In Krasnodar Territory, Yet Another Woman Was Convicted for Faith in God. Vasilina Penskaya Received Two Years Suspended

On July 31, 2025, the judge of the Vyselkovsky District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, Roman Teplukhin, made a decision in the case of Vasilina Penskaya, 27. The believer was found guilty of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and sentenced to a suspended term.

Vasilina faced persecution on religious grounds in February 2022, when searches were carried out in her house, as well as in the house of her mother, Yelena Rumyantseva. A year and four months later, Vasilina became a defendant in a criminal case and was included in the Rosfinmonitoring list.

"There was a sea of tears, because when you are accused of extremism, of something you didn't do, it's scary," she recalls. Before the verdict, Vasilina's husband, Dmitriy, added: "You can't prepare for persecution in any way, and you won't get used to it. The state of limbo, when you don't know what will happen next, is very depressing. We have been living like this for two years now."

Vasilina in the court room on the verdict’s day, July 31, 2025

During the investigation, Vasilina had to return from Krasnodar to Vyselki, to the place of registration, and her husband had to stay in the city to provide for their family. They could see each other only on weekends. Vasilina recalls: "The hardest period was probably when my husband was away from me. These were the eight most difficult months. I really needed him."

The case of Vasilina Penskaya was heard in court for more than a year and a half. The indictment was based on the testimony of a secret witness, who is mentioned in the cases of several other Jehovah's Witnesses from the village of 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 and could not confirm either her participation in the meetings for worship, or even her presence at them.

Speaking in court with 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. It makes me a better person."

In different districts of the Krasnodar Territory, criminal cases are initiated, searches are carried out, believers are sentenced to real terms of imprisonment. A total of 38 Jehovah's Witnesses have faced persecution in the region.