Google machine translation
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
RUSSIA: January 2025 to April 2026 prosecutions for not showing official full name: list
Forum 18 found 52 Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 prosecutions in 2025 and the first four months of 2026 for not showing registered religious organisations' official full names on literature, online, and on buildings. Of these, 34 ended with fines, 6 ended with warnings, 4 ended with acquittals, and 7 in the case being sent back or closed. The outcome of 1 is unknown. Courts ordered religious literature destroyed in 3 cases and confiscated in a further 14 cases.
In a review of available court records, Forum 18 found a total of 52 prosecutions brought to court under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 in the calendar year 2025 and the first four months of 2026 for not showing official full names of registered religious organisations on literature, online, and on buildings.
Of these 52 known prosecutions, first-instance courts imposed fines in 34 cases and warnings in six cases. Four cases ended in acquittal, five in the case being sent back, and two in the case being closed. The outcome of one case is unknown. Three fines were ultimately overturned on appeal (see full list below).
Registered religious organisations are prosecuted under 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".
Religious organisations may be fined 30,000 to 50,000 Roubles with the possible confiscation of any materials involved in the alleged offence. Such materials may later be destroyed. (A fine of 30,000 Roubles is equivalent of about 10 days' average wage for an individual.)
It is unknown how many other religious organisations (and individuals) may have faced charges, as cases under Article 5.26, Part 3 are heard in magistrates' courts, of which there are more than 7,000 across the country. There is no publicly accessible centralised database of magistrates' courts, other nationwide databases have recently gone offline, only a handful of regional databases exist, and magistrates' courts themselves can vary in their provision of publicly available records. Establishing accurate figures is therefore difficult if communities do not themselves make prosecutions known.
Forty-five prosecutions reached court in 2025, and seven in the first four months of 2026.
The 52 prosecutions found by Forum 18 involved 42 registered religious organisations (one of them twice) and 9 individuals (one woman, eight men).
In 17 cases, courts ordered the confiscation of religious literature seized from the defendants. In three of these cases, courts also ordered the items destroyed.
Most cases appear to be based on routine "inspections of compliance with the requirements" of the Religion Law and the Extremism Law, carried out by prosecutors' offices and sometimes the Interior Ministry's regional centres for countering extremism. The Federal Security Service (FSB) was involved in five cases, sometimes as part of the inspection team, sometimes providing information to prosecutors based on surveillance and monitoring of a religious organisation's activities.
Forum 18 found only one case between January 2025 and April 2026 which was triggered by an apparent tip-off to police from a member of the public.
Guidance issued by the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court in 2019 and 2020 has gone some way towards clarifying how and where names should be displayed. This appears to have a led to a relative decrease in the number of cases initiated because of a lack of physical signage, and a relative increase in those based on unlabelled religious literature.
Many cases involve very similar circumstances. Nevertheless, their outcomes may differ widely as a result of the law's lack of clarity on the issue and judges' varying interpretations both of the law itself and the seriousness of any violations.
Some Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 prosecutions in 2025-26 appear to be one of several means for state authorities to exert pressure on particular religious communities. In Bryansk, officials targeted League of Salvation Pentecostal church. As well as a Part 3 fine, the church has been inspected and searched several times, and a criminal case has been launched. Also targeted was the Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity in the Moscow Region town of Balashikha (see forthcoming F18News article).
Religious organisations and individuals also continue to face prosecution under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting missionary activity"), and Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 5 ("Foreigners conducting missionary activity").
Two of the four acquittals were of individuals who should not have been prosecuted in the first place. Three of the five cases returned to police or prosecutors also involved individuals, as did the case with the unknown outcome.
Forum 18 found that nine individuals (one woman, eight men) were unlawfully brought to court in 2025 and the first four months of 2026 under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 – nearly a decade after this point was first clarified by Russia's Supreme Court.
Only legal entities are subject to prosecution under Part 3, as the law itself only explicitly mentions religious organisations. The Supreme Court clarified this in a ruling of 7 November 2017 (which upheld the appeal of a Pentecostal pastor who argued that Part 3, as written, could not apply either to private citizens or people employed in an official capacity). It reiterated this in its review of judicial practice of 26 June 2019.
In the nine cases involving individuals, first-instance courts convicted and fined three people, acquitted two, and sent three cases back to police or prosecutors. The outcome of one case remains unknown.
Of these initial appeals, ten were unsuccessful and only two successful, while three were rejected without being considered.
Four defendants challenged their unsuccessful appeal rulings at the cassational level. Of these, two were unsuccessful and one was rejected without consideration, while one – that of an unlawfully prosecuted individual – was successful. Police and prosecutors lodged only three appeals, none of which succeeded.
Muslim – 28
Seventh-day Adventist – 6
Pentecostal – 4
Other Protestant – 4
Roman Catholic – 2
Methodist – 1
Buddhist – 1
Society for Krishna Consciousness – 1
Russian Orthodox (Moscow Patriarchate) – 1
Apostolic Orthodox – 1
Old Believer – 1
Unknown – 2
Moscow – 18; Moscow Region – 6; Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya – 4; Mari El Republic – 3; Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region, Krasnoyarsk Region, Tula Region, Tyumen Region, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region – 2 each; Astrakhan Region, Bashkortostan Republic, Bryansk Region, Krasnodar Region, Murmansk Region, Orenburg Region, Stavropol Region, Tatarstan Republic, Tuva Republic – 1 each.
This is not necessarily representative of the true geographical distribution of Part 3 cases across Russia, as only a handful of regions have searchable, publicly accessible databases of all their magistrates' courts' records.
The Russian authorities are similarly imposing punishments under Russian Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 (not included in the list below) in parts of Ukraine they illegally occupy, including in Donetsk Region and in Crimea.
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All names of religious organisations are presented as direct translations of their full official versions, including the legal-organisational form "Local Religious Organisation", "Centralised Religious Organisation", etc., which the Religion Law requires communities to display. Use of an abbreviated form may incur prosecution.
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Light of the World" Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals)
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Lenin District Magistrate's Court No. 15, Tyumen
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "compliance with legislation on countering terrorism and extremism, fire safety, [and] freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, and religious associations", Pentecostal church charged with not displaying official full name on two livestreams of services on its VKontakte page, on Word document entitled "Fundamentals of Doctrine" available for download on its website, and on books (including copies of New Testament) in its library, classroom, and prayer hall; church representative stated that there were no services on day of inspection, doors were closed, parishioners who attend are always the same, and website is properly labelled; defence lawyer stated that church building has sign with official full name ("so citizens are not misled and can decide for themselves whether to enter"), that Word documents are not included in the official list of religious literature requiring labelling, no evidence in case materials of lack of labelling, official full name embedded in weblinks, and church was not engaging in missionary activity (as defined by Constitutional Court); judge agreed with these arguments.
Appeal: none
2) 29 January 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of the City of Tula "Nur" (Light)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Proletarian District Magistrate's Court No. 66, Tula
Circumstances: Muslim community charged with keeping four books on a shelf in its prayer hall not labelled with its official full name, after prosecutor's office and FSB inspection of "compliance with the requirements of legislation on countering extremism [and on] freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations", during which "it was established that access to the room where sermons were held, as well as where the above-mentioned literature was located, was free, and the circle of parishioners was not limited".
Appeal: none
3) 31 January 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "INAM", Tarko-Sale
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Purovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
4) 11 February 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Unity"
Punishment: unknown fine plus confiscation of literature
Court: Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged with having two copies of "Rules of reading the Holy Koran", by Akhmadkhali Maksudi, not labelled with religious organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
5) 12 February 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Uzlovaya District of Tula Region
Punishment: warning
Court: Uzlovaya District Magistrate's Court No. 43 (on behalf of No. 44), Tula Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of the address at which it is registered (home of community chairman), Muslim community charged with distributing literature not labelled with its official full name; judge took admission of guilt and prompt rectification of situation as mitigating factors.
Appeal: none
6) 21 February 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Vygo-Leksinsky Spiritual Centre of Ancient Orthodox Pomorian Communities"
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Preobrazhenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 111, Moscow
Circumstances: priestless Old Believer church; case apparently initiated by Justice Ministry – details unknown.
Appeal: none
7) 28 February 2025
Name: Religious Organisation Local [Pomestnaya] Church of Seventh-day Adventist Christians "Waiting/Expectant" ["Ozhidayushchaya"] of the City of Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El Republic
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 13, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: during internet monitoring, FSB found church's page on Yandex Music, where it had uploaded 29 podcast episodes without labelling them with its full official name; pastor admitted guilt.
Appeal: none
8) 7 March 2025
Name: Levon Rafikovich Chamyan
Punishment: 50,000 Roubles
Court: Lazarevsky District Magistrate's Court No. 94, Sochi, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: leader of "Bible League" Evangelical church (an unregistered religious group) charged with distribution of New Testament and prayer guide, not labelled with its official full name, "as part of missionary activity" – despite the fact that only legal entities can be charged with this offence.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 April 2025, Lazarevsky District Court, Sochi, Krasnodar; successful – 11 August 2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
9) 18 March 2025
Name: Omarskab Magomedovich Aliyev
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Krasnopakhorskoye and Mikhailo-Yartsevskoye Magistrate's Court No. 462, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
10) 21 March 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of Abdrakhmanovo Village, Abdulino District, Orenburg Region, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Orenburg Region
Punishment: warning
Court: Abdulino and Abdulino District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Orenburg Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of compliance with anti-extremism legislation, Muslim community charged with failing to display its official full name on its building (a sign in Tatar instead reads "Cathedral Mosque of Abdrakhmanovo Village"); judge notes that a warning can be issued for first-time administrative offences in the absence of harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property.
Appeal: none
11) 24 March 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Ramenskoye District and Ramenskoye Urban District, Moscow Region
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Ramenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 312 (on behalf of No. 215), Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged for using an Arabic-language book (title redacted) during "missionary activity" which was not labelled with the organisation's official full name; such "missionary work", according to the case materials, takes the form of "Friday sermons and educational activities, as well as teaching parishioners the basics of Islam".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 29 May 2025, Ramenskoye City Court, Moscow Region; unsuccessful – 4 September 2025, 1st Cassational Court, Saratov
12) 26 March 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of the village of Mayachny, Kumertau Urban District, of the Centralised Religious Organisation Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Bashkortostan
Punishment: warning
Court: Kumertau Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Bashkortostan
Circumstances: after inspection (unclear by which state agency), Muslim community charged with having two books in its mosque which were not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: none
13) Late March/early April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church" of Prokhladny
Punishment: 15,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Prokhladny District Magistrate's Court No. 2?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: after inspection of premises (unclear by which agency), Adventist church charged with keeping five books not labelled with its official full name, "intended for parishioners of the said religious organisation", on a table in the hallway; with reference to the 2019 Supreme Court review, appeal judge concluded that case materials contained no evidence of "distribution of religious literature and religious materials to an indefinite number of persons outside of places specifically designated for religious activity", i.e. as part of missionary activity [so with reference to Supreme Court review].
Appeal: successful – 1 July 2025, Prokhladny District Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
14) March/April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation Orthodox Parish of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious (Moscow Patriarchate)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Kyzyl Magistrate's Court No. 4, Tuva Republic
Circumstances: Russian Orthodox (Moscow Patriarchate) parish charged with holding religious services without displaying its official full name inside or outside the building; parish representative argues that the building in question, the Resurrection Cathedral, is only the parish's address for legal registration, and it in fact holds its worship services elsewhere (while services at the cathedral are conducted by a different religious organisation).
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 July 2025, Kyzyl City Court, Tuva Republic; rejected without consideration – 8th Cassational Court, 29 October 2025
15) 2 April 2025
Name: A.V. Vlasyuk
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Promyshlenny District Magistrate's Court No. 10, Stavropol
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
16) April 2025
Name: Vladimir Khatuyevich Dolov
Punishment: unknown
Court: Urvansky District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: pastor of Seventh-day Adventist church – details unknown
Appeal: none
17) 16 April 2025
Name: Religious Organisation "Regional Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Astrakhan Region within the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Volodarsky District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Astrakhan Region
Circumstances: after inspection by police (apparently requested by Centre for Countering Extremism), Muslim community charged with carrying out its activities without displaying its official full name outside or inside its premises (a rented room in a private house and an adjacent land plot); community representative states that since the inspection, a sign with the official full name is now placed at the entrance to the prayer room on days when religious events are held.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 17 July 2025, Volodarsky District Court
18) 21 April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation – Society of Muslims "Science and Faith"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Pervomayskoye and Troitsk Magistrate's Court No. 437, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim community charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism with having carried out "religious activities" on rented property (land and buildings) without displaying a sign with its official full name.
Appeal: none
19) April/May 2025
Name: Svetlana Viktorovna Getmanets
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Nalchik Magistrate's Court No. 12 / 14?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: after search of her home (used for worship) by police, FSB, and Centre for Countering Extremism, pastor of Local Religious Organisation – Methodist Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith "Jesus Christ" of Nalchik charged with keeping two Bibles, a New Testament, and a hymn book, not labelled with the church's official full name, "freely available to all citizens visiting this religious organisation, and not only to its members"; on appeal, pastor pointed out that Supreme Court ruled that only legal entities can be held liable under Part 3; also argued that, according to 2019 Supreme Court review of judicial practice, literature not subject to labelling if located in place specially designated for religious activity, and church held services in private home provided for the purpose under an agreement of free use; also argued that Bibles and hymn books are liturgical books, not missionary literature; both first-instance and appeal judges incorrectly concluded that pastor was liable under Part 3, but latter decided fine is "unduly harsh".
Appeal: unsuccessful but fine reduced to 15,000 Roubles – 1 July 2025, Nalchik City Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
20) April/May 2025
Name: Ilya Petrovich Makarenko
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Nalchik Magistrate's Court No. 12 / 14?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: assistant presbyter of Seventh-day Adventist church charged by police with having "allowed the distribution" of a Bible and a book about Seventh-day Adventists which were not labelled with the organisation's official full name.
Appeal: by police, unsuccessful – 22 August 2025, Nalchik City Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
21) 12 May 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith Church of the Love of Christ, Pyatigorsk
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Pyatigorsk Magistrate's Court No. 9, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: after police inspection of premises (apparently instigated by Centre for Countering Extremism), Evangelical Protestant church charged with having "carried out activities (religious services) without indicating its official full name on a residential building, the address of which is not included in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities as the address of a religious organisation"; defence lawyer argued that there is a sign with the church's official full name inside the room where services are held, and law does not specify required location; judge cited 2020 Constitutional Court resolution but concluded that placing the sign inside the building "limits the rights of citizens who wish to join this religious movement to attend religious events, and does not exclude the accidental attendance of such events by citizens who do not wish to participate in them".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 17 July 2025, Pyatigorsk City Court, Stavropol Region
22) 13 May 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Heritage of Islam"
Punishment: warning
Court: Danilovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 247, Moscow
Circumstances: after inspection by Interior Ministry Centre for Countering Extremism of "requirements for anti-terrorist protection", Muslim community charged with carrying out religious activities "without indicating its full name on the facade of the building or on its territory"; community representative stated in court that a sign was now in place; judge issued warning on basis that offence did not cause harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property.
Appeal: none
23) 20 May 2025
Name: Muslim Mukharemovich Menglibulatov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Neftekumsk Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: after police inspection, imam of Kayasula village charged with having "carried out the activities of a religious organisation-mosque in violation of the requirements of [the Religion Law] in the absence of nameplates, stands, signs indicating the official name, the full name of the religious organisation inside the building"; defendant admitted guilt; police found that "there was no information, either outside the building or inside the premises, indicating that this religious organisation was located and operating at this address".
Appeal: none
24) 3 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Lyublino Magistrate's Court No. 262, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with keeping three books not labelled with its official full name on freely accessible shelves on its premises; evidence of material support for the "special military operation" in Ukraine taken as mitigating circumstance, alongside admission of guilt.
Appeal: none
25) 7 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Local Church of Seventh-day Adventist Christians 'Central', Yoshkar-Ola
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 9, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: on basis of information from FSB, prosecutor's office charged Adventist church with "distributing religious literature and information of a religious nature" at premises provided for its free use; judge noted that premises are in fact "a place specifically designated for religious activity" by virtue of agreement of free use, and therefore literature kept there does not need to be labelled.
Appeal: by prosecution, unsuccessful – 28 August 2025, Yoshkar-Ola City Court
26) 7 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy" No. 2828
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Sosnenskoye Magistrate's Court No. 469, on behalf of No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with failing to display its official full name at the building where it carries out its religious activities, and keeping Russian and Arabic copies of the Koran in "a freely accessible place" without labelling them with its official full name.
Appeal: none
27) 8 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "Cornerstone"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Lenin District Magistrate's Court No. 15, Tyumen
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Pentecostal church charged with having 12 copies of "Holy Scripture: A Semantic Translation of the Tawrat [Torah], the Book of the Prophets, Zabur [Book of David] and Injil [Gospel]" on its premises, not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: none
28) 17 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Moscow "Spiritual Path"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Chertanovo Yuzhnoye Magistrate's Court No. 227, Moscow
Circumstances: after police inspection of "compliance with the requirements of the legislation on freedom of conscience and religious associations", Muslim community charged with displaying "no sign from the street" with its official full name at the entrance to its premises, and keeping nine books on a windowsill which were not labelled with its official full name (eight copies of Koran in various Arabic-language editions, one guide to reading the Koran); also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: none
29) 30 July 2025
Name: Guseyn Magomedovich Gitingadzhiyev
Punishment: none – case sent back because of "insufficient material for proper consideration of the case on its merits"
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 294, Moscow Region
Circumstances: unclear by which agency case initiated; chairman of Local Religious Organisation "Spiritual and Educational Centre of Muslims" charged in relation to 30 copies of the Koran not labelled with the organisation's official full name.
Appeal: none
30) 12 August 2025
Name: Religious Organisation of Higher Religious Education "Russian Theological Seminary of Evangelical Christians" of the Centralised Religious Organisation of the Association of Churches of Evangelical Christians "Holiness"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Moskovsky and Mosrentgen Magistrate's Court No. 432, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Evangelical seminary charged for not displaying its official full name at the building in which it "carries out its religious activities"; seminary representative stated in court that sign is now in place.
Appeal: none
31) 13 August 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Zaytuna"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Ostankino District Magistrate's Court No. 414 on behalf of No. 412, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with "distributing, as part of missionary activities, literature not marked with its official full name, ensuring free access to this literature to an indefinite number of persons, namely, 12 magazines, 11 brochures, 38 books, in a foreign language"; chairman argued that premises are kept locked when not in use and literature in question kept in locked storage room inside, while all materials left out in the prayer room are fully labelled – at appeal, judge noted that, notwithstanding this, "the specific individuals possessing a key – and access – to said premises have not been identified; furthermore, the possibility that this literature could be utilised in the course of the organisation's religious activities has not been ruled out".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 December 2025, Ostankino District Court, Moscow
32) 18 August 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Arbat District Magistrate's Court No. 417, Moscow
Circumstances: after "a review of the organisation's online resources" (unclear by which agency but likely to be Justice Ministry), Archdiocese charged with using an incomplete name on its website and Telegram channel ("Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow"); also four recent prosecutions under Article 19.5, Part 18 for failure to comply with order in relation to maintenance/protection of cultural heritage.
Appeal: none
33) 28 August 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation Makhalla No. 1727 "Nurdkamal"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Talnakh District Magistrate's Court No. 156, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged for not displaying official full name outside its premises (though it had information board with official full name inside).
Appeal: none
34) 29 August 2025
Name: Religious Organisation "Buddhist Centre Padmasambhava"
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Levoberezhny District Magistrate's Court No. 67, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown by which agency case initiated; Buddhist community charged in connection with 27 books in Russian and English not labelled with organisation's official full name; also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 20 October 2025, Golovinsky District Court, Moscow; unsuccessful – 13 April 2026 – 2nd Cassational Court, Moscow
35) 29 August 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation Unified Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Krasnoyarsk Region (Krasnoyarsk Muftiyat)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 81 (on behalf of No. 86), Krasnoyarsk
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muftiyat charged with allowing a prayer room in Bolshaya Murta District to operate without displaying its official full name.
Appeal: none
36) 3 September 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Creation"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Troitsk Magistrate's Court No. 438, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged because "books of religious content which do not have markings with the official name of the [Local Religious Organisation of Muslims] 'Creation' on the flyleaf or other visible part were stored in a publicly accessible place"; books included five different copies of the Koran and brochures in Uzbek and Arabic.
Appeal: none
37) 15 September 2025
Name: Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "Yoshkar-Ola Christian Centre"
Punishment: warning
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 5, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: after monitoring by prosecutor's office, Evangelical church charged with carrying out missionary work by means of a pinned post on the "Bibleyka" Telegram channel (apparently that of a bible school in occupied Luhansk Region of Ukraine) without displaying its official full name; judge concludes that the church's activities constituted no harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property, so imposed only a warning.
Appeal: rejected without consideration as deadline for appeal missed – 14 October 2025, Yoshkar-Ola City Court
38) 18 September 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Iman" of Balashikha District of Moscow Region
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 293, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after inspection by Interior Ministry Centre for Countering Extremism, Muslim community charged with having three copies of Koran on its premises not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: rejected without consideration – 13 October 2025, Balashikha City Court, Moscow Region
39) 2 October 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Moscow Region"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Korolyov Magistrate's Court No. 90, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises rented by local Muslim community, regional-level Muslim organisation (of which local community is part) charged with having "carried out activities without displaying its official full name, including the distribution of literature and printed materials as part of missionary activities without marking it with this name", i.e. Arabic-language book called "The Light of Islam"; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity", but did not accept defence argument that premises were specially designated for religious activity.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 December 2025, Korolyov City Court, Moscow Region
40) 7 October 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Association of Orthodox Communities of the Apostolic Tradition"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Basmanny District Magistrate's Court No. 359, Moscow
Circumstances: after a "review of the organisation's online resources" (likely by Justice Ministry), Orthodox organisation charged with not using its official full name on its website and Telegram channel (using instead "APTs Apostolic Orthodox Church").
Appeal: at cassational level, rejected without consideration – 16 March 2026, 1st Cassational Court, Saratov
41) 9 October 2025
Name: Rasim Vezir ogly Ramazanov
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Noyabrsk Magistrate's Court No. 2, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region
Circumstances: organiser of Muslim religious group charged with having "carried out propaganda of Shia Muslim ideology at [premises] which did not have complete official information about the religious group, while he used and distributed, in the course of missionary activities in the specified premises, Shia Muslim religious literature in the form of 100 books, which did not contain markings indicating the name of the specified religious group"; judge noted that only legal entities can be subject to prosecution under Part 3.
Appeal: none
42) 30 October 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Islamic Centre of the City of Polyarny"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Aleksandrovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 3 (on behalf of No. 1), Polyarny, Murmansk Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged with distributing religious literature (including book of Ramadan sermons and children's textbook on namaz prayer) not marked with its official full name, i.e. keeping them freely accessible on the premises – "Therefore, it has been established that, while carrying out missionary activities, the [community] distributed unlabelled religious literature"; judge noted mitigating circumstances of admission of guilt and expression of remorse.
Appeal: none
43) 19 November 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation – Podolsk Community of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Punishment: 30,00 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Podolsk Magistrate's Court No. 186, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of its premises, Adventist church charged with keeping on a shelf in a corridor three copies of "The Great Controversy" (by Ellen White) and six copies of "Living God's Love" (by Douglas Cooper) not labelled with its official full name – this indicated that "visitors could borrow books for free for themselves and their families, which shows that it is possible for an unlimited number of people to become familiar with this literature"; church representative cited 2020 Constitutional Court resolution and argued that literature in question not intended for missionary use, only for informational purposes (also noted that there were official full name displayed at both entrance to church's grounds and entrance to its premises, meaning that "churchgoers are adequately informed about the organisation's activities, thus preventing random (unlimited) access"; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of persons outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity" and concluded that books were indeed freely accessible.
Appeal: none
44) 19 December 2025
Name: Religious Organisation Catholic Centre "Caritas of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow"
Punishment: warning plus destruction of literature
Court: Timiryazevsky District Magistrate's Court No. 335, Moscow
Circumstances: case brought by prosecutor's office – unclear on what basis; Catholic charity charged with having five books not labelled with its official full name (including a copy of the New Testament); judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity".
Appeal: none
45) 19 December 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Society for Krishna Consciousness of the City of Moscow"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Khoroshyovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 419, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "compliance with federal law", Society for Krishna Consciousness charged with "distributing literature as part of missionary activities without labelling it with its official full name, ensuring free access to this literature to an indefinite number of persons, namely, 7 books"; defence lawyer argued that the unmarked books were in a locked storage room and altar area, which is not publicly accessible – judge dismissed this as "untenable, since [defence] did not present evidence to support his arguments. Moreover, with regard to other premises, a lock on the door of the premises cannot serve as a barrier to entry into the room, thus access to it is free"; on appeal, judge concluded that for community's activities to be deemed "missionary", prosecution needed to establish that books had been distributed "to an indefinite circle of persons outside of locations specifically designated for the conduct of religious activities", but that the premises are "a location specifically designated for the conduct of religious activities; therefore, the religious literature discovered therein was not subject to labelling requirements".
Appeal: successful – 11 March 2026, Savyolovsky District Court, Moscow
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Risalyat Community of Muslims"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus destruction of literature
Court: Butyrsky District Magistrate's Court No. 98, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with "distributing, as part of missionary activities, literature not labelled with its official full name, providing free access to this literature to parishioners, minors" (this took place "in an open space on the 4th floor", where community has premises, but unclear whether books found inside or outside); judge notes that 2019 Supreme Court review of judicial practice sets out that "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity"; literature to be destroyed includes: "Learning Arabic: A Textbook on Reading the Quran" (by R.R. Abbyasov), "Muallim Sani: Rules for Reading the Holy Quran" (by Akhmadhadi Maksudi), "Fundamentals of Islamic Knowledge" (by Saifutdin Yazidzhi), "Durusu Shifagyiyat" (3 copies), "Hadith Studies" (by Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni), "Islamic Movements and Groups" (by D.A. Shagaviyev); also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 27 April 2026, Ostankino District Court, Moscow
2) 2 March 2026
Name: Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith "Church of the Holy Trinity"
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 5, Moscow Region
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: apparently by prosecution, lodged on 14 May 2026, Balashikha City Court, Moscow Region – no hearing yet listed
3) 23 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation – Parish of "Ometlelyar" Mosque of the Mukhtasibat of Soviet District, Kazan, of the Centralised Religious Organisation Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 13, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: after inspection of mosque instigated by prosecutor's office, Muslim community charged for not displaying sign with its official full name – instead, had a "crescent-shaped sign" and the notice "Mosque on 4th floor" above entrance to building (multi-storey car park which is part of a large commercial building).
Appeal: none
4) 24 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Makhallya" of p.g.t. Izluchinsk
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Nizhnevartovsk District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: unknown
5) 26 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of Megion
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus destruction of literature
Court: Megion District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region
Circumstances: after tip-off to police about "posters with Koran instruction publicly displayed in a basement room", Muslim community charged with selling religious literature (13 items in total) not labelled with its official full name in shop in grounds of mosque; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of persons outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity"; imam's nephew (working in shop when police arrived) also fined under Part 4 because of poster hanging behind shop counter which read "Teaching Men and Women to Read Namaz Prayer".
Appeal: none
6) 27 March 2026
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy"
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Sosnenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
7) 30 April 2026
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "League of Salvation"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 12, Bryansk
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "violations of legislation on freedom of conscience, on religious associations, and countering extremism" (based on information from FSB), Pentecostal church charged because associated religious group "Creators of History" had carried out its activities without displaying the religious organisation's official full name at group's premises in house of culture; defence argued that centralised religious organisation not required to post its official full name at religious group's address – prosecutor argued that religious group is under canonical subordination of religious organisation; judge cited provision that only religious organisation can be subject of Part 3 prosecution.
Appeal: none yet registered – Soviet District Court, Bryansk
(END)
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Russian Roubles
Evgeny/Pixabay
Registered religious organisations are prosecuted under 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".
Religious organisations may be fined 30,000 to 50,000 Roubles with the possible confiscation of any materials involved in the alleged offence. Such materials may later be destroyed. (A fine of 30,000 Roubles is equivalent of about 10 days' average wage for an individual.)
It is unknown how many other religious organisations (and individuals) may have faced charges, as cases under Article 5.26, Part 3 are heard in magistrates' courts, of which there are more than 7,000 across the country. There is no publicly accessible centralised database of magistrates' courts, other nationwide databases have recently gone offline, only a handful of regional databases exist, and magistrates' courts themselves can vary in their provision of publicly available records. Establishing accurate figures is therefore difficult if communities do not themselves make prosecutions known.
Forty-five prosecutions reached court in 2025, and seven in the first four months of 2026.
The 52 prosecutions found by Forum 18 involved 42 registered religious organisations (one of them twice) and 9 individuals (one woman, eight men).
In 17 cases, courts ordered the confiscation of religious literature seized from the defendants. In three of these cases, courts also ordered the items destroyed.
Most cases appear to be based on routine "inspections of compliance with the requirements" of the Religion Law and the Extremism Law, carried out by prosecutors' offices and sometimes the Interior Ministry's regional centres for countering extremism. The Federal Security Service (FSB) was involved in five cases, sometimes as part of the inspection team, sometimes providing information to prosecutors based on surveillance and monitoring of a religious organisation's activities.
Forum 18 found only one case between January 2025 and April 2026 which was triggered by an apparent tip-off to police from a member of the public.
Guidance issued by the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court in 2019 and 2020 has gone some way towards clarifying how and where names should be displayed. This appears to have a led to a relative decrease in the number of cases initiated because of a lack of physical signage, and a relative increase in those based on unlabelled religious literature.
Many cases involve very similar circumstances. Nevertheless, their outcomes may differ widely as a result of the law's lack of clarity on the issue and judges' varying interpretations both of the law itself and the seriousness of any violations.
Some Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 prosecutions in 2025-26 appear to be one of several means for state authorities to exert pressure on particular religious communities. In Bryansk, officials targeted League of Salvation Pentecostal church. As well as a Part 3 fine, the church has been inspected and searched several times, and a criminal case has been launched. Also targeted was the Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity in the Moscow Region town of Balashikha (see forthcoming F18News article).
Religious organisations and individuals also continue to face prosecution under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting missionary activity"), and Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 5 ("Foreigners conducting missionary activity").
Few acquittals
In the 52 known cases, first instance courts are known to have convicted a total of 40 defendants and acquitted only four. Judges sent another five cases back to police or prosecutors on technical grounds, and closed a further two for unknown reasons. The outcome of one other case is unknown.Two of the four acquittals were of individuals who should not have been prosecuted in the first place. Three of the five cases returned to police or prosecutors also involved individuals, as did the case with the unknown outcome.
Wrongful prosecutions of individuals still taking place
Russia's Supreme Court, Moscow
Anton Naumliuk (RFE/RL)
Only legal entities are subject to prosecution under Part 3, as the law itself only explicitly mentions religious organisations. The Supreme Court clarified this in a ruling of 7 November 2017 (which upheld the appeal of a Pentecostal pastor who argued that Part 3, as written, could not apply either to private citizens or people employed in an official capacity). It reiterated this in its review of judicial practice of 26 June 2019.
In the nine cases involving individuals, first-instance courts convicted and fined three people, acquitted two, and sent three cases back to police or prosecutors. The outcome of one case remains unknown.
Appeals
Defendants submitted initial appeals in 15 cases. These were mostly to district or city courts within 10 days of the original verdict. One appeal was lodged at a cassational court after the original ruling had come into force.Of these initial appeals, ten were unsuccessful and only two successful, while three were rejected without being considered.
Four defendants challenged their unsuccessful appeal rulings at the cassational level. Of these, two were unsuccessful and one was rejected without consideration, while one – that of an unlawfully prosecuted individual – was successful. Police and prosecutors lodged only three appeals, none of which succeeded.
Which communities were prosecuted?
Prosecutions between 1 January 2025 and 30 April 2026 under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 were brought against organisations and individuals of the following faiths:Muslim – 28
Seventh-day Adventist – 6
Pentecostal – 4
Other Protestant – 4
Roman Catholic – 2
Methodist – 1
Buddhist – 1
Society for Krishna Consciousness – 1
Russian Orthodox (Moscow Patriarchate) – 1
Apostolic Orthodox – 1
Old Believer – 1
Unknown – 2
Geographical spread
Eighteen of Russia's 83 federal subjects saw at least one prosecution under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 in 2025 and the first four months of 2026:Moscow – 18; Moscow Region – 6; Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya – 4; Mari El Republic – 3; Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region, Krasnoyarsk Region, Tula Region, Tyumen Region, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region – 2 each; Astrakhan Region, Bashkortostan Republic, Bryansk Region, Krasnodar Region, Murmansk Region, Orenburg Region, Stavropol Region, Tatarstan Republic, Tuva Republic – 1 each.
This is not necessarily representative of the true geographical distribution of Part 3 cases across Russia, as only a handful of regions have searchable, publicly accessible databases of all their magistrates' courts' records.
The Russian authorities are similarly imposing punishments under Russian Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 (not included in the list below) in parts of Ukraine they illegally occupy, including in Donetsk Region and in Crimea.
==================================================
Full list of known administrative prosecutions January 2025 to April 2026
The list of 52 known prosecutions brought to court under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 between January 2025 and April 2026 below is based on court decisions and other information known to Forum 18. Cases are listed in date order of initial decision.All names of religious organisations are presented as direct translations of their full official versions, including the legal-organisational form "Local Religious Organisation", "Centralised Religious Organisation", etc., which the Religion Law requires communities to display. Use of an abbreviated form may incur prosecution.
CALENDAR YEAR 2025
1) 15 January 2025Name: Local Religious Organisation "Light of the World" Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals)
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Lenin District Magistrate's Court No. 15, Tyumen
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "compliance with legislation on countering terrorism and extremism, fire safety, [and] freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, and religious associations", Pentecostal church charged with not displaying official full name on two livestreams of services on its VKontakte page, on Word document entitled "Fundamentals of Doctrine" available for download on its website, and on books (including copies of New Testament) in its library, classroom, and prayer hall; church representative stated that there were no services on day of inspection, doors were closed, parishioners who attend are always the same, and website is properly labelled; defence lawyer stated that church building has sign with official full name ("so citizens are not misled and can decide for themselves whether to enter"), that Word documents are not included in the official list of religious literature requiring labelling, no evidence in case materials of lack of labelling, official full name embedded in weblinks, and church was not engaging in missionary activity (as defined by Constitutional Court); judge agreed with these arguments.
Appeal: none
2) 29 January 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of the City of Tula "Nur" (Light)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Proletarian District Magistrate's Court No. 66, Tula
Circumstances: Muslim community charged with keeping four books on a shelf in its prayer hall not labelled with its official full name, after prosecutor's office and FSB inspection of "compliance with the requirements of legislation on countering extremism [and on] freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations", during which "it was established that access to the room where sermons were held, as well as where the above-mentioned literature was located, was free, and the circle of parishioners was not limited".
Appeal: none
3) 31 January 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "INAM", Tarko-Sale
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Purovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 2, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
4) 11 February 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Unity"
Punishment: unknown fine plus confiscation of literature
Court: Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged with having two copies of "Rules of reading the Holy Koran", by Akhmadkhali Maksudi, not labelled with religious organisation's full official name.
Appeal: none
5) 12 February 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Uzlovaya District of Tula Region
Punishment: warning
Court: Uzlovaya District Magistrate's Court No. 43 (on behalf of No. 44), Tula Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of the address at which it is registered (home of community chairman), Muslim community charged with distributing literature not labelled with its official full name; judge took admission of guilt and prompt rectification of situation as mitigating factors.
Appeal: none
6) 21 February 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Vygo-Leksinsky Spiritual Centre of Ancient Orthodox Pomorian Communities"
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Preobrazhenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 111, Moscow
Circumstances: priestless Old Believer church; case apparently initiated by Justice Ministry – details unknown.
Appeal: none
7) 28 February 2025
Name: Religious Organisation Local [Pomestnaya] Church of Seventh-day Adventist Christians "Waiting/Expectant" ["Ozhidayushchaya"] of the City of Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El Republic
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 13, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: during internet monitoring, FSB found church's page on Yandex Music, where it had uploaded 29 podcast episodes without labelling them with its full official name; pastor admitted guilt.
Appeal: none
8) 7 March 2025
Name: Levon Rafikovich Chamyan
Punishment: 50,000 Roubles
Court: Lazarevsky District Magistrate's Court No. 94, Sochi, Krasnodar Region
Circumstances: leader of "Bible League" Evangelical church (an unregistered religious group) charged with distribution of New Testament and prayer guide, not labelled with its official full name, "as part of missionary activity" – despite the fact that only legal entities can be charged with this offence.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 April 2025, Lazarevsky District Court, Sochi, Krasnodar; successful – 11 August 2025, 4th Cassational Court, Krasnodar
9) 18 March 2025
Name: Omarskab Magomedovich Aliyev
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Krasnopakhorskoye and Mikhailo-Yartsevskoye Magistrate's Court No. 462, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
10) 21 March 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of Abdrakhmanovo Village, Abdulino District, Orenburg Region, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Orenburg Region
Punishment: warning
Court: Abdulino and Abdulino District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Orenburg Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of compliance with anti-extremism legislation, Muslim community charged with failing to display its official full name on its building (a sign in Tatar instead reads "Cathedral Mosque of Abdrakhmanovo Village"); judge notes that a warning can be issued for first-time administrative offences in the absence of harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property.
Appeal: none
11) 24 March 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Ramenskoye District and Ramenskoye Urban District, Moscow Region
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Ramenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 312 (on behalf of No. 215), Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged for using an Arabic-language book (title redacted) during "missionary activity" which was not labelled with the organisation's official full name; such "missionary work", according to the case materials, takes the form of "Friday sermons and educational activities, as well as teaching parishioners the basics of Islam".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 29 May 2025, Ramenskoye City Court, Moscow Region; unsuccessful – 4 September 2025, 1st Cassational Court, Saratov
12) 26 March 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of the village of Mayachny, Kumertau Urban District, of the Centralised Religious Organisation Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Bashkortostan
Punishment: warning
Court: Kumertau Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Bashkortostan
Circumstances: after inspection (unclear by which state agency), Muslim community charged with having two books in its mosque which were not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: none
13) Late March/early April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church" of Prokhladny
Punishment: 15,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Prokhladny District Magistrate's Court No. 2?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: after inspection of premises (unclear by which agency), Adventist church charged with keeping five books not labelled with its official full name, "intended for parishioners of the said religious organisation", on a table in the hallway; with reference to the 2019 Supreme Court review, appeal judge concluded that case materials contained no evidence of "distribution of religious literature and religious materials to an indefinite number of persons outside of places specifically designated for religious activity", i.e. as part of missionary activity [so with reference to Supreme Court review].
Appeal: successful – 1 July 2025, Prokhladny District Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
14) March/April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation Orthodox Parish of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious (Moscow Patriarchate)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Kyzyl Magistrate's Court No. 4, Tuva Republic
Circumstances: Russian Orthodox (Moscow Patriarchate) parish charged with holding religious services without displaying its official full name inside or outside the building; parish representative argues that the building in question, the Resurrection Cathedral, is only the parish's address for legal registration, and it in fact holds its worship services elsewhere (while services at the cathedral are conducted by a different religious organisation).
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 July 2025, Kyzyl City Court, Tuva Republic; rejected without consideration – 8th Cassational Court, 29 October 2025
15) 2 April 2025
Name: A.V. Vlasyuk
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Promyshlenny District Magistrate's Court No. 10, Stavropol
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
16) April 2025
Name: Vladimir Khatuyevich Dolov
Punishment: unknown
Court: Urvansky District Magistrate's Court No. 1, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: pastor of Seventh-day Adventist church – details unknown
Appeal: none
17) 16 April 2025
Name: Religious Organisation "Regional Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Astrakhan Region within the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Volodarsky District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Astrakhan Region
Circumstances: after inspection by police (apparently requested by Centre for Countering Extremism), Muslim community charged with carrying out its activities without displaying its official full name outside or inside its premises (a rented room in a private house and an adjacent land plot); community representative states that since the inspection, a sign with the official full name is now placed at the entrance to the prayer room on days when religious events are held.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 17 July 2025, Volodarsky District Court
18) 21 April 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation – Society of Muslims "Science and Faith"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Pervomayskoye and Troitsk Magistrate's Court No. 437, Moscow
Circumstances: Muslim community charged by Interior Ministry's Centre for Countering Extremism with having carried out "religious activities" on rented property (land and buildings) without displaying a sign with its official full name.
Appeal: none
19) April/May 2025
Name: Svetlana Viktorovna Getmanets
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Nalchik Magistrate's Court No. 12 / 14?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: after search of her home (used for worship) by police, FSB, and Centre for Countering Extremism, pastor of Local Religious Organisation – Methodist Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith "Jesus Christ" of Nalchik charged with keeping two Bibles, a New Testament, and a hymn book, not labelled with the church's official full name, "freely available to all citizens visiting this religious organisation, and not only to its members"; on appeal, pastor pointed out that Supreme Court ruled that only legal entities can be held liable under Part 3; also argued that, according to 2019 Supreme Court review of judicial practice, literature not subject to labelling if located in place specially designated for religious activity, and church held services in private home provided for the purpose under an agreement of free use; also argued that Bibles and hymn books are liturgical books, not missionary literature; both first-instance and appeal judges incorrectly concluded that pastor was liable under Part 3, but latter decided fine is "unduly harsh".
Appeal: unsuccessful but fine reduced to 15,000 Roubles – 1 July 2025, Nalchik City Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
20) April/May 2025
Name: Ilya Petrovich Makarenko
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Nalchik Magistrate's Court No. 12 / 14?, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
Circumstances: assistant presbyter of Seventh-day Adventist church charged by police with having "allowed the distribution" of a Bible and a book about Seventh-day Adventists which were not labelled with the organisation's official full name.
Appeal: by police, unsuccessful – 22 August 2025, Nalchik City Court, Republic of Kabardino-Balkariya
21) 12 May 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith Church of the Love of Christ, Pyatigorsk
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Pyatigorsk Magistrate's Court No. 9, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: after police inspection of premises (apparently instigated by Centre for Countering Extremism), Evangelical Protestant church charged with having "carried out activities (religious services) without indicating its official full name on a residential building, the address of which is not included in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities as the address of a religious organisation"; defence lawyer argued that there is a sign with the church's official full name inside the room where services are held, and law does not specify required location; judge cited 2020 Constitutional Court resolution but concluded that placing the sign inside the building "limits the rights of citizens who wish to join this religious movement to attend religious events, and does not exclude the accidental attendance of such events by citizens who do not wish to participate in them".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 17 July 2025, Pyatigorsk City Court, Stavropol Region
22) 13 May 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Heritage of Islam"
Punishment: warning
Court: Danilovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 247, Moscow
Circumstances: after inspection by Interior Ministry Centre for Countering Extremism of "requirements for anti-terrorist protection", Muslim community charged with carrying out religious activities "without indicating its full name on the facade of the building or on its territory"; community representative stated in court that a sign was now in place; judge issued warning on basis that offence did not cause harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property.
Appeal: none
23) 20 May 2025
Name: Muslim Mukharemovich Menglibulatov
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Neftekumsk Magistrate's Court No. 2, Stavropol Region
Circumstances: after police inspection, imam of Kayasula village charged with having "carried out the activities of a religious organisation-mosque in violation of the requirements of [the Religion Law] in the absence of nameplates, stands, signs indicating the official name, the full name of the religious organisation inside the building"; defendant admitted guilt; police found that "there was no information, either outside the building or inside the premises, indicating that this religious organisation was located and operating at this address".
Appeal: none
24) 3 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Lyublino Magistrate's Court No. 262, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with keeping three books not labelled with its official full name on freely accessible shelves on its premises; evidence of material support for the "special military operation" in Ukraine taken as mitigating circumstance, alongside admission of guilt.
Appeal: none
25) 7 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Local Church of Seventh-day Adventist Christians 'Central', Yoshkar-Ola
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 9, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: on basis of information from FSB, prosecutor's office charged Adventist church with "distributing religious literature and information of a religious nature" at premises provided for its free use; judge noted that premises are in fact "a place specifically designated for religious activity" by virtue of agreement of free use, and therefore literature kept there does not need to be labelled.
Appeal: by prosecution, unsuccessful – 28 August 2025, Yoshkar-Ola City Court
26) 7 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy" No. 2828
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Sosnenskoye Magistrate's Court No. 469, on behalf of No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with failing to display its official full name at the building where it carries out its religious activities, and keeping Russian and Arabic copies of the Koran in "a freely accessible place" without labelling them with its official full name.
Appeal: none
27) 8 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "Cornerstone"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Lenin District Magistrate's Court No. 15, Tyumen
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Pentecostal church charged with having 12 copies of "Holy Scripture: A Semantic Translation of the Tawrat [Torah], the Book of the Prophets, Zabur [Book of David] and Injil [Gospel]" on its premises, not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: none
28) 17 July 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims of Moscow "Spiritual Path"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Chertanovo Yuzhnoye Magistrate's Court No. 227, Moscow
Circumstances: after police inspection of "compliance with the requirements of the legislation on freedom of conscience and religious associations", Muslim community charged with displaying "no sign from the street" with its official full name at the entrance to its premises, and keeping nine books on a windowsill which were not labelled with its official full name (eight copies of Koran in various Arabic-language editions, one guide to reading the Koran); also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: none
29) 30 July 2025
Name: Guseyn Magomedovich Gitingadzhiyev
Punishment: none – case sent back because of "insufficient material for proper consideration of the case on its merits"
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 294, Moscow Region
Circumstances: unclear by which agency case initiated; chairman of Local Religious Organisation "Spiritual and Educational Centre of Muslims" charged in relation to 30 copies of the Koran not labelled with the organisation's official full name.
Appeal: none
30) 12 August 2025
Name: Religious Organisation of Higher Religious Education "Russian Theological Seminary of Evangelical Christians" of the Centralised Religious Organisation of the Association of Churches of Evangelical Christians "Holiness"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Moskovsky and Mosrentgen Magistrate's Court No. 432, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Evangelical seminary charged for not displaying its official full name at the building in which it "carries out its religious activities"; seminary representative stated in court that sign is now in place.
Appeal: none
31) 13 August 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Zaytuna"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Ostankino District Magistrate's Court No. 414 on behalf of No. 412, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with "distributing, as part of missionary activities, literature not marked with its official full name, ensuring free access to this literature to an indefinite number of persons, namely, 12 magazines, 11 brochures, 38 books, in a foreign language"; chairman argued that premises are kept locked when not in use and literature in question kept in locked storage room inside, while all materials left out in the prayer room are fully labelled – at appeal, judge noted that, notwithstanding this, "the specific individuals possessing a key – and access – to said premises have not been identified; furthermore, the possibility that this literature could be utilised in the course of the organisation's religious activities has not been ruled out".
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 December 2025, Ostankino District Court, Moscow
32) 18 August 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Arbat District Magistrate's Court No. 417, Moscow
Circumstances: after "a review of the organisation's online resources" (unclear by which agency but likely to be Justice Ministry), Archdiocese charged with using an incomplete name on its website and Telegram channel ("Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow"); also four recent prosecutions under Article 19.5, Part 18 for failure to comply with order in relation to maintenance/protection of cultural heritage.
Appeal: none
33) 28 August 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation Makhalla No. 1727 "Nurdkamal"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Talnakh District Magistrate's Court No. 156, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged for not displaying official full name outside its premises (though it had information board with official full name inside).
Appeal: none
34) 29 August 2025
Name: Religious Organisation "Buddhist Centre Padmasambhava"
Punishment: 35,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Levoberezhny District Magistrate's Court No. 67, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown by which agency case initiated; Buddhist community charged in connection with 27 books in Russian and English not labelled with organisation's official full name; also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 20 October 2025, Golovinsky District Court, Moscow; unsuccessful – 13 April 2026 – 2nd Cassational Court, Moscow
35) 29 August 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation Unified Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Krasnoyarsk Region (Krasnoyarsk Muftiyat)
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 81 (on behalf of No. 86), Krasnoyarsk
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muftiyat charged with allowing a prayer room in Bolshaya Murta District to operate without displaying its official full name.
Appeal: none
36) 3 September 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Creation"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Troitsk Magistrate's Court No. 438, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged because "books of religious content which do not have markings with the official name of the [Local Religious Organisation of Muslims] 'Creation' on the flyleaf or other visible part were stored in a publicly accessible place"; books included five different copies of the Koran and brochures in Uzbek and Arabic.
Appeal: none
37) 15 September 2025
Name: Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "Yoshkar-Ola Christian Centre"
Punishment: warning
Court: Yoshkar-Ola Magistrate's Court No. 5, Mari El Republic
Circumstances: after monitoring by prosecutor's office, Evangelical church charged with carrying out missionary work by means of a pinned post on the "Bibleyka" Telegram channel (apparently that of a bible school in occupied Luhansk Region of Ukraine) without displaying its official full name; judge concludes that the church's activities constituted no harm or threat of harm to human life and health, the environment, cultural heritage, state security, or property, so imposed only a warning.
Appeal: rejected without consideration as deadline for appeal missed – 14 October 2025, Yoshkar-Ola City Court
38) 18 September 2025
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Iman" of Balashikha District of Moscow Region
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 293, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after inspection by Interior Ministry Centre for Countering Extremism, Muslim community charged with having three copies of Koran on its premises not labelled with its official full name.
Appeal: rejected without consideration – 13 October 2025, Balashikha City Court, Moscow Region
39) 2 October 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Moscow Region"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Korolyov Magistrate's Court No. 90, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises rented by local Muslim community, regional-level Muslim organisation (of which local community is part) charged with having "carried out activities without displaying its official full name, including the distribution of literature and printed materials as part of missionary activities without marking it with this name", i.e. Arabic-language book called "The Light of Islam"; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity", but did not accept defence argument that premises were specially designated for religious activity.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 10 December 2025, Korolyov City Court, Moscow Region
40) 7 October 2025
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation "Association of Orthodox Communities of the Apostolic Tradition"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Basmanny District Magistrate's Court No. 359, Moscow
Circumstances: after a "review of the organisation's online resources" (likely by Justice Ministry), Orthodox organisation charged with not using its official full name on its website and Telegram channel (using instead "APTs Apostolic Orthodox Church").
Appeal: at cassational level, rejected without consideration – 16 March 2026, 1st Cassational Court, Saratov
41) 9 October 2025
Name: Rasim Vezir ogly Ramazanov
Punishment: none – acquitted
Court: Noyabrsk Magistrate's Court No. 2, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region
Circumstances: organiser of Muslim religious group charged with having "carried out propaganda of Shia Muslim ideology at [premises] which did not have complete official information about the religious group, while he used and distributed, in the course of missionary activities in the specified premises, Shia Muslim religious literature in the form of 100 books, which did not contain markings indicating the name of the specified religious group"; judge noted that only legal entities can be subject to prosecution under Part 3.
Appeal: none
42) 30 October 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Islamic Centre of the City of Polyarny"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Aleksandrovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 3 (on behalf of No. 1), Polyarny, Murmansk Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of premises, Muslim community charged with distributing religious literature (including book of Ramadan sermons and children's textbook on namaz prayer) not marked with its official full name, i.e. keeping them freely accessible on the premises – "Therefore, it has been established that, while carrying out missionary activities, the [community] distributed unlabelled religious literature"; judge noted mitigating circumstances of admission of guilt and expression of remorse.
Appeal: none
43) 19 November 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation – Podolsk Community of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Punishment: 30,00 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Podolsk Magistrate's Court No. 186, Moscow Region
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of its premises, Adventist church charged with keeping on a shelf in a corridor three copies of "The Great Controversy" (by Ellen White) and six copies of "Living God's Love" (by Douglas Cooper) not labelled with its official full name – this indicated that "visitors could borrow books for free for themselves and their families, which shows that it is possible for an unlimited number of people to become familiar with this literature"; church representative cited 2020 Constitutional Court resolution and argued that literature in question not intended for missionary use, only for informational purposes (also noted that there were official full name displayed at both entrance to church's grounds and entrance to its premises, meaning that "churchgoers are adequately informed about the organisation's activities, thus preventing random (unlimited) access"; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of persons outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity" and concluded that books were indeed freely accessible.
Appeal: none
44) 19 December 2025
Name: Religious Organisation Catholic Centre "Caritas of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow"
Punishment: warning plus destruction of literature
Court: Timiryazevsky District Magistrate's Court No. 335, Moscow
Circumstances: case brought by prosecutor's office – unclear on what basis; Catholic charity charged with having five books not labelled with its official full name (including a copy of the New Testament); judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review, re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity".
Appeal: none
45) 19 December 2025
Name: Local Religious Organisation "Society for Krishna Consciousness of the City of Moscow"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus confiscation of literature
Court: Khoroshyovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 419, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "compliance with federal law", Society for Krishna Consciousness charged with "distributing literature as part of missionary activities without labelling it with its official full name, ensuring free access to this literature to an indefinite number of persons, namely, 7 books"; defence lawyer argued that the unmarked books were in a locked storage room and altar area, which is not publicly accessible – judge dismissed this as "untenable, since [defence] did not present evidence to support his arguments. Moreover, with regard to other premises, a lock on the door of the premises cannot serve as a barrier to entry into the room, thus access to it is free"; on appeal, judge concluded that for community's activities to be deemed "missionary", prosecution needed to establish that books had been distributed "to an indefinite circle of persons outside of locations specifically designated for the conduct of religious activities", but that the premises are "a location specifically designated for the conduct of religious activities; therefore, the religious literature discovered therein was not subject to labelling requirements".
Appeal: successful – 11 March 2026, Savyolovsky District Court, Moscow
FIRST THIRD OF CALENDAR YEAR 2026
1) 29 January 2026Name: Local Religious Organisation "Risalyat Community of Muslims"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus destruction of literature
Court: Butyrsky District Magistrate's Court No. 98, Moscow
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection, Muslim community charged with "distributing, as part of missionary activities, literature not labelled with its official full name, providing free access to this literature to parishioners, minors" (this took place "in an open space on the 4th floor", where community has premises, but unclear whether books found inside or outside); judge notes that 2019 Supreme Court review of judicial practice sets out that "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of people outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity"; literature to be destroyed includes: "Learning Arabic: A Textbook on Reading the Quran" (by R.R. Abbyasov), "Muallim Sani: Rules for Reading the Holy Quran" (by Akhmadhadi Maksudi), "Fundamentals of Islamic Knowledge" (by Saifutdin Yazidzhi), "Durusu Shifagyiyat" (3 copies), "Hadith Studies" (by Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni), "Islamic Movements and Groups" (by D.A. Shagaviyev); also simultaneously prosecuted under Part 4.
Appeal: unsuccessful – 27 April 2026, Ostankino District Court, Moscow
2) 2 March 2026
Name: Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith "Church of the Holy Trinity"
Punishment: none – case sent back
Court: Balashikha District Magistrate's Court No. 5, Moscow Region
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: apparently by prosecution, lodged on 14 May 2026, Balashikha City Court, Moscow Region – no hearing yet listed
3) 23 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation – Parish of "Ometlelyar" Mosque of the Mukhtasibat of Soviet District, Kazan, of the Centralised Religious Organisation Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 13, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan
Circumstances: after inspection of mosque instigated by prosecutor's office, Muslim community charged for not displaying sign with its official full name – instead, had a "crescent-shaped sign" and the notice "Mosque on 4th floor" above entrance to building (multi-storey car park which is part of a large commercial building).
Appeal: none
4) 24 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation "Makhallya" of p.g.t. Izluchinsk
Punishment: unknown fine
Court: Nizhnevartovsk District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: unknown
5) 26 March 2026
Name: Local Muslim Religious Organisation of Megion
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles plus destruction of literature
Court: Megion District Magistrate's Court No. 3, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region
Circumstances: after tip-off to police about "posters with Koran instruction publicly displayed in a basement room", Muslim community charged with selling religious literature (13 items in total) not labelled with its official full name in shop in grounds of mosque; judge cited 2019 Supreme Court review re. "distribution of religious literature and materials for religious purposes within the framework of missionary activity should be understood not only as the delivery of these materials to specific individuals, but also as ensuring free access to this literature and materials for an indefinite number of persons outside of places specially designated for the implementation of religious activity"; imam's nephew (working in shop when police arrived) also fined under Part 4 because of poster hanging behind shop counter which read "Teaching Men and Women to Read Namaz Prayer".
Appeal: none
6) 27 March 2026
Name: Local Religious Organisation of Muslims "Mercy"
Punishment: none – case closed
Court: Sosnenskoye District Magistrate's Court No. 431, Moscow
Circumstances: unknown
Appeal: none
7) 30 April 2026
Name: Centralised Religious Organisation of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) "League of Salvation"
Punishment: 30,000 Roubles
Court: Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 12, Bryansk
Circumstances: after prosecutor's office inspection of "violations of legislation on freedom of conscience, on religious associations, and countering extremism" (based on information from FSB), Pentecostal church charged because associated religious group "Creators of History" had carried out its activities without displaying the religious organisation's official full name at group's premises in house of culture; defence argued that centralised religious organisation not required to post its official full name at religious group's address – prosecutor argued that religious group is under canonical subordination of religious organisation; judge cited provision that only religious organisation can be subject of Part 3 prosecution.
Appeal: none yet registered – Soviet District Court, Bryansk
(END)
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5 June 2026
RUSSIA: Literature confiscation, destruction, fines for lack of full official name
Administrative cases against religious organisations under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 3 for failing to give their official full names on literature, online, and on their buildings increasingly target literature and online material. Prosecutions for failing to put up signs on buildings are declining. Following Supreme Court guidance, "law enforcement officers began to look for unmarked literature. It's easier. You can always find it. And a wave of cases [based on] unlabelled literature began", a Moscow-based lawyer notes. Courts fine communities and order literature confiscated or – on occasion – destroyed.
29 April 2026
RUSSIA: Anti-war Moscow Buddhist leader convicted again in re-trial
A Moscow court jailed Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev for 6 years and banned him from "administering websites". In custody since June 2024, the 52-year-old was convicted in a re-trial for an anti-war social media post. "Some people want to pressure Buddhists to fight on the side of one leader or another," he told the court. "But there are no soldiers' belt buckles with the inscription 'Buddha is with us'." Moscow City Prosecutor's Office did not respond on why prosecutors requested a custodial sentence and how Vasilyev could be considered dangerous.
27 April 2026
RUSSIA: Why did "intelligence service" sponsor attacks on French places of worship?
A Serbian court convicted three Serbian nationals in December 2025 of participating in attacks to desecrate 3 Paris synagogues in May 2025 and 9 Paris area mosques in September 2025. "Every time an event like this happens, worshippers wonder if they really are safe when they come to pray," a mosque employee said. The verdicts – seen by Forum 18 – say "structures of the intelligence service of the Russian Federation" gave the group instructions and money. These were the first known Russian-instigated attacks on places of worship in Europe outside Ukraine.