Case of Popov in Kovrov

Case History

In August 2023, the Investigative Committee for the Vladimir Region opened a criminal case, the defendant of which was Alexander Popov from Kovrov. Law enforcement officers took him directly from his place of work and took him for interrogation, then searched his home. At the same time, Alexander’s elderly parents were searched. After that, the man was placed under house arrest, and in December 2023, he was banned from certain actions. The investigation considered the discussion of the Bible among friends via the Internet to be “a serious crime against state power.”
Timeline

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    August 21, 2023 Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2)

    Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Vladimir Region Y. N. Nikulin initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) against 36-year-old Alexander Popov.

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    August 23, 2023 Search Case initiated House arrest Interrogation Elderly Temporary detention facility

    At about 10 o'clock in the morning, 2 FSB officers come to work for Alexander Popov and take him to the Investigative Committee. On the way, his smartphone is seized. The believer refuses to be interrogated "without a protocol" and is taken home for a search. There, electronic devices and personal records are seized from him. Then Aleksandr is again taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, which takes place in the presence of a lawyer. He is charged and fingerprinted. After that, the believer is sent to a temporary detention center in Vladimir. On the same day, a search takes place at the home of Alexander's elderly parents.

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    August 25, 2023 House arrest

    The Kovrov City Court of the Vladimir Region places Aleksandr Popov under house arrest.

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    December 15, 2023 Prohibition of certain actions

    The judge of the Kovrov City Court of the Vladimir Region, Artem Ozhev, decides to replace the measure of restraint in the form of house arrest for Alexander Popov with a ban on certain actions for a period of 1 month and 6 days until January 21, 2024. Now a believer can leave his apartment during the daytime for several hours, but he does not have the right to use means of communication, including the Internet, to see witnesses in the case, and also to receive correspondence through the postal service.

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    February 9, 2024 Search Prosecution of several family members

    At 7 a.m., the security forces come to search the house where Aleksandr Popov's relatives live. The event is led by the investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Captain Y. N. Nikulin and the operative of the Federal Security Service K. N. Bidnik.

    It turns out that the search is taking place on the basis of a court order, which was issued on December 15, 2023. The security forces seized personal notes on paper from Popov's cousin Maria Ovsyannikova. After about 2 hours, she is taken away for interrogation. On the same day, her mother and sister are interrogated.