A court in the Amur region sentenced three women to 2 to 3 years probation for reading the Bible

 RUSSIA


A court in the Amur region sentenced three women to 2 to 3 years probation for reading the Bible

September 21, 2023 Amur Region


On September 21, 2023, judge of the Zeya District Court of the Amur Region, Ivan Moiseenko, found 44-year-old Margarita Moiseenko, 51-year-old Elena Yatsyk and 72-year-old Galina Yatsik guilty of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and sentenced them to suspended sentences.


The prosecutor asked to send the believers to a colony for terms of 2.5 to 3 years, but the court sentenced Margarita Moiseenko to 3 years of probation with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to the leadership and participation in the work of public organizations for 3 years and restriction of freedom for 10 months with probationary period of 3 years. Galina Yatsik received a 2-year suspended sentence with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public organizations for 3 years, restriction of freedom for 6 months with a probationary period of 2 years. The judge sentenced Elena Yatsyk to 2.5 years of probation with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to management and participation in the work of public organizations for 3 years, restriction of freedom for 8 months with a probationary period of 2 years. The verdict has not entered into force and can be appealed.


Believers do not agree with the court's decision. Elena Yatsyk emphasized this idea when delivering her final word: “I do not consider myself guilty and do not intend to renounce my religious beliefs. I am confident that I have the right to continue to practice my chosen religion. This right is guaranteed to me by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.” Galina Yatsik told the court: “There is no crime in my actions, since their motive is love for God and love for people... My conscience is clear both before God and before the state.”


The first search took place at the Moiseenko family in March 2019, after which a criminal case was opened against Konstantin , Margarita’s husband. A year and a half later, searches were also carried out at Elena Yatsik and Galina Yatsik. In November 2021, investigator V.S. Obukhov, known for other cases against believers from the Amur region, opened a criminal case against three women. In March 2023, it went to court.


“The reality today is that peaceful citizens are groundlessly labeled as extremists,” Margarita Moiseenko said before the sentencing. “Unfortunately, the prosecutor was not looking for any signs of extremist activity, but for the way in which I expressed my faith.” She added: “Believing for me is the same as breathing. If I am not allowed to calmly express my faith, seeing in it signs of extremism, although there is no hint of anything like that, I feel as if my access to oxygen has been cut off.”


In the Amur region , 23 Jehovah's Witnesses , including 5 women, have already become defendants in criminal cases for their faith.


Case of Margarita Moiseenko and others in Zeya


Brief history of the case


In October 2020, searches were carried out in 8 houses of Jehovah's Witnesses, which were supervised by the FSB. In November 2021, a criminal case was opened against Margarita Moiseenko, whose husband Konstantin had already received a 6-year suspended sentence for believing in Jehovah God, Galina Yatsik and Elena Yatsyk for participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The women were given a written undertaking not to leave. In March 2023, their case went to court. The prosecutor requested 2.5 to 3 years in prison for the women. In September, the court sentenced Margarita Moiseenko to 3, Elena Yatsyk to 2.5, and Galina Yatsik to 2 years probation.


Criminal case


Region:

Amur Region

Locality:

Zeya

What is suspected:

According to investigators, “realizing that their actions were undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the state... they took direct part in... religious events.”

Criminal case number:

12107100001000049

Initiated:

November 22, 2021

Current stage of the case:

Trial in appellate court

Investigates:

Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Amur Region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Court case number:

1-62/2023

Court of First Instance:

Zeysky District Court of the Amur Region

Judge of the trial court:

Ivan Moiseenko


In the photo: From left to right: Margarita Moiseenko, Galina Yatsik and Elena Yatsik in the courtroom.

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