Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Photo source: blinow61 / depositphotos.com

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

A 39-year-old believer was arrested in Khabarovsk

Magadan Region,   Khabarovsk Territory

On the evening of May 30, 2018, 39-year-old Ivan Puyda, who is suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, was taken into custody in Khabarovsk. His apartment was searched, during which his wife Anastasia and her mother Olga were also present.

It is noteworthy that the arrest warrant for Ivan Puida was issued by a court in Magadan, where three believers were arrested on the same day .

Russian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization and bring charges against them of "organizing" or "participating" in "extremist activities", and even of "financing" it (282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan

Case history
After a series of searches in Magadan in May 2018, Konstantin Petrov, Yevgeny Zyablov and Sergey Yerkin were placed in a pre-trial detention center. On the same day in Khabarovsk, Ivan Puyda was searched. He was arrested and then taken 1600 km away to the Magadan pre-trial detention center. The believers spent 5-8 months behind bars, and then almost as long under house arrest. In March 2019, the FSB conducted another series of searches. The number of defendants in the case reached 13, including 6 women, including the elderly. The investigator regarded the holding of peaceful worship services as organizing the activities of an extremist organization, participating in it and financing it. In almost 4 years of investigation, the case against 13 believers grew to 66 volumes. It went to court in March 2022. At the hearings, it became clear that the case was based on the testimony of a secret witness - an FSB informant who kept secret records of peaceful worship.
Timeline

Persons in case

Agadzhanov
Sergey
Asatryan
Lyubov
Dergacheva
Galina
Yerkin
Sergey
Kardakova
Inna
Khvostova
Irina
Pechko
Galina
Petrov
Konstantin
Puyda
Ivan
Revyakin
Viktor
Solntsev
Mikhail
Solntseva
Oksana
Zyablov
Yevgeniy

Criminal case

Region:
Magadan Region
Locality:
Magadan
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11807440001000013
Initiated:
May 30, 2018
Current case stage:
trial in Court of First Instance
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Magadan Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-12/2023 (1-220/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Магаданский городской суд Магаданской области
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Татьяна Белаева
Background