Yet Another Woman Convicted in Krasnodar Territory Vasilina Penskaya Given 2-Year Suspended Sentence for Her Faith in God

On July 31, 2025, Roman Teplukhin, judge of the Vyselkovskiy District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, issued a ruling in the case of 27-year-old Vasilina Penskaya. She was found guilty of participating in the activity of an extremist organization and given a suspended sentence.

Vasilina faced prosecution on religious grounds in February 2022, when searches were carried out in her home, as well as in the home of her mother, Yelena Rumyantseva. After 1 year and 4 months, Vasilina became a defendant in a criminal case and was added to the Rosfinmonitoring list.

"There were many tears because it's scary when you're accused of extremism, of something you didn't do," she recalls. Before the verdict, Vasilina's husband, Dmitriy, added: "You can't prepare for prosecution in any way, and it's something you don't get used to. The state of suspense, when you have no idea what will happen next, is very depressing. We have been living like this for 2 years already."

Vasilina Penskaya, her husband, Dmitriy, and her mother, Yelena Rumyantseva, July 31, 2025

The case of Vasilina Penskaya was considered in court for more than 1.5 years. The guilty verdict was based on the testimony of a secret witness, which has been used in the cases against several other Jehovah's Witnesses from Vyselki. This man collaborated with the FSB and since June 2022 has been conducting covert audio and video recordings of meetings for worship. At the hearings, it turned out that he did not know Penskaya personally, neither could he confirm her participation in the meetings for worship, nor even her presence at them.

Speaking in court during her final statement, Vasilina emphasized: "Freedom of conscience is a fundamental human right. My faith is my personal choice, and it does not pose a threat to society." She added: "I believe in God and try to live according to his commandments. This makes me a better person."

In different districts of the Krasnodar Territory, criminal cases are initiated, searches are carried out, believers are imprisoned. A total of 38 Jehovah's Witnesses have faced prosecution in the region.