Lyudmila Zinina in the court room, June 2025

Lyudmila Zinina in the court room, June 2025

Lyudmila Zinina in the court room, June 2025

Unjust Verdicts

Court in Vyselki Gave Pensioner Lyudmila Zinina, 74, Suspended Sentence for Her Faith in God

Krasnodar Territory

On June 11, 2025, Lidiya Koba, judge of the Vyselkovskiy District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, ruled in the case of Lyudmila Zinina: 2-year suspended sentence with 6 months restriction of freedom for reading the Bible with friends.

Lyudmila worked as a nurse in an operating room for many years. She has been married since 1973 — more than 50 years. They raised three children. In 2012, a tragedy happened in the family — their son died. "It was very difficult to get over his death," Zinina recalls. "On top of that I started having problems with my health: heart and vascular diseases, osteoporosis and diabetes." In addition, the believer's daughter, Irina, is also being prosecuted.

Due to problems with her legs and spine, Lyudmila can hardly move. "The hearings were held in a neighboring town. Public transport runs, but only twice a day. If it were not for the help of friends, I would not have been able to get there. They regularly took me to hearings, sacrificing their time and energy," she said.

Front: Lyudmila accompanied by her friend on a day of a hearing. Background: Lyudmila’s daughter, Irina, with a friend
Front: Lyudmila accompanied by her friend on a day of a hearing. Background: Lyudmila's daughter, Irina, with a friend

Shortly before the verdict, Zinina was diagnosed with cancer, but treatment has not yet been prescribed. According to her, during medical procedures, she encountered the bias of the medical staff — some medical workers spoke contemptuously about her because she was on trial for her faith. However, after a while, the attitude of some softened thanks to Lyudmila's conduct.

The criminal prosecution of Lyudmila Zinina has been dragging on since February 2022. At that time, mass searches were carried out in the homes of believers in Kuban. Recalling those events, Lyudmila said: "When the law enforcement officers arrived, the neighbors were so outraged that they were ready to stand up for me, I even had to dissuade them." Prior to the verdict, Lyudmila was under a recognizance agreement.

In Vyselki, trials are underway against 15 of Jehovah's Witnesses. Lyudmila Zinina is the first of them to be sentenced for her faith.

The Case of Lyudmila Zinina in Vyselki

Case History
In May 2023, Lyudmila Zinina became a defendant in a criminal case on extremism just because she read the Bible with friends. Her and her daughter's homes were searched back in February 2022. The investigator of the Investigative Committee placed the elderly woman under a recognizance agreement. At the end of 2023, the case went to court. In June 2025, Lyudmila was given a 2-year suspended sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Zinina
Lyudmila

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnodar Territory
Locality:
Settlements
Suspected of:
"directly participated in religious teaching and preaching... during which... she conducted and listened to lectures based on religious literature" (from the decision to impose a preventive measure)
Court case number:
12302030079000039
Initiated:
May 23, 2023
Current case stage:
trial in court of first instance
Investigating:
Korenovskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnodar Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-9/2025 (1-47/2024; 1-180/2023)
Court of First Instance:
Vyselkovskiy District Court of the Krasnodar Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Lidiya Koba
Case History
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