Maletskov Valeriy

Name: Maletskov Valeriy Vladimirovich
Date of Birth: September 13, 1974
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 511 day in a pre-trial detention, 179 day Under house arrest, 118 day in prison
Current restrictions: detention center
Sentence: punishment in the form of 6 years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to engage in organizational activities in public or religious associations, public or religious organizations, for a period of 5 years, with restriction of liberty for a term of 1 year, with serving a sentence of imprisonment in a correctional colony of general regime
Term of imprisonment: until March 2029
Currently held in: Detention Center № 1, Novosibirsk Region
Address for correspondence: Maletskov Valeriy Vladimirovich, born 1974, Detention Center № 1, Novosibirsk Region, Ul. Karavaeva, 1, Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Region, 630010

Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the «zonatelecom».

Note: discussing topics related to criminal prosecution is not allowed in letters; languages other than Russian will not pass.

Biography

In April 2019, a criminal case was opened against Valeriy Maletskov from Novosibirsk under an extremist article for reading the Bible and praying to Jehovah God. His house was searched, after which the man was under house arrest for six months. After almost two years of trials, the believer was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Valeriy was born in 1974 in Novosibirsk, where he lived all his life. He was the only child in the family. As a child, he had many hobbies: radio engineering, playing the guitar, photography, chess, as well as several sports, the main of which was fencing in which he received a sports category.

As a teenager, Valeriy became seriously interested in the spiritual. In particular, he wanted to know why there were so many religions in the world. As a result of active searches, he found answers to all his questions in the Bible, which became a reference book for him.

Valeriy worked as a finisher, carpenter-furniture maker, and immediately before the criminal prosecution in the service sector of the territory of the business center.

In 2004, Valeriy married Marina, they had a son, Rostislav. The couple repeatedly received thanks for raising their son. Rostislav has medals and certificates for sports achievements. The whole family loves spearfishing, and Marina pleases her friends by playing the piano.

Valeriy's relatives and friends are outraged by the way armed police officers break into houses where people simply read the Bible. Due to the persecution of Valeriy, his family was left without a breadwinner, and worries about urgent needs fell on the shoulders of his wife and disabled mother.

"Jehovah's Witnesses, as they were peace-loving and law-abiding people, remain so," Valery said in court. "Our position as sincere believers is simple: we want to be faithful to our God Jehovah in everything. There is absolutely no malicious intent in this, the destruction of the constitutional order, and even more so a crime. It's a constitutional right, and a right can't be a crime."

Case History

Even before the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses began in Russia, someone called “Ivan” attended meetings for worship in Novosibirsk and studied the Bible. In 2018, he began to cooperate with the FSB and collect information about believers. In April 2019, FSB officers invaded the homes of peaceful citizens; banned books were planted in some of the homes. A criminal case was initiated; Aleksandr Seredkin and Valeriy Maletskov were placed under house arrest. Marina Chaplykina had to sign a recognizance agreement. Later, the case of Seredkin was made into a separate proceeding; Maletskov was charged with organizing extremist activity, and Chaplykina with participating in and financing it. After 3 years of investigation, the case went to court. In December 2023, the court sentenced Maletskov to 6 years and Chaplykina to 4 years in a penal colony. In January 2025, the court of appeal upheld this decision.
Timeline
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