Photo source: SergeMat / depositphotos.com

Photo source: SergeMat / depositphotos.com

Photo source: SergeMat / depositphotos.com

Criminal Investigation and Trial

In Smolensk, two more women were sent to a pre-trial detention center for their faith

Smolensk Region

On May 18, 2019, the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk, Lyudmila Kuzub, decided to detain two women for a period of 2 months: Tatyana Galkevich and 63-year-old Valentina Vladimirova. Prior to that, both were searched.

Although Valentina Vladimirova was detained under the pretext of stealing from the prosecutor's house, during the interrogation the investigator immediately began to ask prepared questions about her religion. A case was opened against the women under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in extremist activities). Then her house was searched, interrogated, and electronic devices were seized.

Smolensk law enforcement officers, following their colleagues in other Russian cities, claim that peaceful believers are engaged in "organizing extremist activities," while they only privately read the Bible and prayed. The Russian government confirmed that the decisions of the Russian courts "do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice individually the above teachings [of Jehovah's Witnesses]."

Vladimirova and Galkevich became the seventh and eighth defendants in criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in Smolensk. At the end of April 2019, four believers were sent to the pre-trial detention center, and before that, Maria Troshina and Natalia Sorokina spent 191 days behind bars.

The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk

Case History
In May 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated a criminal case against Valentina Vladimirova and Tatyana Galkevich, pensioners from Smolensk, for their faith. The women were accused of “participating in joint prayers to Jehovah and discussing Bible interpretations,” which the investigation interprets as participating in extremist activity. Their homes were searched, and they were taken into custody. Galkevich spent 6 months behind bars and about 9 months under house arrest. Vladimirova also spent 6 months in a pretrial detention center, and then almost 2.5 years under house arrest. In October 2020, the case went to court, but it was immediately returned to the prosecutor. A religious expert study in the case was carried out by a graduate of the Orthodox Theological Academy. After 2 months, the retrial of the case began, but in March 2022 it was returned to the prosecutor’s office for revision. In April 2023, the case went to court again, and in February 2024, a 2-year suspended sentence was given.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Smolensk Region
Locality:
Smolensk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation she “participated in joint prayers to ‘Jehovah’ and discussion of the interpretation of the Bible ... provided her apartment for holding secret meetings” (from the indictment)
Court case number:
11901660013000061
Initiated:
May 14, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigating Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Smolensk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-211/2023
Court of First Instance:
Промышленный районный суд г. Смоленска
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Людмила Ковалева
Case History