In the photo: Tatyana Zagulina

In the photo: Tatyana Zagulina

In the photo: Tatyana Zagulina

Criminal trial

A Birobidzhan prosecutor requested a four-year prison sentence for Tatyana Zagulina for practicing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses

Jewish Autonomous Area

On March 22, 2021, during a debate in the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region, the prosecutor demanded that Tatyana Zagulina, a 36-year-old mother of a minor child, be sentenced to 4 years in a general regime colony and 2 years of restriction of freedom for reading the Bible with her fellow believers. On March 31, the court will issue a verdict.

Fashion designer and manicure master Tatyana Zagulina, following her husband Dmitry, was under investigation because of her faith in Jehovah God. In February 2020, the FSB forensic investigator D. Yankin opened criminal cases against the believer and her fellow believers, accusing her of extremism.

During the trial, which has been going on since August 2020, the inconsistency of the charges became apparent. One of the witnesses did not recognize the believer; another gave her a positive characterization. A police officer summoned to the court as a witness stated that she had not heard any extremist calls from the believer.

To date, 23 believers in the region have become victims of unfounded criminal prosecutions for the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses. 9 of them have already been sentenced.

The Russian and foreign public condemns the persecution of believers in Russia. In January 2021, at a meeting with the Human Rights Council, President Putin re-ordered the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to deal with violations of the legislation on freedom of religion.

Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan

Case History
Fashion designer and manicure master Tatyana Zagulina, following her husband Dmitry, was under investigation because of her faith in Jehovah God. In February 2020, FSB forensic investigator Dmitry Yankin opened criminal cases against Tatyana and other law-abiding residents of Birobidzhan, accusing them of extremism. In August 2020, the case went to court. During the process, one of the prosecution witnesses spoke positively about the behavior of the believers, another could not recognize the accused, and police officer Zvereva stated that she had not heard extremist calls from Zagulina. In April 2021, the Birobidzhan court sentenced Zagulina to 2 years and 6 months probation and 2 years of restriction of freedom. In September 2021, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict, and in May 2022, the Court of Cassation upheld it. In November 2022, the court cleared the believer’s criminal record and canceled the sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Jewish Autonomous Area
Locality:
Birobidzhan
Court case number:
12007990001000004
Initiated:
February 6, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-42/2021 (1-460/2020)
Court:
Birobidzhanskiy District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region
Judge:
Yuliya Tsykina
Case History
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