Eugene Zinich

A resident of Krasnoyarsk, entrepreneur, descendant of Jehovah's Witnesses - victims of Stalinist repressions. In December 2020, the home of Zinich and his wife, a Group II disabled person, was searched. On 21 January 2021, a criminal case was opened against him for organising activities of an extremist organisation due to his involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, attracting new followers. The basis for the case was the testimony of a secret witness and recordings of telephone and personal conversations. On 20 October 2021, Zinich agreed not to leave. During the criminal prosecution, the believer's spouse died of a serious illness. On 27 June 2022, the court sentenced Zinich to six years in a general regime colony, with deprivation of the right to engage in organisational activities in public associations and religious organisations for a period of 2 years, with restriction of freedom for a period of 1 year. On 19 January 2022, the appeal confirmed this decision.

Zinich suffers from several diseases, including hypertension. Due to the conditions of detention in IK-15, Yevgeniy Zinich's chronic diseases have worsened.