Sergei Gobozev

A resident of Votkinsk (the Udmurtia Republic). On January 21, 2021, Gobozev's home was searched and he was detained at the hospital where he had taken his wife for an appointment. The following day, the court placed him under house arrest on charges of organising the activities of an extremist organisation, in connection with his involvement in the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Members of this community are prosecuted under extremist legislation solely for their religious activities: holding meetings, conducting worship services, and recruiting new supporters. On May 18, the restrictive measure was changed to a prohibition of certain actions. On March 25, 2024, Gobozev was sentenced to a fine of 450,000 rubles (≈US$4850 as of 03/25/24). In October 2024, the court of cassation ordered the case to be returned to the court of appeal. On December 17, the court of appeal commuted the sentence to imprisonment of six years.