Dmitrii Terebilov

A resident of Kostroma. In July 2018, a search was carried out at Teribilov’s home in his absence. In June 2019, it became known that criminal proceedings had been initiated against him for participation in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with his alleged involvement in the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. Members of this community are prosecuted under extremism-related articles exclusively for their religious activities, including meetings, joint worship services, and the recruitment of new adherents.

Terebilov was placed under a travel restriction.

On 6 September 2021, he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony and taken into custody in the courtroom. The strict regime was imposed on the grounds that Teribilov had a prior conviction. According to his own account, he came to faith while serving a sentence in the previous case, and the prison administration itself petitioned for his early release.

In 2023, it became known that a new criminal case was initiated against Terebilov for participation in the activities of an extremist organisation, allegedly due to conversations about faith with a cellmate. On 23 January 2025, he was sentenced in this case to five years and five days’ imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony. On 28 May 2025, the appellate court reduced the sentence by two months.

You can read more about politically persecuted people in the Telegram channel OVD-Info LIVE and our database of politically motivated criminal prosecutions.