Alexander Verkhovsky, born in 1962, graduated from Moscow Oil and Gas Institute with degree in applied mathematics in 1984. In 1989-1992 - editor-in-chief of samizdat independent newspaper Panorama in Moscow. In 1991-2002 - vice-president of Panorama Information and Research Center. Since 2002 - director of SOVA Center for Information and Analysis.

Member of Presidential Council on Human Rights and Civil Society, since 2012 till 2022.

Since 1994, Verkhovsky’s main areas of research have been political extremism, nationalism and xenophobia, religion and politics, as well as misuse of anti-extremism policies in contemporary Russia.

He authored or co-authored numerous books on these issues, including: “Political extremism in Russia” (1996), “Political Xenophobia” (1999), “Political Orthodoxy: Russian Orthodox Nationalists and Fundamentalists, 1995-2001” (2003), “State Policy Towards Ultra-Nationalist Organizations in 1991-2002” (2002 2013), “Criminal Law in OSCE countries against hate crimes, incitement to hatred, and hate speech” (2014 and 2015).

He edited and in some cases co-authored books and reports published by SOVA Center, and authored a broad range of media articles and academic publications.