Kishta Tutinova, Tsagan Khalgayeva and Yekaterina Menkova

Kishta Tutinova, Tsagan Khalgayeva and Yekaterina Menkova

Kishta Tutinova, Tsagan Khalgayeva and Yekaterina Menkova

Unjust Verdicts

Court in Elista has Toughened the Punishment for Three Believers. Court of Appeal Found Women Guilty of Extremism Over Online Bible Discussions

Kalmykia

On September 17, 2024, the Supreme Court of Kalmykia reclassified Kishta Tutinova's actions from participating in to organizing the activity of an extremist organization, giving her a 4-year suspended sentence with a 3-year probation period and restriction of freedom for one year. The court added 6 months to the additional restriction of freedom for Yekaterina Menkova and Tsagan Khalgayeva.

In June 2024, the Elista City Court of the Republic of Kalmykia gave three believers suspended sentences: Khalgayeva and Menkova 2 years, and Tutinova 3 years. The court deemed the womens' peaceful conversations about God and the Bible unlawful. Assistant prosecutor Marina Bugdayeva appealed the verdict considering it to be "excessively lenient".

The decision of the court of appeal has entered into force, but the believers still do not admit their guilt. Speaking in the court of first instance, Tutinova emphasized: "I have never carried out any extremist activity nor had any intention. I have never been motivated by enmity or hatred, no one suffered, I didn't hurt anyone. I am a believer and a law-abiding citizen."

The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista

Case History
In February 2023, the FSB initiated a criminal case for organizing the activity of an extremist organization against pensioner Kishta Tutinova from Elista and invaded her home and the homes of her fellow believers with searches. According to the investigation, she “conducted religious meetings and directly participated in them by means of online conferences.” She spent 2 days in the temporary detention facility, more than 4 months under house arrest and about 7 months under a ban on certain actions. Tsagan Khalgayeva and Yekaterina Menkova were witnesses in the case, but in December 2023 they were charged with participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In February 2024, the case went to court. Three months later, the women were given suspended sentences ranging from 2 to 3 years. The court of appeal granted the appeal of the prosecutor’s office, reclassifying the actions of Kishta Tutinova from Part 2 to Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the RF CrC and giving her a 4-year suspended sentence with a 3-year probation period and restriction of freedom for 1 year. Menkova and Khalgayeva were sentenced to an additional restriction of freedom for 6 months.
Timeline

Persons in case

Khalgaeva
Tsagan
Менькова
Екатерина
Tutinova
Kishta

Criminal case

Region:
Kalmykia
Locality:
Elista
Suspected of:
"conducts religious meetings and directly participates in them by means of online conferences, and also promotes the activity of this organization by involving residents of the region in it"
Court case number:
12307850001000001
Initiated:
February 16, 2023
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
FSB Directorate for the Republic of Kalmykia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-112/2024
Court of First Instance:
Elista City Court
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Aleksey Polevshchikov
Case History