Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Zagulin Dmitriy Nikolayevich
Date of Birth: December 29, 1973
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.3 (1)
Time spent in prison: 164 day in a pre-trial detention, 301 day in prison
Sentence: punishment in the form of 3 years 6 months of imprisonment with serving the sentence in a correctional colony of general regime
Currently held in: Penal Colony No. 8 in Amur Region
Address for correspondence: Zagulin Dmitriy Nikolayevich, born 1973, IK No. 8 in Amur Region, ul. Albazinskaya, 45, g. Blagoveshchensk, Amur Region, Russia, 675020

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Biography

In May 2018, a massive raid on peaceful believers took place in the city of Birobidzhan. One hundred and fifty security officers participated in the operation, which was code-named "Judgment Day." Dmitriy Zagulin was accused of financing the activities of an extremist organization. Four and a half years later, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to three and a half years in prison merely because of his faith in Jehovah God.

Dmitry was born in 1973 in Khabarovsk. He has a younger brother. Since childhood, Dmitry wanted to become a soldier, so he practiced martial arts and skydiving.

In 1991 Dmitry became interested in the Bible. His study of this book moved him to choose a life of peace, so he later wrote a request to exchange his military service for alternative civilian service.

Dmitry graduated from a school of railroad transport and worked for Russian Railways for many years. He was considered a valuable employee of the department, as confirmed by numerous awards and gifts. After the searches in May 2018, Dmitry's boss told him that he was approached by FSB officers who demanded that he fire the believer, but he vouched for Dmitry. Nevertheless, in November 2021, Zagulin was fired because of the trial; he was told the FSB demanded it.

In 1998 Dmitriy moved to Birobidzhan to care for family responsibilities; he still lives there. In 2012 he married Tatyana. Together they are raising her son, who goes to school and, like his mother, loves sports, plays the guitar, and sings.

Tatyana was also subjected to criminal prosecution after her husband. Their loved ones are worried and do not understand why these believers are being treated so unfairly.

Case History

In May 2018, the city of Birobidzhan hosted a special FSB operation with the participation of 150 security officials, code-named "Judgement Day". More than 20 families of Jehovah's Witnesses have become victims of criminal prosecution, including Alam Aliyev, Valeriy Kriger, Sergey Shulyarenko, and Dmitriy Zagulin. The believers were accused of holding joint worship services, which the investigation considered to be the organization of the activities of the extremist organization and its financing. They spent more than 5 months in the pre-trial detention center. In November 2020, the case went to court. The hearings lasted more than 2 years, and in December 2022, the court sentenced Dmitriy Zagulin to 3 years and 6 months, Alam Aliyev to 6 years and 6 months, and Sergey Shulyarenko and Valeriy Kriger to 7 years in prison. The appeal confirmed the terms of Zagulin and Aliyev, and reduced those of Shulyarenko and Krieger by 3 months. The court of cassation upheld the verdict in March 2024. The wives of the three convicts were also prosecuted: Svetlana Monis, Tatyana Zagulina and Natalya Kriger. In September 2023, Sergey Shulyarenko's wedding took place in the colony.