Photo: Maria Troshina, Natalia Sorokina

Photo: Maria Troshina, Natalia Sorokina

Photo: Maria Troshina, Natalia Sorokina

Criminal Investigation and Trial

Smolensk: 2 more women sent to prison for their faith

Smolensk Region

On October 9, 2018, Lyudmila Kuzub, judge of the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk, sent Maria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina, who live in Sychevka (Smolensk region), to prison. Women are accused of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the judge's decision, women must stay in the Smolensk pre-trial detention center at least until November 19, 2018.

Maria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina were detained during mass searches conducted on October 7, 2018 by officers of the FSB Directorate for the Smolensk Region. A criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist community). The special services, in fact, deny Smolensk residents the constitutional right to freedom of religion, charging ordinary citizens who have been seen in worshiping Jehovah God with continuing the activities of a religious organization liquidated by the court. On that day, at least 17 citizens, including minors, suffered from the actions of the Smolensk special services. All of them experienced severe stress, were searched, personal belongings were seized.

There are now three women in prison in Russia on charges of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses: Maria Troshina, Nataliya Sorokina, and Anastasia Polyakova, who has been in Detention Center No. 1 in the Omsk Region for 104 days (at the time of publication) since her and her husband's arrest on July 4, 2018. Another 4 women spent from 2 to 4 days in temporary detention centers, but later their preventive measure was mitigated. Currently, 14 women believers are under recognizance not to leave or under a ban on certain actions.

Maria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina are being held in Detention Center No. 1 in the Smolensk Region.

Case of Sorokina and Troshina in Sychevka

Case History
Sychevka is a city of compact residence of followers of the Old Believers. Nurse Natalia Sorokina and tour guide Maria Troshina spent more than six months in jail because they believe in Jehovah God and try to live according to the biblical commandments. In 2018, the FSB accused them of “religious hatred” and of “organizing the activities of a banned organization.” At the same time, law enforcement officers cynically mentioned that “the state guarantees the equality of human and civil rights and freedoms, regardless of their attitude to religion.” Natalia’s health deteriorated during the period of her stay in the pre-trial detention center. On April 22, 2021, Arkady Likhachev, judge of the Sychevsky District Court of the Smolensk Region, sentenced the believers to 6 years of suspended imprisonment with a probation period of 3 years. In September 2021, the appellate court upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Smolensk Region
Locality:
Sychevka
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with others they conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11807660001000033
Initiated:
October 7, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the Directorate of the FSB for the Smolensk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-2/2021 (1-13/2020; 1-100/2019)
Court:
Сычевский районный суд Смоленской области
Judge:
Аркадий Лихачёв
Case History
Back to top