Unjust Verdicts

A Court Sentenced a Woman, Located in the Krasnodar Territory, to a Four-Year Penal Colony Term for Practicing Her Faith in Jehovah God

Krasnodar Territory

On May 23, 2022, Olga Marchenko, a judge of the Pavlovsky District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, sentenced 45-year-old Lyudmila Shchekoldina to four years and one month in a penal colony. The woman was taken into custody in the courtroom. The court equated her ordinary religious practices with participation in the activities of an extremist organization and involving others in it.

The verdict has not entered into force and can be appealed. Shchekoldina insists on her complete innocence.

Although Lyudmila Shchekoldina's health has recently deteriorated and she needs a surgery, the prosecutor asked the court to find the believer guilty under Articles 282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and sentence her to 4.5 years in prison.

The criminal case against Lyudmila Shchekoldina was initiated on April 23, 2020. A week later, a series of searches took place in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Krasnodar Territory, and Lyudmila also became a victim. The accusation against the believer was based on a report by intelligence agent Ilchenko that the woman tried to involve him in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how he described their conversations about the Bible.

The case of Shchekoldina was investigated by the investigative department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Krasnodar Territory for a year. On May 13, 2021, the case went to court. It was examined by Judge Olga Marchenko of the Pavlovsky District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, the same judge who sentenced one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Vladimir Skachidub, to 4 years in prison.

Russian human rights activists and the world community consider criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses for the faith incompetent and strongly condemn it.

Case of Shchekoldina in Pavlovskaya

Case History
In April 2020, the FSB opened a criminal case against Lyudmila Shchekoldina from the village of Pavlovskaya. The accusation was based on the report of the agent of the special services Ilchenko that the believer allegedly tried to involve him in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how the investigation regarded his conversations with Shchekoldina on biblical topics. After a 9-hour search of the woman’s house and interrogation, they took a written undertaking not to leave the place. In May 2021, the case went to court. A year later, the court sentenced the believer to 4 years and 1 month in a penal colony. The appellate court upheld the verdict in October 2022. In March 2023, the cassation court did not change this decision. In the colony, Lyudmila’s health deteriorated and she was scheduled for surgery. For six months, the believer endured severe pain, and only in August 2023 did the administration of the colony allow her to receive the necessary treatment.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnodar Territory
Locality:
Pavlovskaya
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, she "committed deliberate actions aimed at involving ... in the activities of an extremist organization ... by describing the attractiveness of serving Jehovah."
Court case number:
12007030001000049
Initiated:
April 23, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-25/2022 (1-103/2021)
Court:
Павловский районный суд Краснодарского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Ольга Марченко
Case History