Law enforcement forces from Surgut searched the home of Igor Petrov for the second time after his refusal to collect the items seized 1.5 years ago

On July 23, 2020, a second search was conducted in the apartment of Igor Petrov, who has been under investigation since February 2019, in Surgut. A year and a half ago, during a large-scale raid , law enforcement officers seized things from a believer. After the search was declared illegal, the security forces persistently tried to return them to him. Igor refuses, fearing possible falsifications.

Earlier, on July 2, law enforcement officers arrived in 2 minibuses at the workplace of Igor's wife, Larisa. They rudely and persistently tried to give her a black bag of things. Larisa refused, arguing that she could not identify them. Igor himself also repeatedly filed a statement of refusal to accept things. The investigator for especially important cases, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Guselnikov, decided to conduct a second search in his home.

The decision was issued on June 26, 2020 by the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg, Tatyana Chashchina. Guselnikov arrived at the Petrovs' apartment accompanied by a second investigator, Alexander Monin, 2 armed riot policemen, witnesses, operatives (Senior Lieutenant Igor Antonov and Lieutenant Alexander Todorov) and a technical specialist. Law enforcement officers put pressure on believers because of their refusal to provide passwords for electronic devices. The search in the presence of a minor child lasted 4 hours. Electronic devices, postcards and personal records were seized from the family.

What happens to Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut after the infamous torture raid in February 2019 is being closely watched by Russian human rights activists.