Search of Jehovah's Witnesses in Mordovia (2019)

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Mass Searches in the Homes of Believers in the Bryansk Region

Bryansk Region

Early in the morning of June 11, 2019, in the cities of Unecha and Novozybkov (Bryansk region), law enforcement officers conducted mass raids on the homes of local residents who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Criminal cases have been initiated. In some cases, believers were forced to lie on the floor.

Additional details are being clarified.

Law enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, prominent public figures of Russia, as well as international organizations - the European Union External Action Service, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - drew attention to this problem . Jehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with extremism and insist on their complete innocence. The Russian government has repeatedly stated that the decisions of the Russian courts on the liquidation and prohibition of organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses "do not assess the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually."

Case of Shamsheva and Silayeva in Novozybkov

Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Locality:
Novozybkov
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they held discussions with residents in public places and residential buildings in order to propagandize Jehovah’s Witnesses' activities, involved other persons in these activities through advocacy
Court case number:
Investigating:
The First Department for Particularly Important Cases Investigation of Investigation Department of Russian Investigation Committee for Bryansk region
Case History

Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov

Case History
On September 3, 2020, the Novozybkovsky City Court found Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva guilty of extremist activities and sentenced them to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 15 months, followed by restriction of freedom and a ban on holding leadership positions. Since the believers had already spent about a year behind bars, they were released right in the courtroom. All of them ended up in jail after mass raids by armed security forces in 2019 in the Bryansk region. The security forces considered the usual communication of believers on religious topics to be a “criminal conspiracy”. However, during the court session it turned out that “information and files relevant to the criminal case were not found.” Due to the stress experienced, Vladimir Khokhlov suffered a hypertensive crisis, and Eduard Zhinzhikov and his wife lost an unborn child. In October 2020, the appeal upheld the verdict. In December 2021, this decision was upheld by the Court of Cassation.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Bryansk Region
Locality:
Novozybkov
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they held talks in public places and living quarters with residents in order to promote the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, involved other people in this activity by persuasion, and raised money
Court case number:
11902150006000035
Initiated:
October 16, 2019
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
The First Department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the IC of Russia in Bryansk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-64/2020
Court:
Новозыбковский городской суд Брянской области
Case History