Lyudmila Shchekoldina, One of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Kuban, Released from Penal Colony

Three years and eleven months — that is the time Lyudmila Shchekoldina, a 49-year-old prisoner of conscience from the village of Pavlovskaya, spent behind bars. On April 15, 2026, she was released from Penal Colony No. 28 in the Volgograd region. Upon her release, she was met by her siblings, nephew, and friends.

Lyudmila had to defend her right to read the Bible not only in court but also while in custody. For some time, she was forbidden to use her personal copy of the Scriptures. A Bible from the prison library was confiscated as well, allegedly because it lacked an official religious stamp. For the same reason, a collection of Biblical books obtained from a local church was taken away. Only shortly before her release was her persistence rewarded, and she was finally allowed to have a Bible.

At the time of her arrest, Lyudmila suffered from serious health problems, including internal diseases, arthritis, and severe spinal pain. The conviction disrupted a scheduled surgery: she was sentenced to four years and one month in prison and taken into custody immediately. It took more than a year before she finally received the medical care she needed. Until then, despite her condition, she was required to work in a garment workshop and perform other duties.

Her treatment took place under guard: two separate hospital rooms were allocated for Lyudmila and her five escorts. Shchekoldina spoke positively about the hospital staff, especially the head physician, who postponed her vacation to perform the surgery. The recovery period was marked by further emotional hardship: the believer's brother lost his wife, and Lyudmila's nephew, Aleksandr Davydenko, was placed in pretrial detention because of his faith.

"I could feel that people around the world were praying for me. I had the strength to keep going, I didn't lose heart, and I managed to hold on to my joy," Lyudmila said, explaining what helped her endure.

More than 240 women in Russia have faced repression for their affiliation with Jehovah's Witnesses. As of the publication date, 15 of them remain in pretrial detention centers, penal colonies, or correctional facilities across the country.