Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Security forces raided the homes of believers in the Chelyabinsk Region, including the home of a 69-year-old woman. A criminal case was initiated

Chelyabinsk Region

On November 30, 2020, in the city of Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk Region, searches were carried out in 4 families of believers, including a 69-year-old woman. A criminal case was initiated under Art. 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 43-year-old Ilya Olenin.

The security forces broke into the apartment of Ilya and Natalya Olenin early in the morning. The search was led by FSB officer Alexander Teplyakov. The law enforcers searched the apartment where the believers live, their car and garage, and also another apartment 50 km from Snezhinsk. As a result of the searches, law enforcement officers seized cash and bank cards, Bibles, electronic devices, disks with films and personal records from the Olenins.

The search was also carried out at the work of an elderly believer who will turn 70 in the spring. The operatives asked her colleagues if she talked to them on religious topics. In addition, searches took place in her apartment and garage. Electronic devices, photographs and personal records were taken from the woman.

A new criminal case was initiated by the investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Chelyabinsk Region, Alexander Chepenko, notorious for other cases against believers, including the married couple Vladimir and Valentina Suvorov, who are already over 70.

The order to conduct the searches was signed by Leonid Bobrov, judge of the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Chelyabinsk. Other details are being investigated.

Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk

Case History
Lyudmila Salikova, the leading engineer of the Snezhinsk Municipal Administration, had to resign due to criminal prosecution for her faith in Jehovah God. In November 2020, security forces came to her for a search, but the case was not immediately initiated. In August 2021, the investigator of the Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Chepenko, charged the believer with organizing the activities of an extremist organization and had her sign a recognizance agreement. The accusation was based on the testimony of a woman recruited by the FSB to make audio and video recordings of conversations with Salikova. In the fall of 2021, the case went to court. The prosecutor requested that the court sentence the believer to six and a half years in a penal colony. In January 2022, the court gave Lyudmila Salikova a six-year suspended sentence for professing her faith. The appellate court upheld this decision, but in January 2023, the cassation court returned the case to the appellate stage, which this time reduced the suspended sentence imposed on the believer to two and a half years.
Timeline

Persons in case

Salikova
Lyudmila

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Snezhinsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, she "organized the activities of a religious organization ... imported and imported into the Russian Federation for subsequent illegal mass distribution of religious information materials included in the federal list of extremist materials".
Court case number:
12002750030000019
Initiated:
November 9, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-2/2022 (1-176/2021)
Judge:
Timofey Smoluk
Court:
Snezhinsk City Court of the Chelyabinsk Region
Court of Appeal:
Chelyabinsk Regional Court
Case History

Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk

Case History
Ilya Olenin, a design engineer from Snezhinsk, was searched twice: in November 2020 as part of the case against Lyudmila Salikova and in October 2021 as part of the case against Olenin himself. Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Dmitry Zykov opened a criminal case against the believer for organizing the activities of an extremist organization because of talking about the Bible with neighbors and fellow believers. In addition, the charges are based on the testimony of V. Kotelnikova, who, on the instructions of the FSB, pretended to be interested in the Bible and kept a secret record of conversations with Jehovah’s Witnesses and their worship services. Olenin was under recognizance not to leave for 4.5 months. In May 2022, the case was submitted to the Snezhinskiy City Court. Three months later, Judge Oleg Klementyev found the believer guilty and fined him 500,000 rubles. In September 2022, the appeal upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Olenin
Ilya

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Snezhinsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he took active steps aimed at organizing the continuation of the illegal activities of a religious organization banned by the court and organized preaching activities
Court case number:
12102750030000025
Initiated:
September 8, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-72/2022
Court of First Instance:
Snezhinsk City Court of the Chelyabinsk Region
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Oleg Klementyev
Case History
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