Name: Komissarova Galina Aleksandrovna
Date of Birth: March 27, 1961
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Current restrictions: recognizance agreement
Sentence: punishment in the form of 2 years of imprisonment, the sentence is considered suspended with a probationary period of 2 years

Biography

Galina Komissarova, a pensioner from Tolyatti, was accused of extremism because of her love for the Bible, a book whose advice helped her save her marriage.

Galina was born in March 1961 in Moscow. Four daughters and a son were born in a large family. His father worked as an adjuster at the Likhachev plant in Moscow, and his mother worked as an accountant. Galina's parents and brother are no longer alive.

As a child, Galina loved to read, play dolls and board games, and also learned to play the piano. After the 8th grade, she graduated from the pedagogical school, receiving the specialty of a kindergarten teacher, and then the evening department of the Moscow State Pedagogical University named after V. I. Lenin with a degree in preschool pedagogy and psychology. In 1993, she received a second higher education, graduating from the Moscow State Regional Pedagogical Institute with a degree in defectology.

When Galina was 40, Jehovah's Witnesses came to her home and offered to help her study the Bible. She refused, believing that it was better for her to adhere to the traditional religion professed by her ancestors. Later, she began to wonder what was more important, the traditions or the truth about God from the Holy Scriptures. A year later, she decided to research this book, and in 2003, the practicality of the biblical advice prompted her to embark on the Christian path. Studying pedagogy and working in kindergarten for many years, she saw how approaches to raising children change, while the advice and principles of God, written down several thousand years ago, do not become obsolete.

In 1990, Galina married Dmitriy from Tolyatti. A son and a daughter were born in the family. Both studied well, attended a music school. Her daughter graduated from grade 11 with a gold medal for outstanding academic achievement. Now the son works as a programmer, and the daughter works in the medical field. She shares her mother's views. Her husband did not interfere with Galina's desire to live according to Christian principles, although he did not agree with her on this. Sadly, he passed away suddenly from heart disease in 2003.

Galina has worked all her life by profession—as an educator, methodologist, speech therapist. Now she is on a well-deserved rest and enjoys walking in nature, chatting with friends, loves to sing and play board games.

The criminal prosecution had a negative impact on the health of the believer. She feels the effects of the stress she has endured and is forced to constantly take medication after the search.

Son and daughter worry about Galina and support her in every possible way. The sisters are perplexed as to what and to whom people who study the Bible can interfere. Neighbors, former employees and parents of pupils do not understand how respectable people can be persecuted. They call Galina, are interested in her affairs and support her. They also wrote her positive testimonials for the court.

Case History

One early morning of September 2023, Galina Komissarova, a resident of Tolyatti, was woken up by a loud knock on the door. Officers of the Investigative Committee, who came to search her home, said that a criminal case had been initiated against her for participating in meetings for worship of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Following the search, Komissarova was taken for interrogation, after which she was made to sign a recognizance agreement. Due to the stress she experienced, Galina was hospitalized with a hypertensive crisis. In October 2023, the case went to court. The prosecutor requested 4 years in a penal colony. The court gave the pensioner a 2-year suspended sentence. The appeal court upheld the decision in November.
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