October 20, 2026, 10:54 AMRSSRU

Elena Zorn

At largeChecked October 18, 2026

Elena Zorn, born 1972, Primorsky Krai. Charges: Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization); “The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok”. Sentenced on February 3, 2025. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion.

In brief

Primorsky Krai · Vladivostok · Teachers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses

Sentence

3 years

Suspended prison sentence

Verdict February 3, 2025

Upheld July 28, 2025

Charges

Full wording of the charges

participated in the activities of an extremist organisation

Latest event

July 28, 2025 — appeal

The court upheld the verdict.

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · Appeal ruling

    upheld

  2. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 3 years

  3. · Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)

  4. · Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”

  5. · Persecution begins

    The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok

Criminal case

The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok

Case number
1-79/2023 (1-532/2022;)

Other defendants in the case

Thematic group: The second case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

A resident of Vladivostok. In April 2020 an investigator summoned her ‘for the time being as a witness’ in the case of Elena Barmakina, who is accused of involvement with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. She was later forcibly brought in for questioning and then an investigator went to her place of work and, although it was closed due to the pandemic, he demanded that it be opened, threatening otherwise to break down the doors and prosecute Zorn. On 2 July 2020, she was added to Rosfinmonitoring's list of extremists and terrorists. A week later, Tsorn was searched as part of a case of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with the activities of 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 3 February 2025, a verdict was handed down, the details are unknown.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Russia
Preventive measures
travel ban (written undertaking)
Sources (1)

Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

All 929 under this article →