Irina Mikhaylenko

Irina Mikhaylenko

Irina Mikhaylenko

Unjust Verdicts

Court of Appeal in Chelyabinsk Upheld a Fine Given to Irina Mikhaylenko, 54 <br>

Chelyabinsk Region

On September 6, 2023, the Chelyabinsk Regional Court, chaired by Sergey Ivanov, upheld the sentence against Irina Mikhaylenko — she will have to pay a fine of 120,000 rubles. She was found guilty of extremism for reading the Bible and praying with friends.

The verdict has entered into force. The believer maintains her innocence and has the right to appeal in cassation proceedings. When addressing the court Mikhaylenko said: " I haven't done anything illegal against the state, or against people, or against God." She added: "I try to show respect toward other people, regardless of their religion, race, nationality or social status, so extremism is alien to me."

Public figures and some statesmen in Russia, as well as in other countries, have consistently expressed bewilderment at the prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. In their opinion, law enforcement agencies and courts should stop the repression of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk

Case History
In 2019 searches of the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Chelyabinsk changed the lives of dozens of believers. Among them is Irina Mikhaylenko, director of a law firm. The believer was a witness in the case of Valentina Suvorova, but in 2021 she was suspected of participating in extremist activity. Mikhaylenko’s house was searched again. The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region charged the believer with “directly participating and personally speaking in… religious meetings” by singing songs and saying prayers. Mikhaylenko was also charged with attending an international convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea. In July 2022, the trial began. In April 2023, the court sentenced the believer to a fine of 120,000 rubles. The court of appeal upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Mikhaylenko
Irina

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Suspected of:
«... directly participated and personally spoke in religious meetings convened and organized by V. N. Suvorov" (from the decision to charge)
Court case number:
12102750030000024
Initiated:
August 31, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Third Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-16/2023
Court of First Instance:
Metallurgicheskiy District Court of the City of Chelyabinsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Ludmila Blagodir
Case History
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