Eugene Zinich
Eugene Zinich, born 1966, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “The case of Evgeny Zinich on organising activities of an extremist organisation”. Sentence (June 26, 2022): 6 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony, with deprivation of the right to engage in organisational activities… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since June 27, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 11, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, June 28, 2022.
In brief
Krasnoyarsk Krai · Krasnoyarsk · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years
imprisonment in a general regime colony, with deprivation of the right to engage in organisational activities in voluntary associations and religious organisations for a period of 2 years and restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year
Upheld January 18, 2023
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he "committed actions of an organisational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, expressed in the leadership of this organisation".
Latest event
January 18, 2023 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 28, 2022
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
The case of Evgeny Zinich on organising activities of an extremist organisation
Criminal case
The case of Evgeny Zinich on organising activities of an extremist organisation
- Case number
- 1-83/2022 (1-865/2021)
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 11, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
628407, Ханты-Мансийский автономный округ, г.Сургут, Северный промышленный район, ул. Трудовая, 2, ФКУ «ИК № 11 УФСИН по ХМАО», Зинич Евгений Николаевич, 1966 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
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.
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.