Natalia Sharapova
Natalia Sharapova, born 1972, Primorsky Krai. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavskyi”. Sentence (October 3, 2024): 2 years 11 months' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year of restriction of liberty. Status: at large with restrictions. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, October 14, 2022.
In brief
Primorsky Krai · NULL · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
2 years 11 months
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, 1 year of restriction of liberty
First instance, July 10, 2024: 3 years
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
- 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 organisation recognised as extremist by the Russian authorities
Latest event
October 4, 2024 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, October 14, 2022
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Appeal ruling
sentence changed · 2 years 11 months
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №3 (SIZO-3) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavskyi
Criminal case
The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavskyi
- Case number
- 1-183/2023
Other defendants in the case
- Boris Andreev — Imprisoned, 6 years
- Anatoly Lee — Imprisoned, 6 years 5 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yaroslavsky
Details and sources
Full summary
Born in Novy Uzen (Kazakhstan). Mother of two daughters lived in the town of Yaroslavsky (Primorsky Krai). Worked as a storekeeper at a garment factory, and then as a nail service master.
On 6 October 2022, Sharapova was taken into custody after a search. Initially, it was reported that she was charged with involvement in the activities of an extremist organisation, but later it was reported that Sharapova was accused of organising and participating in the activities of an extremist organisation due to her involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters. On 10 July 2024, she was sentenced to three years in a general regime colony. On 3 October 2024, the court of appeals reduced the sentence by a month. The next day she was released.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.