Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Zalyaeva Svetlana Sergeyevna
Date of Birth: May 12, 1975
Current status: Defendant
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1), 150 (4)

Biography

In March 2020, as part of the investigation of the criminal case of Pryanikov and others in Karpinsk, searches were conducted in the family of Ruslan and Svetlana Zalyayev. Later they were included in the list of suspects under part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. Subscriptions were taken from them on their failure to leave and proper conduct.

Svetlana was born in May 1975 in Volchansk (Sverdlovsk region). Her parents worked hard at the factory to provide her three daughters with everything they needed. Svetlana's mother died when the girl went to the first grade of school. Her middle sister, Elena, died of illness several years ago.

As a child, Svetlana led an active lifestyle, went in for sports: she played hockey. When she got older, she headed a sports section on volleyball, was a member of the youth communist organization, was chairman of the council of the squad.

Svetlana graduated from technical school. She worked as a cook in a kindergarten and then on a coal mine for 15 years. Now she is on a well-deserved pension.

Svetlana began to take the Bible seriously, being convinced of its historical authenticity and accuracy of prophecies. Soon she had a desire to change her life in harmony with Christian values.

In 2003, Svetlana married Ruslan, with whom they had four children, two of whom are still minors. The family loves to go to the forest, fishing and working in the garden.

The criminal prosecution had a negative impact on the life of the believer: she was fired from her job, many friends and relatives stopped communicating with her. Because of the stress experienced, the woman's health suffered.

Case History

In February 2020, even before the completion of the hearings in the first case against Aleksandr Pryanikov, Venera and Daria Dulov, the Investigative Committee initiated another one: they were accused of organizing, participating and involving in the activities of an extremist organization. Also involved in the case are Anastasia Pryanikova, Alexandr’s wife, Svetlana Zalyaeva, and her husband Ruslan, who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For the fact that the Zalyaevs, inviting Pryanikov to visit, discussed evangelical values with their children, the three of them were also accused of “involving minors in a criminal group.” The case went to court in April 2021. In August 2023, the judge returned the case to the prosecutor due to irregularities in the indictment. In October, the appeal upheld this decision.