Handcuffs, Insults, and Intimidation. Home of a Large Family of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kazan Was Searched

On October 11, 2024, the home of a Jehovah's Witness family in Kazan was searched, after which the parents were interrogated for 2.5 hours. The law enforcement officers exerted psychological pressure on the adults and their three minor children.

Early in the morning, the family was awakened by a loud knock. People unknown to them claimed that a fire was about to break out due to sparks coming from the wiring in the corridor. When the head of the family opened the door, three plainclothes officers, accompanied by two masked and armed law enforcement officers and two female attesting witnesses, burst into the apartment. They threw him to the floor, handcuffed him and did not allow him to get dressed for a long time. According to the believers, they were briefly shown a search warrant, which they could not read thoroughly. The search lasted about 3 hours. The law enforcement officers behaved rudely and often used profanity. They demanded that the family unlocked their electronic devices and gave access to contacts. The smartphones of all family members were confiscated.

In Kazan, six Jehovah's Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution, with four of them sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 6.5 years.