Maria Portnyagina
Maria Portnyagina, born 1994, Amur Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “Second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk”. Sentence (December 6, 2024): 2 years 2 months forced labour. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, August 11, 2021.
In brief
Amur Oblast · Blagoveshchensk · Office workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
2 years 2 months forced labour
Upheld January 14, 2026
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
participated in the activities of an extremist organisation
Latest event
January 14, 2026 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, August 11, 2021
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Persecution ends
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Persecution begins
Second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk
Criminal case
Second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk
Other defendants in the case
- Krystyna Golik — At large
- Valentina Ermilova — At large
- Ekaterina Olshevskaya — At large
Thematic group: The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Blagoveshchensk
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Blagoveshchensk. In July 2021, Portnyagina was charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organisation because of her involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new supporters. They have signed a recognizance not to leave. On 6 December 2024 Portnyagina was sentenced to two years and two months of forced labour.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Place of detention
- Correctional centre No. 1, Primorsky Krai
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.