Tsagan Khalgaeva
Tsagan Khalgaeva, born 1978, Kalmykia. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Elista”. Sentence (September 17, 2024): Two years of suspended sentence and six months of restriction of liberty. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion.
In brief
Kalmykia · Elista · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
2 years
Two years of suspended sentence and six months of restriction of liberty
First instance, June 24, 2024: 2 years
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, she "conducts religious meetings and directly participates in them remotely, as well as involves residents of the region in the activities of the organisation for the purpose of propaganda".
Latest event
September 16, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· Appeal ruling
sentence changed · 2 years
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Elista
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Elista
- Case number
- 1-112/2024
Other defendants in the case
- Ekaterina Menkova — At large, 2 years
- Kishta Tutinova — At large, 4 years
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Elista (capital city of the Republic of Kalmykia, Southern Russia). On 28 February 2023, a search was conducted at her home as she was a witness in the case of her fellow countrywoman, Kishta Tutinova. The next day Khalgaeva learnt that she had been fired from her job because of the criminal case. On 9 December, she was implicated in the case as a defendant accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organisation. Khalgaeva was given a recognisance not to leave the country. On 24 June 2024, she was sentenced to a two-years' suspended sentence. On 17 September 2024, the Supreme Court changed the sentence and added six months of restricted freedom to the suspended sentence
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.