

Related Cases: Aleksey Trofimov, Olga Panyuta

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Aleksey Borisovich Trofimov, Трофимов Алексей Борисович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 6 Years, 4 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 6 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/10/2023

Date of Sentencing: February/10/2023

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 Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Aleksey Trofimov

Extra Bio Info:

Aleksey Trofimov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On November 25, 2018, authorities in Spassk-Dalniy detained Trofimov after searching the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses. Trofimov was accused of holding Jehovah's Witness meetings, distributing religious materials, and recruiting new members.

On November 27, 2018, Trofimov was placed under house arrest. 

On November 19, 2019, Trofimov's house arrest was lifted. 

On February 10, 2023, the Spassky District Court of Primorsky Krai sentenced Trofimov to six 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). He was taken into custody following the verdict.

On May 24, 2023, the Primorsky Regional Court reduced Trofimov's sentence to to six years and four months in prison.

On October 16, 2023, the Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction upheld Trofimov's most recent sentence.

Related Cases: Dmitriy Malevaniy, Olga Panyuta

Publicly Available Information:
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