Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Searches on Kuril Islands. Criminal Case Initiated Against Two Women for Their Faith

Sakhalin Region

On November 23, 2023, on Iturup Island security forces searched the homes of two women who practice the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Olga Kalinnikova, 47, and Larisa Potapova, 59, were placed under a recognizance agreement.

A three-hour search took place in the apartment of Olga Kalinnikova, who lives with her minor daughter in the town of Kurilsk. The operation was led by K.P. Deshko, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region. Electronic devices, various data storage devices, notebooks and personal notes were seized from Kalinnikova. According to her, law enforcement officers spoke rudely about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

On the same day, at about 9 a.m., representatives of the border guards of the FSB of Russia with two attesting witnesses went to Larisa Potapova, who lives in the village of Reidovo. The security forces seized the Bible and other books, as well as video discs. The believer's elderly mother who is 87, felt ill as her blood pressure rose sharply due to great stress. After the search, Larisa was interrogated in the investigator's office.

The Korsakov Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation had already initiated a criminal case against Olga Kalinnikova and Larisa Potapova on October 12, 2023. Investigators suspect the women of "extremist activity," by which they mean conversations with local residents about God.

On Sakhalin, this is the fourth criminal case for believing in God.

The Case of Kalinnikova and Potapova in Kurilsk

Case History
In November 2023, searches were conducted in the homes of two female Jehovah’s Witnesses in the town of Kurilsk and the village of Reidovo. One of the women has a minor daughter. A month earlier, a criminal case had been initiated against Olga Kalinnikova and Larisa Potapova. They were accused of spreading the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Sakhalin region. Both women were placed under travel restrictions. In May 2024, their names were added to the Rosfinmonitoring list. Around the same time, the case was submitted to the Kurilsk town court. After two judges recused themselves, the case was transferred to the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city court for further proceedings.On March 24, 2025, the court sentenced Potapova and Kalinnikova to 2.5 years of suspended imprisonment. The appellate court sent the case back for retrial. The second trial concluded in October 2025, resulting in suspended sentences ranging from 4 years and 11 months to 5 years for both women.
Timeline

Persons in case

Kalinnikova
Olga
Potapova
Larisa

Criminal case

Region:
Sakhalin Region
Locality:
Kurilsk
Suspected of:
"The actions of Potapova and Kalinnikova included, among other things, conducting conversations, teaching religion and religious education to the residents of the Kuril Region... encouraging... to participate in the activity in an extremist organization in the implementation of conspiracy measures"
Court case number:
12302640018000078
Initiated:
October 12, 2023
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Korsakovskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-837/2025 (1-117/2025; 1-1112/2024; 1-14/2024)
Court of First Instance:
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City Court, Sakhalin Region
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Galina Masterkova
Case History
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