New Searches in Tambov Region. Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses There Has Been Going on for 15 Years

At least seven searches took place on March 27, 2025, in Tambov at the homes of those whom the investigation considers to be Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case has been opened against one believer. He is suspected of "organizing the activities of a religious association... by organizing religious performances and meetings for worship."

The search warrants were issued by the Leninskiy District Court of Tambov at the request of the local department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. Cell phones, laptops, tablets, external storage devices, notebooks, and personal records were confiscated from believers. In one case, law enforcement officers took away a book by religious scholar Sergey Ivanenko, and in another, according to the owners, law enforcement officers said that "you can't have a Bible at home, but you need to buy it in church, if necessary."

Jehovah's Witnesses in the Tambov region faced persecution because of their faith back in 2010, when the first searches were carried out and an investigation under an extremist article began. Later, the ECHR recognized the incident as a violation of religious freedom and awarded compensation to the believers. Despite condemnation from the world community, the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia continues.