Source: www.forum18.org
Date: June 19, 2025
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
By Victoria Arnold, Forum 18
In the 2024 calendar year and the first four months of 2025, there were at
least 124 prosecutions across Russia under Administrative Code Article
5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting missionary activity") and Part 5
("Foreigners conducting missionary activity"), according to Forum 18's
review of available court records. The true number is believed to be
higher.
The 124 prosecutions found by Forum 18 and figures recorded by the Supreme
Court both suggest a slight increase on recent years.
The shift towards more prosecutions for Muslim religious activities, first
observed by Forum 18 in 2019 and the first half of 2020, has continued.
(See here (https://www.forum18.org/archi
analysis of such prosecutions between January 2024 and April 2025, and here
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
the impact on foreign citizens.)
Forum 18 found 90 prosecutions in the 2024 calendar year (64 under Article
5.26, Part 4; 26 under Article 5.26, Part 5), and 34 prosecutions in
January to April 2025 (26 under Part 4; 9 under Part 5). Six of these
involved registered religious organisations, the remainder individuals, two
of whom were charged as an "official person" (dolzhnostnoye litso).
First-instance courts (and in one case the police) convicted 107 defendants
and acquitted three. They closed or sent a further 12 cases back to police
or prosecutors. Two cases were dismissed because they reached court after
the permitted three-month time period for administrative prosecutions had
passed (the statute of limitations).
The period January 2024 to April 2025 therefore saw an initial conviction
rate (for those cases which reached a verdict) of 96.4 per cent. All but
six of those convicted received fines – a Muslim imam and two Baptist
Union churches (tried twice each) were given warnings, and one Society for
Krishna Consciousness adherent received no punishment as the statute of
limitations had expired.
Defendants submitted initial appeals in 31 known cases, most of which were
unsuccessful. Twelve individuals, mostly from southern Russia, have further
challenged their convictions in the cassational courts – the majority of
these have been heard in the 4th Cassational Court in Krasnodar.
Of the 35 foreigners charged under Article 5.26, Part 5 ("Foreigners
conducting missionary activity"), 18 were ordered expelled from Russia
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
to immigration detention centres before departure.
Amendments to several Articles of the Administrative Code, which came into
force on 5 February 2025, mean that police are now able to handle Article
5.26, Part 5 cases (https://www.forum18.org/archi
without going to court. This allows police to impose both fines and
administrative expulsion as punishment. It is therefore difficult to
ascertain how many foreign citizens may be facing prosecution for unlawful
"missionary activity", unless they manage to lodge appeals. Forum 18 has
found only one instance of this so far.
Russia has also imposed its "anti-missionary" legislation in Ukrainian
territories which it has illegally occupied
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
These prosecutions are based on amendments to the Administrative Code and
Religion Law (https://www.forum18.org/archi
introduced in July 2016 as part of the "Yarovaya" package of
"anti-terrorism" laws.
Religious organisations also continue to face prosecution
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Code Article 5.26, Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious
organisation without indicating its official full name, including the
issuing or distribution, within the framework of missionary activity, of
literature and printed, audio, and video material without a label bearing
this name, or with an incomplete or deliberately false label").
==============================
Full list of known "missionary activity" prosecutions
The list below of known administrative cases to punish "missionary
activity" under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians
conducting missionary activity") and Part 5 ("Foreigners conducting
missionary activity") is based on court decisions and other information
known to Forum 18. Cases are listed in date order of initial decision.
JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2024
1) 15 January 2024
Part 4
Name: Yury Aleksandrovich Yungerov
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Kuybyshev District Magistrate's Court No. 45, St Petersburg
Circumstances: general director of "Afonsky Dom", company which takes
prayer notes (for health or repose of deceased loved ones) from Orthodox
believers to Mount Athos, charged with unlawful missionary activity for
selling these notes at office on Nevsky prospekt; judge concluded
(apparently with reference to 2018 Constitutional Court clarification
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
aimed solely at Orthodox believers and therefore not missionary activity.
Appeal: none
2) 18 January 2024
Part 4
Name: A. T. Magomedov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Arzgir District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: Muslim charged by police with having "conducted study and
collective namaz in the presence of a group of believers, using residential
premises for this .. which is not a place for the free implementation of
missionary activity", without written authorisation from religious group,
and without having submitted notification to Justice Ministry of creation
of religious group.
Appeal: none
3) 21 January 2024
Part 4
Name: M. A. Yakhiyayev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Grachyovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: Muslim imam charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for
Countering Extremism for conducting unspecified missionary activity without
having submitted notification of continuation of religious group's
activities.
Appeal: none
4) 26 January 2024
Part 4
Name: German Petrovich Adrian
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Cherlak District Magistrate's Court No. 105, Omsk Region
Circumstances: after police and FSB visit to church, Council of Churches
Baptist pastor charged with conducting "a ritual and cult event 'service'
(performance of collective prayer and religious songs) as a preacher and
leader of the religious group 'House of Prayer of the South Podolsk Church
of the Cherlak District of the International Council of Churches of
Evangelical Christians-Baptists'" in his own house; judge concluded that
defendant disseminated "information about the doctrine of 'Christianity' of
this group among persons who are not members of this religious group, with
the purpose of involving these persons in .. the religious group, conducted
ceremonies and services on the premises of his home among persons who are
not members of the religious group by appealing to their consciousness,
will, feelings, including by disclosure by the person carrying out
missionary activity of his own religious views and convictions, without
observing the notification procedure for the activities of this religious
group", ie. notifying the Justice Ministry.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 26 February 2024, Cherlak District Court, Omsk
Region; cassational appeal unsuccessful – 25 April 2024, 8th Cassational
Court, Kemerovo
5) 20 February 2024
Part 4
Name: Konstantin Lvovich Loskutov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Maykop Magistrate's Court No. 8, Republic of Adygeya
Circumstances: pastor of Fellowship of Christian Businesspeople – details
unknown
Appeal: none
6) 26 February 2024
Part 4
Name: Magomed G. Nutsalov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Grachyovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: Muslim, "acting in the role of imam", charged by Interior
Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism for having "conducted worship
services and other religious rites" for "Traditional Islam of Beshpagir
village" religious group without written authorisation to carry out
missionary activity on its behalf, and without submitting notification to
the Justice Ministry of continuation of activities of religious group.
Appeal: none
7) 7 March 2024
Part 4
Name: Local Religious Organisation Orthodox Parish of the Church of the
Holy Prophet Elijah, Tashla Village, Tashla District, Orenburg Region,
Buzuluk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Tashla District Magistrate's Court, Orenburg Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of compliance with
Extremism Law, Orthodox parish charged with not displaying sign with its
full official name on the building where it is registered, or at its
entrance (sign instead read "Church of the Prophet of God Elijah, Buzuluk
Diocese"); legal representative cited November 2020 Constitutional Court
resolution on Part 3, which states that this is not required – judge
concludes that this only applies to residential buildings, while church's
registration address is in a non-residential building.
Appeal: partially successful (offence deemed to be minor, fine therefore
overturned) – 4 April 2024, Tashla District Court, Orenburg Region
8) 14 March 2024
Part 4
Name: Sh. A. Ibragimov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Trunovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: leader of religious group charged by Interior Ministry's
Centre for Countering Extremism with having led services without having
submitted notification to Justice Ministry of continuation of activities of
religious group; judge acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
affiliation unknown.
Appeal: none
9) 15 March 2024
Part 4
Name: Yury Aleksandrovich Goncharov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Zelenograd District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: after Interior Ministry Counter-Extremism Centre monitoring
of Telegram channel "RPTs Tsarskaya Imperiya", Orthodox Christian charged
with making "religious materials freely accessible outside of places
specially designated for the implementation of this activity, on behalf of
an unregistered religious organisation of the pseudo-Orthodox persuasion,
the Russian Orthodox Church of the Tsarist Empire", which he had posted
about on the channel.
Appeal: rejected because of missing signature of defendant – 11 November
2024, Moscow City Court
10) 18 March 2024
Part 4
Name: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Chmykh
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Neustroyev, Kostyuchenko, Popov, Antonyuk, and
Slizovsky (below); Baptist pastor charged with having "organised and
conducted worship services in Kurganinsk [two-day fellowship event of
Caucasian Association of Council of Churches], by which he violated the
requirements of the law on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and
religious associations, namely he did not submit in the established order
notification of the beginning of the activities of the religious group to
the Justice Ministry".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 28 May 2024, Kurganinsk District Court, Krasnodar
Region
11) 21 March 2024
Part 4
Name: Dmitry Leonidovich Skripka
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Shpakovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 5, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: leader of House of God Protestant religious group charged by
police with having "conducted religious service with parishioners", not
having submitted notification to the Justice Ministry of the continuation
of religious group's activities.
Appeal: none
12) March/April 2024
Part 4
Name: Nikolay Ivanovich Medvedev
Punishment: none – found guilty but statute of limitations expired
Court: unknown Maykop Magistrate's Court, Republic of Adygeya
Circumstances: according to police, Society for Krishna Consciousness
adherent in the City Park of Culture and Recreation "disseminated
information about his religious doctrine among persons who were not members
of this religious association, while distributing religious literature and
chanting the mantra 'Hare Krishna', in order to familiarise people with
Indian culture, while not having documents of state registration of a
religious organisation".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 18 April 2024, Maykop City Court, Republic of
Adygeya
13) 1 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Igor Yevgenyevich Sobolevsky
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Lazarevsky District Magistrate's Court No. 93, Sochi, Krasnodar
Region
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: unsuccessful – 20 June 2024, Lazarevsky District Court, Sochi,
Krasnodar Region
14) 1 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Vitaly Dmitryevich Timoshin
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: October District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Saransk, Republic of
Mordoviya
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist charged with having held worship
meetings and disseminated information about Baptist beliefs among people
who were not members of his religious group – further details unknown.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 16 May 2024, October District Court, Saransk,
Republic of Mordoviya
15) 2 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Pavel Spiridonovich Neustroyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Chmykh (above) and Kostyuchenko, Popov,
Antonyuk, and Slizovsky (below); Baptist pastor charged for participating
in two-day fellowship event of Caucasian Association of Council of Churches
at Kurganinsk church.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 2 June 2024, Kurganinsk District Court, Krasnodar
Region
16) 2 April 2024
Part 5
Name: Zhavlanbek Zhumabayevich Matkarimov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus forcible administrative expulsion
Court: Mayma District Court, Altay Republic
Circumstances: appears to be same case as Saparboyev (below); after police
and FSB raid on migrant workers' hostel, Muslim and Uzbek citizen charged
for having conducted "religious rites, ceremonies, to spread the faith of
Islam, which he professed, converting new people and teaching religion",
without authorisation from religious group and without having submitted
notification of existence of religious group.
Appeal: none
17) 2 April 2024
Part 5
Name: Abbos Bakhadirovich Saparboyev
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus forcible administrative expulsion
Court: Mayma District Court, Altay Republic
Circumstances: appears to be same case as Matkarimov (above); after police
and FSB raid on migrant workers' hostel, Muslim and Uzbek citizen charged
for having conducted "religious rites, ceremonies, to spread the faith of
Islam, which he professed, converting new people and teaching religion",
without authorisation from a religious group and without having submitted
notification of the existence of a religious group.
Appeal: none
18) 3 April 2024
Part 5
Name: Dovud Safaraliyevich Odilov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Mayma District Court, Altay Republic
Circumstances: unknown citizenship, unknown religious affiliation –
details unknown
Appeal: none
19) 9 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Sanzhar Mukhamedrakhimovich Imidzhanov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: South-Eastern Administrative Okrug Magistrate's Court No. 252,
Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim charged with having "carried out religious
(missionary) activity, conducting a religious rite as imam for
parishioners, without authorisation to perform this activity";
investigative agency unknown.
Appeal: none
20) 17 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Pyotr Grigoryevich Kostyuchenko
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Chmykh and Neustroyev (above) and Popov,
Antonyuk, and Slizovsky (below); Baptist pastor charged for participating
in two-day fellowship event of Caucasian Association of Council of Churches
at Kurganinsk church.
Appeal: none
21) 17 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Andrey Vladimirovich Popov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Chmykh, Neustroyev, and Kostyuchenko (above)
and Antonyuk and Slizovsky (below); Baptist pastor charged for
participating in two-day fellowship event of Caucasian Association of
Council of Churches at Kurganinsk church.
Appeal: none
22) 17 April 2024
Part 4
Name: Nikolay Stepanovich Antonyuk
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Chmykh, Neustroyev, Kostyuchenko, and Popov
(above) and Slizovsky (below); Baptist pastor charged for participating in
two-day fellowship event of Caucasian Association of Council of Churches at
Kurganinsk church.
Appeal: none
23) 18 April 2024
Part 5
Name: Samariddin Khizridinovich Saliyev
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion
Court: Tuapse City Court, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Saidzoda (below); Tajik citizen and Muslim
charged by police with having carried out unspecified missionary activity
in residential premises without notifying the Justice Ministry of the
creation of a religious group; mosque imam testified that "Any missionary
activity must be agreed upon with the leadership of the Spiritual
administration of the Republic of Adygea and Krasnodar Region", which
Saliyev did not do; defendant to be held in immigration detention centre
until departure.
Appeal: none
24) 18 April 2024
Part 5
Name: Dzhalil Saidmumin Saidzoda
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion
Court: Tuapse City Court, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Saliyev (above); Tajik citizen and Muslim
charged by police with having carried out unspecified missionary activity
in residential premises without notifying the Justice Ministry of the
creation of a religious group; mosque imam testified that "Any missionary
activity must be agreed upon with the leadership of the Spiritual
administration of the Republic of Adygea and Krasnodar Region", which
Saidzoda did not do; defendant to be held in immigration detention centre
until departure.
Appeal: none
25) 3 May 2024
Part 4
Name: Valery Pavlovich Slizovsky
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Prikubansky District Magistrate's Court No. 50, Krasnodar
Circumstances: same case as Chmykh, Neustroyev, Kostyuchenko, Popov, and
Antonyuk (above); Baptist pastor charged for participating in two-day
fellowship event of Caucasian Association of Council of Churches at
Kurganinsk church.
Appeal: unknown outcome – lodged 31 May 2024, Prikubansky District Court,
Krasnodar
26) 13 May 2024
Part 4
Name: Magomed Gadzhiyevich Shakhbanov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Mytishchi District Magistrate's Court No. 126, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of properties where
Muslim community holds services, imam of Local Religious Organisation of
Muslims "Enlightenment" charged with having held or allowed prayers three
times a day in two houses belonging to him, allegedly using amplification
equipment; local residents who were not members of the religious
organisation had complained about this to prosecutor's office; judge
acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification but rejects defence
arguments that activities were religious, not missionary, given free access
to buildings and use of amplification; imam tried and punished as "official
person" [dolzhnostnoye litso].
Appeal: unsuccessful – 2 September 2024, Mytishchi City Court, Moscow
Region
27) 14 May 2024
Part 5
Name: Nabizhon Obitov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Chishmy District Court, Republic of Bashkortostan
Circumstances: Uzbek citizen, former imam of local Muslim religious
organisation; after FSB search of residential building in village of Gorny
found ground floor to be "equipped for religious rites (namaz, dhikr,
etc.)", prosecutor's office charged house owner with "organising the
conduct of worship services and other religious rites and ceremonies in his
home [which] are in fact the dissemination of information about religious
doctrine, and, therefore, fall under the concept of missionary activity",
which he carried out "without a document issued by the governing body of a
religious organisation confirming the authority to perform missionary
activity on its behalf"; defendant explained that fellow Uzbeks would "help
him with household chores, then they cook food, pray together, talk about
religious topics, and pray in the same premises".
Appeal: none
28) 17 May 2024
Part 5
Name: M. B. Mukhidinov
Punishment: unknown
Court: Lyublino District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown citizenship, unknown religious affiliation –
details unknown
Appeal: none
29) 23 May 2024
Part 4
Name: Khuseyn Adamovich Makhmudov
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Otradnaya District Magistrate's Court No. 187, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Muslim accused of leading namaz in residential building,
without having notified the Justice Ministry of existence of religious
group; investigative agency unknown.
Appeal: none
30) 27 May 2024
Part 4
Name: Dmitry Nikolayevich Belolipetsky
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Neklinovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Rostov Region
Circumstances: Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church priest charged by
prosecutors with having "disseminated his beliefs among persons who are not
participants (members) the religious association, with the aim of involving
them as participants (members, followers), for holding a service "where
participants sang religious hymns, read the Bible, prayed" at the Church of
the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Sovetka village, without written
authorisation from religious association to perform missionary activity on
its behalf.
Appeal: none
31) 30 May 2024
Part 5
Name: G.I. Umarov
Punishment: unknown fine plus administrative expulsion
Court: Lyublino District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim of unknown citizenship charged by police with having
"organised and carried out religious missionary activity in violation of
[the Religion Law], in the absence of authority to conduct a religious
ceremony, in a place not agreed with local government bodies for the
performance of the religious ceremony 'Namaz'", ie. had led prayers for the
end of Ramadan on "a freely accessible site" near a multi-storey garage/car
park; to be held in immigration detention centre until departure.
Appeal:
32) 4 June 2024
Part 5
Name: Shoimardon Dzhalilov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Troitsky District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim of unknown citizenship charged by police with having
conducted namaz as one of several "self-proclaimed imams" "in the absence
of appropriate authority to conduct a religious ceremony"; religious group
"Umma Troitskaya" listed Dzhalilov as a "volunteer" in its documents.
Appeal: none
33) 5 June 2024
Part 4
Name: Artyom Sergeyevich Ivanov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Maykop Magistrate's Court No. 2, Republic of Adygeya
Circumstances: details unknown; unknown religious affiliation
Appeal: none
34) 5 June 2024
Part 4
Name: Andrey Yuryevich Kolobov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Maykop Magistrate's Court No. 2, Republic of Adygeya
Circumstances: details unknown; unknown religious affiliation
Appeal: none
35) 5 June 2024
Part 4
Name: Stanislav Vladimirovich Tolokin
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Maykop Magistrate's Court No. 2, Republic of Adygeya
Circumstances: details unknown; unknown religious affiliation
Appeal: none
36) 6 June 2024
Part 4
Name: Artur Minurovich Iskaliyev
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Mytishchi District Magistrate's Court No. 133, Moscow Region
Circumstances: details unknown; unknown religious affiliation
Appeal: none
37) 18 June 2024
Part 5
Name: Abdukodir Farkhodovich Abdukhalilov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Troitsky District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: defendant charged (apparently by Interior Ministry's Centre
for Countering Extremism) with having "carried out religious missionary
activity in violation of the requirements of [the Religion Law], in the
absence of the appropriate authority to conduct a religious ceremony", in
immigration detention centre; exact activity unspecified; citizenship
unknown; religious affiliation unknown.
Appeal: none
38) 2 July 2024
Part 4
Name: Oleg Markelovich Alekseyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Sterlitamak District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Republic of
Bashkortostan
Circumstances: after police photographed and videoed worship service as
part of inspection of "implementation of legislation on countering
extremist activity", Council of Churches Baptist pastor charged by
prosecutor with having held worship services in own home, "with the
participation of a person who is not a member of the group", without
written authorisation from religious group to carry out missionary activity
and without notification to Justice Ministry of existence of religious
group; prosecutor argued that the fact police officer could freely enter
the house and participate in the service is evidence of missionary
activity; judge acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Appeal: unsuccessful – 12 August 2024, Sterlitamak City Court, Republic
of Bashkortostan
39) 3 July 2024
Part 5
Name: Mukhammadali Bolbekovich Rakhimov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Yelizovo District Court, Kamchatka Region
Circumstances: Muslim of unknown citizenship, already in immigration
detention centre subject to expulsion for immigration offence, charged by
Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism with having "conducted
religious rites: daily 'namaz' with the participation of at least 3 persons
held there, thus carrying out missionary activity" in violation of Religion
Law; fellow Muslims in centre chose him as imam, though he "did not study
in religious institutions, he does not have permission to act as Imam,
[and] did not contact the administration of the [immigration] centre with a
request to grant permission for this activity".
Appeal: none
40) 19 July 2024
Part 4
Name: Marina Viktorovna Chekunova
Punishment: none – sent back to police for elimination of technical
deficiencies
Court: Aksay District Court, Rostov Region
Circumstances: religious affiliation unknown; details unknown
Appeal: none
41) 23 July 2024
Part 4
Name: Mukhammadyusuf Moydunzhonovich Momunakhunov
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Bibirevo District Magistrate's Court No. 85, Moscow
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
42) 23 July 2024
Part 5
Name: Muhammadrachab Ibrokhimovich Yorov
Punishment: unknown fine plus administrative expulsion
Court: Lyublino District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim and Tajik citizen charged with having "organised a
meeting of citizens in a public place without the consent of local
government bodies, to hold the Islamic religious rite of 'Namaz',
proclaiming himself 'Imam', in the absence of the appropriate authority to
carry out missionary activities by a foreign citizen" – organised namaz
attended by "800-1,000" people near a multi-storey car park; defendant to
be held in immigration detention centre until departure; investigative
agency unknown.
Appeal: none
43) 24 July 2024
Part 4
Name: Anatoly Aleksandrovich Mukhin
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Tuapse City Court, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: pastor of Council of Churches Baptist church charged with
having "disseminated information about his religious doctrine on the
internet [and] involved citizens who are not members of this religious
group in the doctrine"; two people present at worship service who were not
members of church – one testified that he had found out about the service
online, the other that an unknown man had given him a leaflet about
Baptists in the street (during service, he found out that Baptists "denied
weapons and any military activity", of which he disapproved as he "supports
the SVO") (Caucasian Knot, 21 August 2024
(https://www.kavkazuzel.com/ar
unknown.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 28 August 2024, Krasnodar Regional Court;
cassational appeal successful (statute of limitations) – 17 February
2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
44) 27 July 2024
Part 5
Name: Bakhodir Raimberganovich Sabirov
Punishment: unknown fine plus forcible administrative expulsion
Court: Lefortovo District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim of unknown citizenship charged with having "carried
out missionary activities in violation of the legislation on freedom of
conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations", for having
"acted as an imam" and led namaz in a hostel without agreeing this with its
administration, "in the absence of the appropriate authority to conduct a
religious ceremony .. having converted room No. 200 for the religious
ceremony 'Namaz'"; investigative agency unknown; defendant to be held in
immigration detention centre until departure.
Appeal: none
45) 31 July 2024
Part 5
Name: Hugh Turvey
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion (controlled
autonomous departure)
Court: Zelenodolsk City Court, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: Irish citizen and Society for Krishna Consciousness adherent
charged with having "participated in religious activities in the form of
the Shravanam Kirtanam festival, where he conducted religious spiritual
practices of Sankirtan [and] lectures on the topic of Vaishnavism, [and]
chanted the Hare Krishna mantra", without written authorisation from a
religious organisation to carry out missionary activity; defendant entered
Russia as a tourist.
Appeal: none
46) 1 August 2024
Part 5
Name: Okhunzhon Isabayev
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles
Court: Aleksin Inter-District Court, Tula Region
Circumstances: Muslim and Kyrgyz citizen charged by prosecutor's office
with leading prayers in prayer room he had equipped with carpets, a clock,
and religious literature in administrative building, "while not having
documents on state registration"; prayer room provided by company on
request of Muslim employees; judge noted employer's character reference and
Isabayev's legal migration status and lack of previous offences in deciding
not to expel him.
Appeal: none
47) 2 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Daniil Aleksandrovich Litovkin
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Belorechensk District Magistrate's Court No. 127, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist charged for leading group of
Baptists who visited hospital at Easter to sing hymns, hand out gifts, and
distribute newspaper "Do you believe?"; hospital doctor reported event to
police.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 27 September 2024, Belorechensk District Court,
Krasnodar Region
48) 5 August 2024
Part 5
Name: Saimukhiddin Shamsudinovich Aminov
Punishment: unknown fine plus administrative expulsion
Court: Lyublino District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim; citizenship unknown; "self-proclaimed imam" Aminov
charged with organising "an unsanctioned gathering of citizens" in a cafe
"to conduct the religious rite of 'namaz'", interpreted as carrying out
"religious and missionary activities in violation of the [Religion Law], in
the absence of appropriate authority to conduct a religious rite, in a
place for religious worship (namaz) not agreed with local government
bodies"; defendant to be held in immigration detention centre until
departure; investigative agency unknown.
Appeal: none
49) 9 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Way of Salvation Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
Punishment: warning
Court: Vakhitov District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: same case as Nazareth Church cases (below); Baptist Union
church charged by prosecutor with holding "Easter musical performance:
'Death and Resurrection'" over first of two days in conference halls at two
hotels "without submitting notice of holding a public event" to local
authorities – at these, the church "repeatedly conducted sermons aimed at
revealing the essence of religion and advertising of religious
organisations in printed religious products".
Appeal: none
50) 9 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Way of Salvation Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
Punishment: warning
Court: Vakhitov District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: same case as Nazareth Church cases (below); Baptist Union
church charged by prosecutor with holding "Easter musical performance:
'Death and Resurrection'" over second of two days in conference halls at
two hotels "without submitting notice of holding a public event" to local
authorities – at these, the church "repeatedly conducted sermons aimed at
revealing the essence of religion and advertising of religious
organisations in printed religious products".
Appeal: none
51) 9 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Nazareth Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
Punishment: warning
Court: Vakhitov District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: same case as Way of Salvation Church cases (above); Baptist
Union church charged by prosecutor with holding "Easter musical
performance: 'Death and Resurrection'" over first of two days in conference
halls at two hotels "without submitting notice of holding a public event"
to local authorities – at these, the church "repeatedly conducted sermons
aimed at revealing the essence of religion and advertising of religious
organisations in printed religious products".
Appeal: none
52) 9 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Nazareth Church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists
Punishment: warning
Court: Vakhitov District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: same case as Way of Salvation Church cases (above); Baptist
Union church charged by prosecutor with holding "Easter musical
performance: 'Death and Resurrection'" over second of two days in
conference halls at two hotels "without submitting notice of holding a
public event" to local authorities – at these, the church "repeatedly
conducted sermons aimed at revealing the essence of religion and
advertising of religious organisations in printed religious products".
Appeal: none
53) 13 August 2024
Part 5
Name: Abdulkhakim Obidkhudzhayevich Kayumov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Bataysk City Court, Rostov Region
Circumstances: Muslim and Tajik citizen "carried out missionary activities
in violation of the requirements of the legislation on religious
associations, namely, carried out religious activities without registering
a religious organisation" – exact actions and investigative agency
unclear.
Appeal: none
54) 27 August 2024
Part 5
Name: Olimdzhon Ganidzhonovich Amonov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Kushnarenkovo District Court, Republic of Bashkortostan
Circumstances: Muslim and Tajik citizen charged with having "obstructed the
exercise of the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion,
including the adoption of religious or other beliefs, or the rejection of
them" for teaching the children of visiting relatives to read and write
Arabic script while he read namaz in residential premises, "without a
document issued by the governing body of a religious organisation and
confirming the authority to carry out missionary activities on [its]
behalf"; investigative agency unknown.
Appeal: none
55) 28 August 2024
Part 4
Name: Salavat Ilfatovich Garayev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Nurlat District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: Muslim charged with "illegally conducting collective prayer
in a religious building in the absence of a permit document granting the
right to carry out religious activities", ie. leading namaz at mosque
without "certification from Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the
Republic of Tatarstan for the implementation of religious activities".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 18 October 2024, Nurlat District Court, Republic
of Tatarstan
56) 3 September 2024
Part 5
Name: Fuad Mubariz ogly Suleymanov
Punishment: unknown
Court: Surgut District Court, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
57) 6 September 2024
Part 5
Name: Mayis Melikyan
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion
Court: Lazarevsky District Court, Sochi, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Armenian citizen and priest of Armenian Catholic Church
charged with keeping Armenian-language New Testaments not labelled with the
religious organisation's full official name in a garage used as a chapel;
investigative agency unclear; defendant to be held in immigration detention
centre until departure.
Appeal: partially successful (expulsion order rescinded) – 20 November
2024, Krasnodar Regional Court
58) 6 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Adel Ravilevich Valeyev
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Laishevo District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: leader of religious group of "Gaudiya Vaishnavite
(Krishnaite) branch of Hinduism" charged by prosecutor with having
organised Hare Krishna procession from palace of culture to shopping
centre, and events in a square and in a park, involving "at least 25-30
people, including passers-by", without agreeing these events with municipal
authorities; judge notes 2018 Constitutional Court clarification of
missionary activity (https://www.forum18.org/archi
and concludes that case materials "do not contain evidence that [Valeyev]
carried out missionary activity, that is, disseminated information about a
specific religious doctrine among persons who were not members .. and who
were drawn into the composition of the members of the religious association
by appealing to their consciousness, will, [and] feelings".
Appeal: none
59) 6 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Viktor Valeryevich Alekseyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles plus destruction of seized literature
Court: Central District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Chita, Zabaykalsky Region
Circumstances: Society for Krishna Consciousness adherent charged with
having performed missionary activity – handing out religious literature
in the street – on behalf of "Hare Krishna Sankirtana" religious group
while not listed as member by Justice Ministry; literature not labelled
with full official name of any organisation and ordered destroyed.
Appeal: unsuccessful (but accusation over unmarked literature rescinded and
destruction order overturned) – 16 October 2024, Zabaykalsky Regional
Court; cassational appeal unsuccessful – 20 January 2025, 8th Cassational
Court, Kemerovo
60) 6 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Ravil Rafisovich Fayzullin
Punishment: none – statute of limitations
Court: Nurlat District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: Muslim charged with "illegally conducting a collective
prayer in a religious building in the absence of a permit document granting
the right to carry out religious activities", ie. leading namaz in mosque
without "certification from Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the
Republic of Tatarstan for the implementation of religious activities".
Appeal: none
61) 9 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Ismel Zamirdzhanovich Mizov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Urvansky District Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: Muslim; same case as Kardanov, Bazhev, and Soblirov (below)
– during inspection of Islamic Sunday school "Khafizov", police and FSB
seized religious literature which was not marked with the religious
organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
62) 15 September 2024
Part 5
Name: Umarali Safaraliyevich Kodirov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus forcible administrative expulsion
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Court: Kingisepp City Court, Leningrad Region
Circumstances: Muslim and Tajik citizen charged by police with conducting
namaz in construction workers' canteen "without documents issued by the
governing body of the relevant religious association confirming the
authority to carry out missionary activities on its behalf", interpreted by
police as "missionary activity in a place not intended for religious rites
and ceremonies"; court decision notes several witness statements from
fellow employees, but unclear whether they alerted police; Kodirov to be
held in immigration detention centre until departure.
Appeal: none
63) 17 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Sh. Sh. Arsaliyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Trunovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: same case as Ibragimov (below); defendant charged by
Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism with having conducted
services of religious group "Integrity" [Chestnost] without being its
leader or having submitted notification to Justice Ministry of continuation
of activities of religious group; judge acknowledges 2018 Constitutional
Court clarification (https://www.forum18.org/archi
religious affiliation unknown.
Appeal: none
64) 19 September 2024
Part 4
Name: Aslan Zaurovich Bazhev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Urvansky District Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: Muslim; same case as Mizov, Kardanov, and Soblirov (below)
– during inspection of Islamic Sunday school "Khafizov", police and FSB
seized religious literature which was not marked with the religious
organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
65) 20 September 2024
Part 4
Name: S.R. Magomedov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kochubeyevskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 4, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering
Extremism with having "conducted worship services and other religious
rites" without having submitted notification to Justice Ministry of
continuation of activities of religious group; religious affiliation
unknown.
Appeal: none
66) 25 September 2024
Part 5
Name: Władysław Kloc
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Court: Central District Court, Sochi, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: 85-year-old Polish citizen and priest of Roman Catholic
Parish of Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Simon charged by police with carrying
out missionary activity "without a permit document" on church's own
premises; defendant stated he had lost document "confirming his right to
preach in the city of Sochi"; case file contained copy of decree appointing
him to position of vicar (assistant rector) – court concluded that
submitted documents "do not indicate that [Kloc] could carry out his
activities in the city of Sochi, since they were issued by the regional
branch [of the Church]" (Caucasian Knot, 8 November 2024
(https://www.kavkazuzel.com/ar
immigration detention centre until departure.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 1 October 2024, Krasnodar Regional Court
67) 26 September 2024
Part 4
Name: A. Ya. Ibragimov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Trunovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol
Circumstances: same case as Arsaliyev (above); leader of religious group
"Integrity" [Chestnost] charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for
Countering Extremism with having led services without having submitted
notification to Justice Ministry of continuation of activities of religious
group; judge acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification;
religious affiliation unknown.
Appeal: none
68) 1 October 2024
Part 4
Name: Darya Aleksandrovna Konovalova
Punishment: none – case returned to police
Court: Ingodinsky District Court, Chita, Zabaykalsk Region
Circumstances: during monitoring of VKontakte by Interior Ministry's Centre
for Countering Extremism, Konovalova found to have engaged in "missionary
activities, without indicating her official full name and information about
her religion" in the group "Sisters Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary of
the Immaculate Conception" (a Roman Catholic religious congregation); judge
sent case back as it should have gone to magistrate's court – no
indication that police resubmitted it in correct jurisdiction.
Appeal: none
69) 3 October 2024
Part 5
Name: A.R. Yakubov
Punishment: 40,000 Roubles plus forcible administrative expulsion
Court: Lyublino District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim and Tajik citizen charged by Interior Ministry
Counter-Extremism Centre officials with having carried out "religious,
missionary activity", ie. namaz prayers for 10-20 people, in a shop inside
a residential building "in the absence of the appropriate authority to
conduct a religious ceremony in a public place"; to be held in immigration
detention centre until departure.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 15 October 2024, Moscow City Court
70) 4 October 2024
Name: Dmitry Mikhailovich Kirikov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Onega District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Arkhangelsk Region
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist charged by police with having
"carried out missionary activity in the form of preaching, prayer, and
worship (poems, spiritual songs)" in his own home among people who were not
members of the church, without written authorisation from religious group
and not having submitted notification of existence of religious group, and
"not being the leader of a religious organisation, a member of its
collegial body, and (or) a clergyman".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 18 November 2024, Onega City Court, Arkhangelsk
Region
71) 9 October 2024
Part 5
Name: Rasulzhon Tulkinovich Mamatoirov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus administrative expulsion (controlled
autonomous departure)
Court: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court, Kamchatka Region
Circumstances: after search of workers' hostel, Muslim and Uzbek citizen,
"not a member of any official religious organisation", charged by Interior
Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism (FSB also involved in
"operational activities") with having "conducted a religious rite, namely
namaz, with the participation of no fewer than 3 people", in a prayer room
inside hostel, without written authorisation from a religious organisation
or group to carry out missionary activity; room had sign on door reading
"Masjid"; defendant already had plane ticket to leave Russia.
Appeal: none
72) 10 October 2024
Name: Aleksey Vyacheslavovich Petrov
Punishment: 7,000 Roubles
Court: Novorossiysk Magistrate's Court No. 82, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: after summons for "conversations" at local administration
about registration of community, and police visit to church during which
officers photographed books and prayer hall, Council of Churches Baptist
presbyter charged with having "disseminated the religious ideology of the
International Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists"
without having submitted notification to Justice Ministry of the existence
of religious group.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 21 November 2024, October District Court,
Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Region
73) 29 October 2024
Part 4
Name: I. A. Usenbayev
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Neftekumsk District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
74) Late October/early November 2024
Part 4
Name: Akhmat Valeryevich Kardanov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: unknown Urvansky District Magistrate's Court, Republic of
Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: Muslim; same case as Mizov and Bazhev (above) and Soblirov
(below) – during inspection of Islamic Sunday school "Khafizov", police
seized and FSB religious literature which was not marked with the religious
organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
75) Late October/early November 2024
Part 4
Name: Astemir Khasanbiyevich Soblirov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Urvansky District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Republic of
Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: Muslim; same case as Mizov, Bazhev, and Kardanov (above) –
during inspection of Islamic Sunday school "Khafizov", police seized
religious literature from defendant which was not marked with the religious
organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
76) 5 November 2024
Part 5
Name: Inomzhon Bennabzhonovich Khoshimov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Lenin District Court, Nizhny Novgorod
Circumstances: Muslim and Uzbek citizen charged with reading the Koran and
"explaining the meaning of the Suras to third parties" in a cafe while "not
being a member of a religious organisation, the head of a religious
organisation, a member of its collegial body or a clergyman of a religious
organisation; defendant stated that he had read from the Koran and prayed
before eating, then explained the meaning to other customers, also Uzbek
citizens; prosecutor notes Khoshimov's legal migration status, guilty plea,
and lack of a criminal record and asks that he not be deported.
Appeal: none
77) 11 November 2024
Part 4
Name: Sergey Viktorovich Yenichev
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Novorossiysk Magistrate's Court No. 76, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Protestant charged by police with unauthorised missionary
activity, although during the police visit to his home, he was drinking
tea; had written authorisation to carry out missionary activity on behalf
of Straight Path Evangelical Church, but lawyers claim this was lost by the
court.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 27 January 2025, Primorsky District Court,
Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal unsuccessful – 6 June
2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
78) 11 November 2024
Part 4
Name: Stanislav Valeryevich Istomin
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Novorossiysk Magistrate's Court No. 247, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Protestant, member of Bethlehem Church of Christians of
Evangelical Faith, charged by police with having carried out missionary
activity in violation of the Religion Law – details unknown.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 18 February 2025, Primorsky District Court,
Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal unsuccessful – 6 June
2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
79) 14 November 2024
Part 4
Name: Shamsudin M. Kuramagomedov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Budyonnovsk District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: Muslim imam charged by police with having carried out
unspecified missionary activity, "during which he introduced residents ..
to Islamic doctrine", without written authorisation from religious group.
Appeal: none
80) 19 November 2024
Part 4
Name: Magomed Nurudinovich Abdurakhmanov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Georgiyevisk Magistrate's Court No. 3, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: Muslim charged with having "regularly conducted worship
services as imam-khatib on behalf of the religious organisation
'Muslims-Sunnis' outside the organisation's legal address", ie. leading
namaz for 7-15 people at address not included in group's notification to
Justice Ministry, and without written authorisation from religious group to
carry out missionary activity.
Appeal: none
81) 29 November 2024
Part 4
Name: Rakhim Shamil ogly Makhmudov
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Proletarsky District Magistrate's Court No. 68, Tula
Circumstances: leader of Muslim religious group "Akhl al-Beyt" charged by
prosecutor with preaching and leading prayers without notifying Justice
Ministry of creation of religious group and without formal contract to use
prayer room.
Appeal: none
82) 2 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Abakar Davudovich Magomedov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Mytishchi District Magistrate's Court No. 126, Moscow Region
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
83) 4 December 2024
Part 5
Name: Farrukhzhon Umar ugli Siddikov
Punishment: none – case returned to police
Court: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court, Kamchatka Region
Circumstances: Uzbek citizen, religious affiliation unknown; judge sent
case back apparently on basis of 2018 Constitutional Court clarification,
as protocol of offence did not sufficiently describe incident – noted
that officials did not take account of fact that "The defining feature of
missionary activity is the dissemination…of information about a specific
religious doctrine among persons who, while not being its followers, are
drawn into their number…At the same time, public dissemination of this
information, aimed at neutrally informing others about a religious
association and its activities, cannot be qualified as missionary
activity".
Appeal: none
84) 10 December 2024
Part 4
Name: A. R. Khidirova
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: October District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of religious group
As-Salam's premises, Muslim charged with having led Islamic and Koranic
study and prayers for girls twice a week for two years, without written
authorisation from religious group to perform missionary activity on its
behalf.
Appeal: none
85) 10 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Nikolay Grigoryevich Koshchavka
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kanevskaya District Magistrate's Court No. 150, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Funtov and Yunusov (below) – Council of
Churches Baptist charged by police with having invited non-members of
religious group (passenger in his taxi, passer-by in street) to services at
prayer house he owns, preaching to them and giving them religious
literature, while not having written authorisation from religious group to
carry out missionary activity and not having submitted notification to
Justice Ministry of existence of religious group.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 4 February 2025, Kanevskaya District Court,
Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal lodged on 28 May 2025, 4th Cassational
Court, Krasnodar – no hearings yet listed
86) 10 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Daniil Petrovich Funtov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kanevskaya District Magistrate's Court No. 150, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Koshchavka (above) and Yunusov (below) –
Council of Churches Baptist charged by police with having invited
non-members of religious group to services, preaching to them and giving
them religious literature, while not having written authorisation from
religious group to carry out missionary activity and not having submitted
notification to Justice Ministry of existence of religious group.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 13 February 2025, Kanevskaya District Court,
Krasnodar Region
87) 10 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Valery Viktorovich Yunusov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Kanevskaya District Magistrate's Court No. 150, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Koshchavka and Funtov (above) – Council of
Churches Baptist charged by police with having invited non-members of
religious group to services, preaching to them and giving them religious
literature, while not having written authorisation from religious group to
carry out missionary activity and not having submitted notification to
Justice Ministry of existence of religious group.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 4 February 2025, Kanevskaya District Court,
Krasnodar Region
88) 16 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Ilyas Islyamovich Siit
Punishment: 50,000 Roubles
Court: Novocherkassk Magistrate's Court No. 4, Novocherkassk, Rostov Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of mosque, Chair of
Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of the City of Novocherkassk,
Rostov Region, "Barakat" (Grace) charged with having on the premises
Russian and Arabic books not labelled with religious organisation's full
official name; prosecuted as "official person" (dolzhnostnoye litso).
Appeal: unsuccessful – 18 February 2025, Novocherkassk City Court;
cassational appeal returned without consideration – 9 April 2025, 4th
Cassational Court, Krasnodar; cassational appeal lodged again on 16 June
2025 at 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar – no hearings yet listed
89) 25 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Natalya Vladislavovna Voronina
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Yoshkar-Ola District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: Seventh-day Adventist – details unknown
Appeal: none
90) 25 December 2024
Part 4
Name: Natalya Vladislavovna Voronina
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Yoshkar-Ola District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: Seventh-day Adventist – details unknown
Appeal: none
JANUARY TO APRIL 2025
1) 4 January 2025
Part 5
Name: S.A. Radzhabov
Punishment: unknown fine plus forcible administrative expulsion
Court: Lefortovo District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim of unknown citizenship charged by police with having,
"in the absence of the appropriate authority to conduct a religious
ceremony, acted as an imam, without coordinating with the administration of
the Gorod Shopping Centre [and] performed the Muslim religious rite
'Namaz', in a public place"; defendant to be held in immigration detention
centre until departure.
Appeal: none
2) 17 January 2025
Part 4
Name: Zokirzhon Mirzhonovich Pirakov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Novogireyevo Magistrate's Court No. 288, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim bus driver charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for
Countering Extremism with having performed namaz on bus, interpreted as
having "organised and carried out religious, missionary activity in
violation of [the Religion Law], in the absence of authorisation to conduct
a religious rite in a public place".
Appeal: none
3) 24 January 2025
Part 5
Name: Shokhramazon Makhmad Vazirzoda
Punishment: none – case returned to police
Court: Nerekhta District Court, Kostroma Region
Circumstances: unknown citizenship, unknown religious affiliation – case
previously sent back because protocol had indicated neither the date of the
offence nor Vazirzoda's exact actions; not resubmitted a second time.
Appeal: none
4) 31 January 2025
Part 5
Name: Ruzimukhammad Khasanzhon ugli Kosimov
Punishment: unknown fine plus administrative expulsion (autonomous
controlled departure)
Court: Kuzminsky District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: appears to be same case as Kosokov (below); Muslim of
unknown citizenship charged by police with having, "in the absence of
appropriate authority to conduct a religious ceremony, acted as an imam in
a public place not intended for worship and religious rites" by holding
namaz prayers in hotel lobby.
Appeal: none
5) 31 January 2025
Part 5
Name: A. A. U. Kosokov
Punishment: unknown fine plus administrative expulsion (autonomous
controlled departure)
Court: Kuzminsky District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: appears to be same case as Kosimov (above) – Muslim of
unknown citizenship charged by police with having, "in the absence of
appropriate authority to conduct a religious ceremony, acted as an imam in
a public place not intended for worship and religious rites" by holding
namaz prayers in hotel lobby.
Appeal: none
6) 5 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Dzhambulat Nurmagomedovich Kadiyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Central Okrug Magistrate's Court No. 12, Kursk
Circumstances: Muslim charged by police with distributing Islamic newspaper
"As-Salam" (published by the Way charitable foundation) in the street,
"without the authority to carry out missionary activity in behalf of a
religious organisation".
Appeal: case closed (statute of limitations) – 6 May 2025, Lenin District
Court, Kursk
7) 6 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Aleksandr Alekseyevich Sergeyev
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Vakhitovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
8) 6 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Adel Ravilevich Valeyev
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Vakhitovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: Society for Krishna Consciousness adherent – details
unknown
Appeal: none
9) 6 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Yusuf Irekovich Davletshin
Punishment: warning
Court: Privolzhsk District Magistrate's Court No. 8, Kazan, Republic of
Tatarstan
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of mosque for
compliance with law on missionary activity, Muslim imam charged with having
"ensured, through systematic training sessions, the public dissemination of
information about the religious doctrine of the local religious
organisation among persons who, not being its followers, including due to
their age (minors), were drawn into their number" – training itself
carried out by two unnamed persons who do not have written authorisation to
perform missionary activity.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 17 March 2025, Privolzhsk District Court, Kazan,
Republic of Tatarstan
10) 10 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Chmykh
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: after police inspection of worship service at church,
Council of Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with having carried
out missionary activity "with an undetermined circle of persons", without
having submitted "notification of the start of activities of a religious
group" and without written authorisation from religious group; court notes
that church's activities banned on territory of Kurganinsk by district
court decision of 6 September 2024; this prosecution specifically for
service on 14 December 2024.
Appeal: rejected for late submission – 24 February 2025, Kurganinsk
District Court, Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal returned without
consideration (incorrect jurisdiction) – 24 March 2025, Krasnodar
Regional Court; cassational appeal returned without consideration (copies
of court documents not "duly certified") – 6 June 2025, 4th Cassational
Court, Krasnodar
11) 10 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Chmykh
Punishment: 10,000 Roubles
Court: Kurganinsk District Magistrate's Court No. 167, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances after police inspection of worship service at church, Council
of Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with having carried out
missionary activity "with an undetermined circle of persons", without
having submitted "notification of the start of activities of a religious
group" and without written authorisation from religious group; court notes
that church's activities banned on territory of Kurganinsk by district
court decision of 6 September 2024; this prosecution specifically for
service on 15 December 2024.
Appeal: rejected for late submission – 24 February 2025, Kurganinsk
District Court, Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal returned without
consideration (incorrect jurisdiction) – 25 March 2025, Krasnodar
Regional Court; cassational appeal lodged on 29 May 2025 at 4th Cassational
Court, Krasnodar – no hearings yet listed;
12) 11 February 2025
Part 5
Name: Marek Jaśkowski
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Noyabrsk City Court, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Polish
Catholic priest charged with having "conducted a service and worship of the
Roman Catholic Church, that is, carried out missionary activity", without
having submitted notification to Justice Ministry of religious group's
existence; priest explained he is rector of St Joseph the Worker in Surgut,
and comes to Noyabrsk twice a month to hold services at the invitation of
Catholics there, attended only by Catholics, and does not preach among
people of other faiths; Catholic community representative testified that
they had repeatedly tried to register Noyabrsk community as religious
organisation; judge acquits with reference to
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
Court clarification of missionary activity, noting that "the communal
reading of books on religious topics, the performance of religious
services, other religious rites and ceremonies without the presence of a
system-forming feature of missionary activity does not constitute an
offense under Article 5.26 Part 4"; judge also notes that Jaśkowski is not
the leader of the religious group, and the leader has in fact submitted
notification to the Justice Ministry.
Appeal: none
13) 11 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Asadulla Israpilovich Israpilov
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Sosnenskoye Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: same case as Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Unity"
(see below) – after prosecutor's office inspection of community's
premises, Muslim charged with having carried out unspecified missionary
activity on behalf of Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Unity",
without written authorisation to do so.
Appeal: none
14) 11 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Unity"
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Sosnenskoye Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim; same case as Israpilov (see above) – fact of
individual's unlawful missionary activity used to prosecute organisation.
Appeal: none
15) 13 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Local Religious Organisation Christian Evangelical Church of Veliky
Novgorod
Punishment: none – case sent back to police
Court: Novgorod District Court, Novgorod Region
Circumstances: Protestant church – details unknown
Appeal: none
16) 19 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Artames Slavikovich Melkonyan
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Tuapse Magistrate's Court No. 112, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Mukhin and Dvoranin (below) – Council of
Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with preaching and distributing
newspaper "Do you believe?" to people at worship services who were not
members of religious group; witness stated that he attended on invitation
of woman at bus stop who gave him "Do you believe?", and that he was
Orthodox and unfamiliar with Baptist church – witness filmed part of
service and apparently passed this to police.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 20 March 2025, Tuapse City Court, Krasnodar
Region; cassational appeal returned without consideration – 11 April
2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
17) 19 February 2025
Part 4
Name: Anatoly Aleksandrovich Mukhin
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Tuapse Magistrate's Court No. 112, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: same case as Melkonyan (above) and Dvoranin (below) –
Council of Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with preaching and
distributing newspaper "Do you believe?" to people at worship services who
were not members of religious group; witness stated that he attended on
invitation of woman at bus stop who gave him "Do you believe?", and that he
was Orthodox and unfamiliar with Baptist church – witness filmed part of
service and apparently passed this to police.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 22 April 2025, Tuapse City Court, Krasnodar Region
18) 5 March 2025
Part 5
Name: Nurillo Mukhtorzhon ogly Rakhmonaliyev
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: October District Court, Kirov
Circumstances: Muslim and Uzbek citizen charged by prosecutor with having
"carried out missionary activity in a dormitory, aimed at disseminating
information about the religious teachings of the Sunnis (one of the
branches of Islam), without notifying [the Justice Ministry] in writing of
the beginning of the activities of the religious group" and without written
authorisation from a religious group to conduct missionary activity.
Appeal: none
19) 12 March 2025
Part 4
Name: Sergey Vasilyevich Timoshchuk
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Bryukhovetskaya District Magistrate's Court No. 128, Krasnodar
Region
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with
having "preached the doctrine of the church of the International Union of
Churches of Evangelical Christians - Baptists in relation to T. and K. who
are not participants or followers of this religious association, and also
distributed a [Baptist] newspaper" in a friend's private home in Tuapse,
without written authorisation from a religious group, and without
submitting notification of the existence of a religious group; T. and K.
secretly recorded the service and said they had been invited to attend –
Timoshchuk stated he had not invited them.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 16 April 2025, Bryukhovetskaya District Court;
cassational appeal lodged on 10 June 2025 at 4th Cassational Court,
Krasnodar
20) 17 March 2025
Part 4
Name: I. I. Ibiyev
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Promyshlenny District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Stavropol
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
21) 18 March 2025
Part 4
Name: Ruslan Magomedovich Khizriyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Preobrazhenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 112, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim charged with having performed namaz in car park
outside residential building, interpreted as having "organised and carried
out religious, missionary activity in violation of [the Religion Law], in
the absence of authorisation to conduct a religious rite in a public
place"; investigative agency unknown.
Appeal: none
22) 21 March 2025
Part 4
Name: P. T. Pireyev
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Turkmen District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering
Extremism with having carried out missionary activity without notifying
Justice Ministry of creation of religious group; religious affiliation
unknown; details unknown.
Appeal: none
23) 31 March 2025
Part 5
Name: Samir Anvarovich Sharipov
Punishment: unknown fine plus forcible administrative expulsion
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Court: none – case handled only by police
Circumstances: Muslim university student of unknown citizenship accused of
leading namaz prayers at at his college, "proclaiming himself imam",
interpreted by police as "a meeting of citizens in a public place,
uncoordinated with local government bodies", without "the appropriate
authority to carry out missionary activities" as a foreign citizen; lawyer
argues that he "was actually brought to administrative responsibility for
praying in college", and police failed to take into account Article 28 of
the Constitution or Article 24.1 Part 1 of the Religion Law, or "the
concept and content of Prayer (Namaz), which is the performance of a
religious rite [and] the implementation of private religious practice"; at
time of appeal, Sharipov being held in immigration detention centre; judge
acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
not violated in this case.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 8 April 2025, Kuzminsky District Court, Moscow;
further appeal sent to higher court on 21 April 2025 – outcome unknown.
24) Late March/early April 2025
Part 4
Name: Andrey Igoryevich Lukashin
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Lazarevsky District Court Magistrate's Court No. 94, Sochi,
Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Protestant pastor of Bible League Church – details unknown
Appeal: unsuccessful – 5 May 2025, Lazarevsky District Court, Sochi,
Krasnodar Region; cassational appeal lodged on 26 May 2025, 4th Cassational
Court, Krasnodar – no hearings yet listed
25) 1 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Anatoly Borisovich Dvoranin
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Tuapse Magistrate's Court No. 112, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Circumstances: same case as Melkonyan and Mukhin (above) –
Council of Churches Baptist pastor charged by police with preaching and
distributing newspaper "Do you believe?" to people at worship services who
were not members of religious group; witness stated that he attended on
invitation of woman at bus stop who gave him "Do you believe?", and that he
was Orthodox and unfamiliar with Baptist church – witness filmed part of
service and apparently passed this to police.
Appeal: none
26) 2 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Larisa Gerasimovna Pokhilko
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Provideniya District Court, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Circumstances: pastor of religious group Church of Christians of the
Evangelical Faith Living Word "held an informational and educational event
'The Nativity of Christ' for residents of Provideniya .. that is, for an
indefinite number of persons" at cultural centre, which included
"explanation of individual biblical themes with a distortion of the
historical understanding of 'The Nativity of Christ', [and] the performance
of hymns characteristic of Protestant denominations"; interpreted as
dissemination of "information about the doctrine of a religious group among
persons who are not members (followers)", without written authorisation
from religious group to carry out missionary activity or evidence of
notification to Justice Ministry of creation of religious group; judge
acknowledges 2018 Constitutional Court clarification
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Appeal: lodged on 5 May 2025, Court of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug – no
hearings yet listed
27) 11 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Yevgeny Petrovich Koshkaryov
Punishment: none – case returned to police for elimination of technical
deficiencies
Court: Otradnaya District Magistrate's Court No. 188, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist pastor – details unknown
Appeal: none
28) 14 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Ramazan Arslanovich Magomedov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Presnya District Magistrate's Court No. 378, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim charged by police with distributing "spiritual and
educational" newspaper "As-Salam", published by Way charitable foundation.
Appeal: none
29) 15 April 2025
Part 5
Name: Guvanch Saparov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Savyolovo District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: same case as Muradov (below); Muslim charged with praying
namaz on the Moscow metro and inviting other passengers to join in, without
"documents confirming his authority to conduct a religious ceremony in a
public place".
Appeal: none
30) 15 April 2025
Part 5
Name: Didar Muradov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Savyolovo District Court, Moscow
Circumstances: same case as Saparov (above); Muslim charged with praying
namaz on the Moscow metro and inviting other passengers to join in, without
"documents confirming his authority to conduct a religious ceremony in a
public place".
Appeal: none
31) 16 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Akhliddin Alovidinovich Khayutov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Vysokogorsk District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of compliance with
Extremism Law, Muslim charged with having "conducted a collective
obligatory prayer in front of the parishioners of the ["Karadeniz"]
mosque", acting as imam without certification from the Spiritual
Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan and without written
authorisation from religious organisation to perform missionary activity.
Appeal: none
32) 25 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Boris Yuganesovich Kreyman
Punishment: none – case returned to police (statute of limitations)
Court: Otradnaya District Magistrate's Court No. 187, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: Protestant pastor of Church of Jesus Christ of Otradnaya
District charged with having led worship service without having notified
the Justice Ministry of existence of religious group, despite the fact that
church is registered as local religious organisation; case also sent back
to police on two previous occasions for elimination of technical
deficiencies.
Appeal: none
33) 25 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Aleksandr Vladimirovich Zhukov
Punishment: 5,000 Roubles
Court: Millerovo District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Rostov Region
Circumstances: Council of Churches Baptist charged by police for preaching
to parishioners in private house; judge notes that religious association
"'International Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians Baptists' is
not registered in accordance with the procedure established by law, and
A.V. Zhukov does not have documents granting him the relevant authority [to
carry out missionary activity]".
Appeal: none
34) 25 April 2025
Part 4
Name: Bilol Umarovich Karimov
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Mytishchi District Magistrate's Court No. 133, Moscow Region
Circumstances: details unknown; religious affiliation unknown
Appeal: none
(END)
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