Maria Pankova
- Criminal Code
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
- Case category
- Extremism casesCases against Jehovah's Witnesses
- Verdict
- Fine
- Date of verdict
- 2025-11-26
- Region
- Moscow
- City
- Moscow
Case summary
Moscow resident, wife of Sergei Tolokonnikov, who was sentenced to five years and two months on charges of involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. On 24 April 2025, law enforcers came to Pankova's flat, saying that she needed to be interrogated in connection with new circumstances that had emerged in her husband's case. After the interrogation, her home was searched. Pankova was accused of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation, also in connection with her involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely because of their religious activities - holding meetings and worship services and attracting new supporters.
On 26 November 2025, the court sentenced her to a fine of 500 thousand rubles.
Others charged under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
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Source: this person’s record in the OVD-Info political persecution database
Published under CC BY 3.0. The criteria for treating a person as politically persecuted belong to OVD-Info; FACTUM relays their assessment and makes none of its own.
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