[{"body":"On July 10, 2026, in Vladikavkaz, law enforcement officers conducted searches at several addresses and interrogated 16 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Three of them — Khetag Dzhanayev and the couple Zaur and Zarema Tavitov — ended up in a temporary detention facility. On July 12, the court placed them under house arrest.\nSearches began early in the morning simultaneously in several homes. One of them lasted more than 10 hours. Electronic and storage devices, including mobile phones and a camera, as well as personal notes, Bibles, and bank cards were seized from believers.\nUpdate. Law enforcement officers pinned one of those whose home was searched against the wall, twisted his arms behind his back, then forced him face down onto the floor. According to the believer\u0026#39;s wife, law enforcement officers stepped on his legs. One of the officers demanded that he state the password for his phone. The man refused, after which rough force was used against him in an attempt to unlock his phone using the facial recognition system. These are not the first Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the republic who have faced criminal prosecution for their faith. Sabina Albegova from Vladikavkaz has been under investigation since October 2025 (her case is already under consideration in court), and since April 2026, Kristina Bazrova is in the same situation.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-07-10T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/07/141354.html","regions":["osetia"],"subtitle":"Three Believers Under House Arrest","tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","families","house-arrest","siloviks-violence"],"title":"In Vladikavkaz, Searches Carried out at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses as Part of New Criminal Case for Their Faith.","type":"news"},{"body":"Early in the morning on July 7, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of at least three families of believers. The raid affected, among others, Andrey Ledyaykin and Andrey Kolesnichenko, who had already served suspended sentences for their faith.\nThe believers were taken for interrogation and then released. Bibles, electronic devices, and cards with Bible quotations were seized from the Kolesnichenko family. The operation was overseen by Investigator Varvara Yagovkina of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the closed city of Seversk for the Tomsk Region.\nDuring the previous raid — in June 2026 — the homes of 11 believers in Seversk were searched, of whom 2 were also former prisoners of conscience.\nRepeated prosecution of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses who have already served sentences for practicing their religion has become a trend. For example, this has happened to Aleksandr Bondarchuk from Kemerovo, Dmitriy Terebilov, from Kostroma, Aleksandr Serebryakov from Moscow, and Oleg Postnikov from Birobidzhan.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-07-07T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/07/101601.html","regions":["tomsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Searched in Seversk — Second Time in the Past 3 Weeks","type":"news"},{"body":"During the interrogation, Irina Savkina rejects the charge brought against her: “To resume means to start something again after a break. But I did not start, nor stop, nor resume, nor continue the activity of any liquidated organization. Neither before 2017 nor after.” Irina describes the criminal prosecution using a metaphor: “They found dirty, stained clothes, brought them to court, and now want to put them on me, saying that they are mine and that they are my size. I would very much like these clothes to find their real owner — I do not wish to wear them.”\nIrina states that in her actions there was “no extremism and could not have been any”. According to her, faith in God helped her break free from a destructive past and rid herself of rudeness and cruelty. To confirm this, she refers to one of her character references from the center for children’s creativity, where she worked for 12 years. It says: “…She did not allow conflicts, did not have harmful habits, and was repeatedly awarded for impeccable performance of her duties.”\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savkina in Birobidzhan","date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan26/index.html#20260630","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 18, 2026, investigators, accompanied by law enforcement officers, carried out searches of the homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses at two addresses in Shchyolkovo, Moscow Region. Three believers — Sergey and Tatyana Volkov, as well as Natalya Krasnobayeva — are under arrest.\nBoth searches began early in the morning. Five armed officers in masks and another eight in civilian clothing came to the home of 50-year-old Natalya Krasnobayeva. At the time, the believer was at work; her daughter with her small child were at home. Hearing the doorbell, she looked through the peephole, but law enforcement officers pointed a laser beam at it. Then the fighters broke down the door and entered, pointing their weapons at her and her child. On seeing the armed men, the boy screamed in panic, \u0026quot;Don't!\u0026quot; and started vomiting. Bibles, a hard drive, a flash drive, a laptop, and a cell phone were seized from the apartment. When Natalya returned home later that evening, she was detained.\nA group of about five law enforcement officers conducted a search at the home of the Volkov family — Sergey and Tatyana, both 48, their daughter and underage son. The law enforcement officers immediately pointed their weapons at those in the apartment and demanded that they lie on the floor with their hands behind their heads. The search of the apartment and two cars lasted about 2 hours; they did not explain what they were looking for. Law enforcement officers did not allow the family to eat, drink, or use the bathroom and threatened them with pretrial detention. After the search, the entire family was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. The children were released around midnight.\nOn June 19, 2026, the court imposed preventive measures on the detained believers: Sergey Volkov was placed in a pretrial detention center; his wife, Tatyana Volkova, and Natalya Krasnobayeva were placed under house arrest.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-06-18T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/06/241550.html","regions":["moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","sizo","house-arrest","minors","families"],"title":"Searches and Detentions in Shchyolkovo: Three Believers Arrested","type":"news"},{"body":"On June 17, 2026, law enforcement officers in Seversk carried out searches at the homes of 11 local Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Vladimir Kompaniets, 60, was placed in a pretrial detention center.\nThe investigative actions affected believers between the ages of 41 and 73. Electronic devices, books, bank cards, and personal savings were seized.\nAmong those whose homes were searched were Aleksey Yershov and Sergey Belousov. After several years of investigation and court hearings, both were given suspended prison sentences in 2022. \u0026quot;The previous search and the trials drained us emotionally. We had only just begun to recover when everything started all over again,\u0026quot; Belousov\u0026#39;s wife said. \u0026quot;But my husband and I felt calm fairly quickly.\u0026quot;\nSeversk is a small town about 15 kilometers from Tomsk. The prosecution of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses has been ongoing here since 2020; six believers have already faced criminal prosecution, one of whom is being held in a penal colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-06-17T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/06/240813.html","regions":["tomsk"],"subtitle":"Former Prisoners of Conscience Among the Victims of Raid","tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","elderly"],"title":"Believer Arrested During Searches in Seversk.","type":"news"},{"body":"The witness for the prosecution, I. I. Latyshev, is being questioned. He does not remember exactly the purpose of the money transfers from Anna’s card. Latyshev cannot explain precisely what “active member” of the organization means — this is how he describes the defendant. When the defendant asks whether the religious group “Simferopol — Molodezhnoye” is banned, Latyshev answers that it is not.\nTwo other witnesses for the prosecution do not appear at the hearing. The prosecutor proposes moving on to the examination of the second volume of the materials of the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moroz in Simferopol","date":"2026-06-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol6/index.html#20260616","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In her testimony, the defendant explained that at meetings for worship they did not study any banned literature. According to her, those present simply mentioned books that some of them had read 20 to 30 years ago. At that time, these publications were freely distributed in Russia and were added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials much later. No one quoted the content of the publications.\n\"Praising God and glorifying him is important for every religious person in any denomination. Jehovah's Witnesses glorify Jehovah God and pray to him. There is no extremism or propaganda of superiority in this,\" stated Yelena.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shestopalova in Birobidzhan","date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan24/index.html#20260609","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is reviewing video recordings of meetings for worship. The state prosecutor draws attention to two episodes involving Olga Chebrak: singing a religious song and briefly commenting on a Bible text.\nThe defendant gives testimony and disagrees with the charge: \"I have been a believer since 1997, and in 29 years, law enforcement agencies have had no questions or complaints about me.\" Chebrak highlights: \"Extremism means evil directed against a person, society, and the state. But I have no desire to be part of this evil, because for me there is only one nation — humankind.\"\nThe believer explains what happens during Jehovah's Witnesses' meetings for worship: \"The Bible says I should follow the footsteps of Christ... that is what I learned at religious meetings.\"\nAccording to a reference from her workplace, Olga is described as a good-tempered and friendly person; there were no complaints about her from clients, and she has repeatedly received letters of appreciation from the management.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chebrak in Birobidzhan","date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan27/index.html#20260609","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, a witness for the prosecution — FSB officer Mamedov — is questioned. In response to the defense’s questions, the witness mostly answers, “I do not remember,” but acknowledges that professing the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia. According to him, Albegova has the right to practice her faith.\nAfter the questioning, the court reviews a motion to ease the conditions of house arrest: the defense requests permission for Sabina to take daily walks for 2 hours and submits a medical certificate with the relevant recommendation. The prosecutor objects. The court denies the motion and extends the house arrest.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Albegova in Vladikavkaz","date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladikavkaz/index.html#20260609","regions":["osetia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"T. Bagautdinova, a witness for the prosecution, is being questioned. She reports that since 2022, at the instruction of law enforcement officers, she and her husband pretended to be interested in the Bible in order to \"expose a Jehovah's Witnesses cell.\" Of the defendants, she is acquainted only with Oleg Smolnikov. She speaks positively of him, describing him as a good person who provided financial assistance to her family during a difficult time. According to the witness, she did not hear any extremist statements from him, nor did he make calls to break up family relationships or negative remarks regarding members of other religions. Bagautdinova notes that she harbors no personal animosity toward Jehovah's Witnesses, explaining that they did nothing bad to her.\n\nThirteen people come to support the defendants; all are allowed into the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Repin and Others in Ozersk","date":"2026-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ozersk/index.html#20260601","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the questioning of Investigator Platonova, the defense pointed out discrepancies in the questioning protocols of witness Karpov dated February 2, 2026. In the version that Irina Shishkina reviewed at the end of the preliminary investigation, there was no mention of her; however, in the protocol presented in court, such information appeared.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shishkina in Prokopyevsk","date":"2026-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk5/index.html#20260601","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the Kuchin's apartment in Tyumen, a search is conducted under the direction of Senior Investigator Sergey Grachev. Law enforcement officers break in to the couple's home at 6:00 a.m., order them to lie on the floor, and twist Roman's arms behind his back.\nDuring the investigative actions, electronic devices and data storage are seized. After the search, the believer and his wife are taken to the Investigative Committee of Kurgan and interrogated. Investigator Grachev places Roman under a recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuchin in Kurgan","date":"2026-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan7/index.html#20260529","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the court hearing, an audio recording of a meeting for worship is played, in which Bible teachings are discussed.\nThe hearing becomes public, and at the motion of the defendant, a woman who had previously been waiting in the corridor and could not be present due to the closed format of the proceedings is allowed into the courtroom. The prosecution invites two witnesses into the courtroom — Investigator Yankin, who was directly involved in investigating the case, and FSB officer Krupetskiy.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shestopalova in Birobidzhan","date":"2026-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan24/index.html#20260528","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning FSB officer Valentin Karpov, a witness for the prosecution. He states that he did not hear any extremist statements from Shishkina and cannot explain what role she played in the banned organization. Karpov also expresses the opinion that setting a password on a personal electronic device may indicate an intention to conceal criminal activity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shishkina in Prokopyevsk","date":"2026-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk5/index.html#20260520","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 20, 2026, searches and interrogations took place in Kemerovo, affecting 17 believers. Kirill Tarasov, 27, was detained and sent to a pretrial detention center. Law enforcement officers forced their way into his apartment by smashing a window with a hammer.\nA criminal case against Tarasov was initiated on May 14. Ye. V. Yakovtseva, senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Tsentralnyy District of Kemerovo, suspects him of organizing the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2 (1) of the RF CrC).\nAt about 6:15 a.m., Kirill's wife, Anastasiya, woke up to the sound of breaking glass. Kirill was in the bathroom at the time. When he came out, the officers ordered him to lie on the floor. The believer cut himself on the shards; they immediately helped him up and bandaged the wound. Otherwise, the search proceeded calmly, and the officers behaved politely.\nThat same day, officers also went to Kirill's mother, Galina Tarasova. The stress caused her blood pressure to spike. Galina and Anastasiya were interrogated at the Investigative Committee. The latter is a witness in the case against her husband, so she was not allowed to attend the hearing regarding a preventive measure against him.\nThe homes of women aged 79, 78, and 74 were also searched. One of them had her blood pressure rise to 200/107 due to the stress, yet she was still taken for questioning, like the others, but she was allowed to measure her blood pressure and take her medication.\nAmong those affected were families with minor children. In one instance, law enforcement officers took the phone and computer of a girl who is homeschooled. Elsewhere, the officers' actions frightened a child. According to the parents, throughout the search the boy was afraid to get out of bed and hid under a blanket. He has a heart condition and frequent headaches.\nThe home of the Bondarchuks was also searched and they were interrogated. Aleksandr has previously been convicted for his faith.\nDuring the searches, officers seized electronic devices, various translations of the Bible, personal notes, greeting cards, and photographs.\nAnother 20 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the Kemerovo Region are already facing criminal prosecution for their faith.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-05-20T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/05/271336.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":"One Believer Placed in Pretrial Detention Center","tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","sizo","elderly","minors"],"title":"Mass Searches in Kemerovo.","type":"news"},{"body":"About 20 people are present at the court hearing in the case of Larisa and Nikolay Kosov. The prosecutor reads out the indictment. The defendants declare that they do not admit guilt, after which they read out their attitude to the charge.\nWitness E. Oncheva, who had previously communicated with the defendants on biblical topics, is being questioned. She characterizes the Kosovs as ordinary people without bad habits and reports that they did not call her to violence and other illegal activities. According to her, the meetings were informal: \"They just came to drink tea, read the Bible, told something.\"\nDuring the interrogation, contradictions were revealed between her testimony in court and during the preliminary investigation. At the request of the prosecutor, previously given testimony is read out, which Oncheva confirms.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Kosovs in Cherkessk","date":"2026-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk6/index.html#20260515","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kristina is interrogated and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Bazrova Case in Vladikavkaz","date":"2026-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladikavkaz2/index.html#20260513","regions":["osetia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The witness for the prosecution reports that he attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses as instructed by the FSB. According to him, there were no statements of an extremist nature at them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20260505","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Viktor Chernov is being questioned in court. The believer notes: “Not a single piece of evidence was presented to prove my guilt as an extremist. Everything I talked about was love, good deeds, how to respect one another and live according to the laws of the state.”\nThe court adds information about Viktor’s state of health to the case file.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Chernov in Tavrichanka","date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tavrichanka2/index.html#20260505","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of medical unit No. 68, Olga Vinogradova, is being questioned. It turns out that the court returned Marunov's medical record to the medical facility, which significantly complicates the verification of her testimony. The defense lawyer is trying to find out why the believer has not yet undergone the necessary examination in order to rule out cancer.\nVinogradova answers questions evasively: \"we thought so\", \"it was enough\", \"there were no grounds\".\nThe lawyer insists that the latest data from Marunov's tests be presented. The court adjourns the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2026-05-01T15:13:38+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20260501","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["life-in-prison","interrogation","elderly","disability","health-risk","prison-treatment"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Grankov requests the Dzhankoy District Court place Aleksandr Ursu under house arrest.\nThe lawyer requests a more lenient preventive measure — a ban on certain actions. He explains that Ursu's wife has serious health problems and Aleksandr is responsibile for all household issues.\nThe court agrees with the position of the defense. Aleksandr is forbidden to leave his apartment in the period from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the next day, to leave Dzhankoy, to use communications and the Internet. The elderly believer is fitted with a tracking bracelet.\nOn the same day, Aleksandr was summoned for interrogation to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. The believer spends about 8 hours there.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aleksandr Ursu in Dzhankoy","date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy3/index.html#20260429","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["prohibition-of-actions","ankle-tag","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yuriy Khorikov gives testimony. \"The name 'Jehovah's Witnesses' means that we bear witness about God, his qualities, and his purposes regarding people and the earth. This has nothing to do with recruiting, coercing, or involving others in a religious association.\" He explains that meetings for worship, studying the Bible, and fellowship among believers are ordinary religious practices not connected with managing any organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20260429","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice Daniil Grankov, Deputy Head of the Investigative Department, initiates a criminal case on suspicion of organizing the activity of an extremist organization.\nApart from Aleksandr Ursu, the searches affected two more believers from Dzhankoy. Force was used against them in order to gain access to their electronic devices.\nDuring the interrogation, Aleksandr Ursu uses his right to not testify against himself and his relatives.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aleksandr Ursu in Dzhankoy","date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy3/index.html#20260428","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","interrogation","elderly","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Questioning witnesses for the prosecution. One of them is a man who attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017, but does not know the defendant. According to his observations, Jehovah's Witnesses treat people of other religions with respect.\nArtur Multykov, a senior officer of the Department for the Protection of the Constitutional Order and Counteracting Terrorism of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Karelia, is being questioned. In March 2024, he participated in operational measures in Fedorov's apartment. According to him, the search was held \"in a calm, respectful, kind and almost friendly atmosphere.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20260428","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Valentina Alekseeva gives testimony. She recounts that the informant Mironov began studying the Bible on his own initiative and came to her home without an invitation. \"And now, on this basis, I am being charged with persuading (involving) Mironov A.Ye. in the activity of a liquidated legal entity,\" says Alekseeva.\n\"Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses is not membership in a party or organization — it is the condition of a person's heart; therefore, there is no need to join anything,\" the believer adds.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20260428","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Denis Polikarpov, who had previously attended meetings for worship and feigned interest in the Bible, was questioned at the court hearing. During the interrogation, it turns out that his testimony differs from his earlier answers at the preliminary investigation. More than 10 people come to court to support Elena Mironova.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mironova in Chelyabinsk","date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk12/index.html#20260420","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant testifies in court and explains that he is an ordinary believer who did not commit illegal acts. He reminds the court that the RF Supreme Court did not ban his religion or the right to practice his faith and comments on the video recordings and testimonies of witnesses contained in the case materials.\nThe believer motions for the expert Larisa Astakhova to be disqualified, as he considers her incompetent and biased. He asks the court to invalidate her conclusion and appoint a new independent expert study.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Odintsov in Snezhnogorsk","date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhnogorsk2/index.html#20260420","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aleksandr Shishkin, Irina's brother-in-law, is being interrogated. According to the man, differences in religious views did not spoil his relationship with the couple Shishkins. He was not interested in religion, and Vasily and Irina respected his position: \"We always communicate in the same way, we did not break the connection, everything was fine.\" Aleksandr characterizes Irina as a decent, kind and hospitable woman.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shishkina in Prokopyevsk","date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk5/index.html#20260415","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Experts are being interrogated.\nReligious scholar Vadim Shiller says that religious meetings of believers may not have legal status, but, in his opinion, they are still subordinate to a legal entity. Shiller also calls it illegal to read religious teaching materials, although he admits that they are not on the federal list of extremist materials. It turns out that Schiller's expert opinion is not certified by a seal.\nLinguist Elizaveta Kozhevnikova participates in the meeting via video link. She refuses to answer questions regarding LRO and incitement to hatred, referring to the lack of appropriate competence. At the same time, the expert confirms that it follows from the remarks on the audio recordings that Vitaliy Syrykh did not force anyone to do anything, but only used inducement statements.\nThe defense petitions for a more complete listening to the audio recordings. The court agrees.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Syrykhs in Kaltan","date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan/index.html#20260415","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses are being interrogated via video conferencing. Yuri Uskov, head of the Department for the Protection of the Constitutional Order and Combating Terrorism of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Karelia, expresses the opinion that the personal confession of any faith is not prohibited, but collective meetings for worship and dissemination of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are unacceptable.\nVladislav Novikov, senior detective for especially important cases of the FSB Directorate for the Kurgan Region, confirms that the meetings of believers were only religious in nature. Both witnesses were unable to name a single manifestation of extremism in the actions or statements of the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2026-04-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20260414","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An operational officer who tapped the defendants' phones and secretly viewed the contents of their computers is being interrogated. When asked what is the public danger of Jehovah's Witnesses, he cannot answer specifically, referring to the decision of the Supreme Court, which he has not read. He did not hear calls for the overthrow of power, genocide or violent actions against any group of people from believers. At the request of the judge, he characterizes the defendants: \"They are ordinary people, not recidivists, not bandits. We even had a pleasant conversation with someone.\"\nDuring the interrogation, it turns out that the case was based on the testimony of Eldar Bagautdinov, who communicated with Igor Smolnikov on biblical topics. Later, the man, on his own initiative, began to transfer recordings of their conversations to the Investigative Committee.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Repin and Others in Ozersk","date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ozersk/index.html#20260413","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator O. I. Kurbanova charged Valentina Krivula and then interrogated her. The believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives her the right not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Krivulya in Vyselki","date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki14/index.html#20260413","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer is charged and interrogated. According to investigator O. I. Kurbanov, she \"conducted and listened to lectures based on the religious literature of Jehovah's Witnesses... emphasizing that these books contain correct knowledge about God.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Bochko in Vyselki","date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki15/index.html#20260413","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Galina is summoned to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, which lasts 20 minutes. Among other things, investigator O. Kurbanova is interested in whether Novikova considers herself a follower of the religious movement of Jehovah's Witnesses. The woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. After that, she is brought in as an accused, and then interrogated again in her new status.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Novikova in Vyselki","date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki16/index.html#20260413","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness for the prosecution under the pseudonym Sergeev I. V. The man says that he does not have any hostility towards the defendants and knows everyone except Aleksandr Kopylets. According to Sergeev, he attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses between 2016 and 2020; there was a favorable atmosphere, \"the Scriptures were examined, hymns were heard.\" He does not remember much of what was discussed there, but notes that it was said about the importance of good relations in the family. He did not hear any extremist calls.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20260409","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Andrey Demyanov, who previously studied the Bible and attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, is being questioned. He describes the defendants positively, noting that they have prosperous families, and he has never heard them call for violence or to violate the law. According to him, Jehovah's Witnesses, in general, are engaged in peaceful activity. \"They told me how to behave correctly, how to believe in Jehovah. Bible study, songs, some scriptures,\" he recalls.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Repin and Others in Ozersk","date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ozersk/index.html#20260402","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that in the list of founders of the LRO Naberezhnye Chelny, presented in the case, there are no names of the defendants and never have been.\nRobert Ishberdin states that the appointment of a number of examinations was carried out with procedural violations - the defendants were either not notified about them at all, or they did it too late, which deprived them of the right to ask their questions to the expert or file petitions.\nIshberdin also asks to summon for questioning a linguistic specialist Radik Galiullin, who took part in a comprehensive study carried out by specialists from the Naberezhnye Chelny Pedagogical University. The judge agrees.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20260401","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the court session, the defendant's wife, Yevgeniya, is interrogated as a witness. She says that Sergey maintains good relations with others, regardless of their religion.\nIn addition, she reports violations committed during the inspection of their place of residence in March 2024. According to her, then banned literature, a flash card and tablets were planted. Yevgeniya Fedorova also claims that physical and psychological violence was used against Sergey that day — his glasses were broken and his lip was busted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20260331","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 29, 2026, a wave of searches of homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses took place in Kamchatka. A criminal case has been initiated against Yevgeniya Vasilyeva, 50, and Pavel Baturov, 33, under an article for extremism. In a second criminal case against the believers, there are four more suspects.\nA few days earlier, Major of Justice Vladislav Bogdanov, head of the Investigative Department for the closed city of Vilyuchinsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kamchatka Territory, initiated a case against local Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. They are suspected of \u0026quot;participating in religious events and teaching the religion of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses\u0026quot; to the residents of Vilyuchinsk. The homes of Vasilyeva, Baturov and other Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were invaded by officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB. According to available information, 10 searches took place and Bibles and electronic devices were seized. One of the believers reported that law enforcement officers behaved rudely, used obscene expressions, did not allow her to have a drink, take medication or use the toilet.\nIn Kamchatka, 11 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already been convicted for their faith.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-03-29T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/04/031550.html","regions":["kamchatka"],"subtitle":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched","tags":["search","new-case","interrogation","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"title":"New Criminal Cases in Vilyuchinsk.","type":"news"},{"body":"The defense objects to the reading out of the testimony of witness Grigorieva, pointing out that in the court session she was declared under a different name - \"Gromykina\".\nDuring the interrogation, Daria asks the witness whether the date of issue of the passport in the name of \"Grigorieva\" is true. The witness confirms the specified date. This episode is of significant importance, since the passport was issued long before the witness's meeting with Daria, which may indicate a possible preliminary preparation of the witness for provocative actions.\nThe judge summons investigator Y. Shumilova to find out who was interrogated during the preliminary investigation - Gromykin or Grigoriev. The investigator explains that the prosecution witness Gromykina was introduced to her by an FSB officer as Grigorieva and presented a passport in this name.\nDaria Petrochenko asks the prosecution witness: what seemed illegal to her in their correspondence and prompted her to contact the FSB? Grigorieva replies that the reason was the name Jehovah. Daria asks if this name is banned. The witness cannot answer.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow","date":"2026-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow6/index.html#20260326","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses are being interrogated. One of them, Sergey Starikov's brother, says that he and his household have been Orthodox Christians for many years and that Sergey never \"humiliated them on religious grounds, did not mock them, did not agitate them to be Jehovah's Witnesses.\" For many years, the brothers have maintained good relations and are family friends. Aleksandr Starikov asked the judge not to deprive Sergey of his liberty, since their mother is already 76 years old and such a sentence will negatively affect her health.\nThe defendants file petitions to attach a number of documents to the case file: an article from the Chelninskaya Gazeta and video reports from Chelny TV and TV-3, telling about how Ishberdin performed alternative service and helped the employer take care of stray animals; a positive characterization of Starikov's neighbors, which says that he \"changed the window handles at his own expense in the entrance\"; characteristics from Ishberdin's place of work, where it is noted that Robert \"during the period of cooperation showed conscientiousness, diligence, decency.\"\nThe judge grants the petitions of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20260325","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The first court session on the merits of the case. The judge grants the prosecutor's request and interrogates testifying witnesses who were present at the search in the house of the defendant's mother-in-law. They say that they are seeing Albegova for the first time.\nAbout 30 people come to support Sabina. Only her husband, mother and sister are allowed into the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Albegova in Vladikavkaz","date":"2026-03-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladikavkaz/index.html#20260323","regions":["osetia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, FSB officer Tsyplakov, is being interrogated. At the center of the discussion is the question of whether Prokhorov was the organizer of the meetings for worship. Tsyplakov cannot confirm this and relies on his own opinion. He does not remember the details of the case, since about 7 years have passed.\nAfter the interrogation, the prosecutor begins to read out the written evidence.\nProkhorov becomes ill, and the hearing is postponed.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2026-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20260319","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As a witness for the prosecution, the Orthodox priest Shcherbakov is interrogated. His testimony amounts to a retelling of the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, their teachings and structure. Shcherbakov admits that since 2017, legal entities of this confession have been banned, but not the faith. He does not cite any facts proving Prokhorov's guilt.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2026-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20260312","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The key witness for the prosecution, Olga Grigorieva, is being interrogated. It turns out that this is not her real name and she reported to law enforcement agencies about the crime allegedly committed by Daria Petrochenko even before she personally met Petrochenko.\nThe witness tells the story of his acquaintance with Daria. The defendant left a postcard at the cemetery with comforting words and her contacts. Olga, who came there with a friend, was touched by the words from this card, and she contacted Daria. According to the witness, she took the loss of a loved one hard, and the defendant supported her. After that, they communicated for another two years, and the witness recorded these conversations.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow","date":"2026-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow6/index.html#20260312","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The security forces come to search the office of Jehovah's Witness. They seize all electronic devices, hard drives and flash drives from the man. The believer is taken for interrogation to the local FSB department.\nThe security forces threaten the believer to keep him in custody until he agrees to cooperate. The man becomes ill, an ambulance is called for him and subsequently hospitalized.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chertov in Alushta","date":"2026-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alushta/index.html#20260311","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yulia Mladova, Dmitriy's wife, is being questioned in court. She talks about her husband's health problems and how he has recently taken care of their elderly parents.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mladov and Inkina in Dubna","date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dubna/index.html#20260310","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Others in Kansk","date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kansk/index.html#20260305","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Alushta, as part of the criminal case against Vladimir Chertov, at least 9 searches are being carried out in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses and persons who do not profess this religion. During searches, law enforcement officers confiscate electronic devices from believers. Everyone is interrogated at their place of residence. Several citizens become ill, the staff are forced to call an ambulance for them.\nOne of the believers, a man with severe chronic illnesses, is knocked down by law enforcement officers and pressed to the floor. His blood pressure rises.\nDuring the search, the elderly woman's pulse increases to 170 beats per minute, she is taken to the hospital.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chertov in Alushta","date":"2026-02-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alushta/index.html#20260219","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","siloviks-violence","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor asks the court to sentence the believer to 8 years in a penal colony.\nThe trial enters its final stage unexpectedly. After the questioning of the FSB officer, it turns out that the religious scholar did not appear in court for questioning. Burik files a motion for a second religious expert study, but the judge immediately proceeds to interrogating the defendant, then to the closing arguments, after which he allows the believer only 15 minutes to prepare for his final statement. The defense is actually deprived of the opportunity to present its evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Burik in Kerch","date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kerch2/index.html#20260218","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","punishment-request","282.2-1","final-statement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The lawyer reminds the judge of the postponed motion. Borodin promises to interrogate the witness for the defense at the next hearing.\nThe prosecutor asks to hear the testimony of FSB officer Kovalev, the lawyer objects, referring to the direct interest of the witness in the court's decision. Borodin allows the witness to answer all the prosecutor's questions, but he dismisses most of the defense lawyer's questions, and then cuts the interrogation short.\nThe witness confirms that the main element of the crime by which he determined the law had been violated, was that \"people talked about God\" at a \"religious meeting.\" How do meetings of a legal entity differ from religious meetings for worship, he does not know.\nThe next to be questioned is a witness for the prosecution; she speaks negatively and emotionally about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, without giving specific facts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20260217","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating two prosecution witnesses. One of them, a police officer in reserve, says that she does not know Aleksey Timofeev and has never attended a meeting for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses. She does not understand why she was searched and invited to court: \"I would like to know myself why I am involved in this case at all.\"\nThe second woman enjoys the right not to testify against herself and her relatives.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20260217","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers are escorting Kristina Bazrova to the Investigative Committee in Alagir for questioning, trying to persuade her to incriminate herself along the way. If she refuses, they threaten that she will \"follow in the footsteps of Sabina.\" The questioning is conducted by Alina Zozirova, an investigator with the North Ossetian Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Bazrova Case in Vladikavkaz","date":"2026-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladikavkaz2/index.html#20260216","regions":["osetia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, which is being held behind closed doors, religious scholar Mirra Kashaeva is being interrogated. She considers religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses prohibited. According to the expert, phrases such as \"thank you\" or \"please answer\" indicate the leadership of the meeting.\nA secret witness Panchenko is also being interrogated. From his testimony it follows that the worship meetings were held via videoconference, their participants read and discussed the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barsukov and Yeliseyev in Slavgorod","date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/slavgorod/index.html#20260213","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kristina Ivanova, senior investigator of the Investigation Department for the city of Troitsk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, summons Tatyana Kolotova for interrogation. A face-to-face confrontation is held again.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kolotova in Troitsk","date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/troitsk/index.html#20260213","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 13, 2026, in Nizhny Novgorod, law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses and interrogated four women. One of them is unable to walk on her own, and her daughter had to take her to the Investigative Committee in a wheelchair. During the interrogation, the elderly woman learned that she had been under surveillance since 2023.\nThe investigative actions were carried out as part of a criminal case initiated on February 9, 2026, against Lidiya Starostina, a 70‑year‑old believer. During the searches, electronic devices were seized, and in one instance even a Wi‑Fi router. The women were interrogated at the Investigative Committee office and then released.\nIn the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 25 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution, including 4 married couples.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/02/231423.html","regions":["nizhegorod"],"subtitle":"Criminal Case Initiated","tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","disability","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"Searches and Interrogations of Female Believers in Nizhny Novgorod.","type":"news"},{"body":"On February 11, 2026, at least eight searches were conducted at the homes of local Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in several areas of the Altai Territory — the city of Novoaltaysk, the villages of Talmenka and Sannikovo. Sergey Petrov, 63, was taken into custody.\nThe investigative actions were carried out by officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB. They seized copies of the Bible, other books — such as The People Who Are Never Without Their Bibles by religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko — as well as electronic storage devices. After the searches, the believers were interrogated.\nProsecution of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the southern regions of Siberia has been intensifying — in just the last 6 months, at least 15 people have become defendants in criminal cases, the overwhelming majority of whom are under arrest.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/02/160903.html","regions":["altaisky"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["interrogation","search","elderly"],"title":"Raids Against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Southern Siberia: Elderly Believer Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"On February 11, 2026, searches were carried out at nine addresses in Ufa. Law enforcement officers detained and interrogated 17 people, 2 of whom remain in custody.\nImmediately after the raid, five individuals were taken to a temporary detention facility. Two days later, the court imposed a ban on certain actions on Andrey Gubeev, Sergey Bastaev and Mariya Gareeva, while sending the couple Ruslan and Roza Tazyrov to a pretrial detention center.\nThe searches were initiated by Major of Justice V. Kharrasov, investigator of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Bashkortostan. Earlier, on February 3, 2026, he had initiated a criminal case under Article 282.2(1) and (2) of the RF CrC.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/02/171410.html","regions":["bashkortostan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","prohibition-of-actions","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"Series of Raids on Jehovah's Witnesses in Ufa: Married Couple Sent to Pretrial Detention Center","type":"news"},{"body":"The hearing opens with a written objection by the lawyer to the judge's actions, which violate the defendants' right to legal defense, and with a motion to question a witness that had been rejected a month earlier. Judge Borodin postponed consideration of this motion and asked to be reminded of it later.\nThe court interrogates the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2026-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20260210","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 5, 2026, searches were carried out at the homes of two residents of Simferopol, 59-year-old Galina Privalova and 27-year-old Anna Moroz; both were interrogated and then placed under a recognizance agreement.\nThe searches began early in the morning. At Galina\u0026#39;s home, the investigative actions lasted 1.5 hours, and at Anna\u0026#39;s — about 6 hours. The law enforcement officers seized — including from Moroz\u0026#39;s parents, who live with her — mobile phones, photographs, personal notes, cards, bank cards, storage devices, and an e-book reader. About 10 people took part in the operation, including Major Latyshev, a senior officer of the FSB Directorate, known for being involved in cases against other Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Crimea.\nAfter the searches, Galina, Anna, her husband, and her parents were taken to the Investigative Committee. After some time, all were released, but Moroz and Privalova were placed under a recognizance agreement.\nOn January 26, 2026, Captain of Justice Rudoy, an investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Sevastopol, initiated criminal cases against Galina and Anna, charging them with extremism.\nIn Crimea, 35 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution, 14 of whom have been sent to penal colonies. The only \u0026quot;guilt\u0026quot; of these men and women of various ages and social status is their peaceful worship.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-02-05T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/02/100909.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"Criminal Cases Initiated Against Two Women","tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New Searches in Crimea.","type":"news"},{"body":"Aleksandr and Irina Elizarov are charged under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC; both are being questioned as defendants.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Balashov and Others in Dimitrovgrad","date":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dimitrovgrad/index.html#20260204","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses for the prosecution, Syrykh's colleagues, are being interrogated. Both note that Vitaliy is a kind, non-conflict person and a responsible worker.\nDespite the severe frost, 22 people come to the courthouse to support the believer.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Syrykhs in Kaltan","date":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan/index.html#20260204","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are interrogated at the hearing, one of them is the defendant's brother. He reports that despite their differences in religious views, they maintain good relations, and Vasily did not call for undermining the foundations of the constitutional order or state security.\nThe second witness states that he has not heard any negative statements from Shishkin about people of other faiths.\nAnother witness - an operational officer - does not appear in court, so his testimony is read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Shishkin Case in Prokopyevsk","date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk4/index.html#20260203","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Vitaliy Naberezhnov. He talks about the procedure for holding meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses, which he attended until 2017. He refutes a significant part of his own testimony given at the preliminary investigation. According to him, pressure was put on him, so he could not fully read the protocol and signed in a state of stress.\nThe prosecutor reports that a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Karpov\" has died. The court is reviewing several videos seized from the electronic devices of the Anufrievs and Mikholap.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Anufriev and Others in Kstovo","date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kstovo/index.html#20260129","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Andrey Lukin's neighbor testifies as a witness for the defense. According to her, she has known him for more than 30 years, treated him \"like a son\", and he treated her \"like a mother\". She had never heard his family arguing, they all lived happily. When asked by the lawyer what Lukin's religion is, the woman replies that she does not know. He did not offer her religious literature, she did not hear negative or offensive statements about others from him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Moscow","date":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow10/index.html#20260121","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Secret witnesses are being interrogated: a woman and a man who attended meetings for worship before 2017. Both give similar testimony: they do not know the defendant personally and have not heard any extremist statements from him or at meetings for worship in general. At the request of the prosecutor, their written preliminary testimony is read out in court. They differ in many respects from those expressed in court and are almost identical to each other.\nFor example, in court, a woman, in response to a prosecutor's question about whether Jehovah's Witnesses had any organizational structure, says: \"To be honest, I... I was a parishioner, so I don't know anything like that.\" Nevertheless, from her affidavit it is read: \"Burik Vitaly Anatolyevich, living in the city of Kerch... was an elder of the said religious organization and, accordingly, was a member of the leadership of the organization.\"\nWhen asked by the prosecutor whether the second witness attended meetings of meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses or meetings of the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Kerch, the man answers: \"I will tell the truth that I do not know what difference there is, I only say that I went to the building that I indicated near the five-story buildings, and I do not know what it refers to there.\" But, according to the affidavit of this witness, partially read out later in court, he previously said the following: \"[In 2017] I decided to leave the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Kerch.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Burik in Kerch","date":"2026-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kerch2/index.html#20260120","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the court session, witnesses are being questioned by the defense. Sergey Rygaev's wife, Oksana, says that at work her husband is known as an honest and hardworking employee: Sergey was awarded the Order of Honorary Worker of the Plant and once was awarded a trip abroad. She also describes him as a caring husband and father; tells the court about the upbringing that she and Sergey gave their son. He graduated from school with a gold medal and became a responsible adult. The judge commented on Oksana's testimony: \"He was a father, as a real father should be!\"\nTatyana Pyzhova described her husband Leonid as a kind and attentive person. She substantiated her words with an episode when Leonid saved a stranger from death by giving him artificial respiration until an ambulance arrived.\nThe defense was not allowed to question another witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2026-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20260120","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Platonova interrogates Irina Shishkina. The woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It turns out that the believer is in the status of a suspect in a criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shishkina in Prokopyevsk","date":"2026-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk5/index.html#20260114","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Chirkov, witness for the prosecution, who attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017, is being interrogated. He expresses a negative attitude towards this religion and says that after 2017 he did not meet with the defendants.\nJudge Borodin repeatedly dismisses questions from the defense and actually forbids the defendants to participate in the interrogation of the witness. When the lawyer tries to express his position, Borodin reprimands him, calling it \"bickering with the court.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2026-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20260113","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, operative Igor Gorshkov, during interrogation answers most of the questions \"I don't know\", \"I don't remember anymore\". In his personal opinion, all religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia could only be held by the Administrative Center of this religious organization. About 40 people are present at the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Anufriev and Others in Kstovo","date":"2025-12-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kstovo/index.html#20251225","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Zakhar is interrogated. He says that he attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2016. According to him, he does not know the defendant personally, he saw Suslov via video conference call once in 2020-2021 during a meetings for worship at which he prayed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Suslov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk3/index.html#20251215","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing begins with a series of refusals of petitions: the court does not give the defense the opportunity to interrogate V. S. Shulga, the main witness for the prosecution, as well as the expert Ruslan Levinsky. The lawyer notes that this specialist does not have the necessary competence and that instead of a religious and linguistic analysis, he performed a political analysis. The judge also refuses to appoint a second examination.\nThe defendants testify. Aleksey Dmitriev tells how his and Shulga's conversations about the Bible began. According to him, the man himself came to his work and, in the presence of Dmitriev's colleagues, asked to study the Bible with him, citing problems with his alcoholic son. The defendant says: \"After repeated persuasion from Shulga, I felt sorry for him and sincerely wanted to help him understand the Bible's teachings and get the comfort he needed.\"\nAccording to Yuriy Sergeechev, he attended a Bible study with Shulga only once. \"It was free, peaceful and friendly communication, including on personal topics,\" says the believer. \"He asked for advice on how to settle problems with his son.\" He adds: \"I am accused of a crime against the state and the constitutional order, but a conversation with Mr. Shulga proves just the opposite.\"\nThe court listens to hidden audio recordings of conversations between Dmitriev and Shulga. The defense states that the content of the believer's prayers, which were included in these recordings, shows his sincere desire to help Shulga in his Bible study, and not to involve him in any organization. At one of the conversations, they talked about baptism, and Dmitriev emphasizes that baptism means that \"a person becomes a member of the family of God.\" There was no question of joining the LRO.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dmitriyev and Sergeechev in Adygeysk","date":"2025-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/adygeysk/index.html#20251212","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"There are about thirty listeners in the hall.\nAndrey Lukin expresses his attitude to the charges. The believer notes that there is no ban on the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, so his lecture at a meeting for worship is quite legal. He emphasizes that he did not call anyone to illegal actions.\nTwo witnesses for the prosecution are testifying. The first woman tells the court that she personally does not know anyone she is asked to tell about. The second states that she has never heard any statements from Lukin that humiliate people of other nationalities or religions. She characterizes Andrey Lukin as a kind, compassionate, ready to help.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Moscow","date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow10/index.html#20251211","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Podlesnaya is searched, after which the investigator interrogates the believer and sends her to a temporary detention center.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Podlesnaya in Simferopol","date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol3/index.html#20251211","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, a search is carried out in the apartment of Elena Ivashina in the village. Novofedorovka. Electronic devices, bank cards and hard drive are seized from her.\nInvestigator A. A. Kirov interrogates Ivashina about her religious beliefs. The woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives the right not to testify against herself and her relatives.\nAfter the interrogation, the believer is placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashina in Simferopol","date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol4/index.html#20251211","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["ivs","search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret prosecution witness under the pseudonym Lebedev A.M., who has been serving in one of the churches in Naberezhnye Chelny for more than ten years. He repeats almost verbatim the same accusations as the previous participants in the trial. Lebedev claims that Jehovah's Witnesses are dangerous to society, but cannot substantiate this point of view.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20251210","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The former deputy head of the investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Sergey Galyamov is interrogated in court. He claims that he initiated a criminal case on the basis of the materials of the check received from the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.\nThe defense notes that these materials are actually limited to the reports of two investigators. She also draws attention to the fact that it took Galyamov only 40 minutes to familiarize himself with the materials of the operational-search activities carried out since 2020 under the leadership of the FSB Directorate for the Nizhny Novgorod Region and transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the amount of 250 pages. On the same day, he issued a decision to initiate a criminal case, as well as orders to conduct searches at a number of addresses.\nThe lawyer petitions for the recognition of the results of the ORM as inadmissible evidence. The court refuses to satisfy the petition.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20251210","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 10, 2025, in Zvenigorod, Moscow Region, raids were carried out at at least four addresses. Several people were interogated. A criminal case was initiated against Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witness Aleksandr Paysov, who is now in pretrial detention.\nAt around 6 a.m., Investigative Committee officers, led by Sergey Zagibalov, broke into the home of Aleksandr Paysov and his mother. They seized personal notes and electronic devices. Aleksandr was detained, leaving his 86-year-old mother alone without any means of communication.\nThe next day, the court sent Aleksandr Paysov to detention center No. 2 in Volokolamsk. He works as a postal worker and is known as a responsible and peaceful person.\nAt another address, a search was conducted without the owners\u0026#39; knowledge: the lock was broken, evidence that people had been were visible, and a crowbar was left behind in the yard.\nIn the Moscow Region, law enforcement agencies have initiated criminal cases against at least nine Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses, four of whom have received suspended sentences.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/12/121836.html","regions":["moscow_obl"],"subtitle":"Zvenigorod — Law Enforcement Officers Carry Out Raid Against Jehovah’s Witnesses","tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","sizo"],"title":"Searches in Moscow Region.","type":"news"},{"body":"Witness Aleksey Mironov is being questioned. He states that he has been acquainted with Jehovah's Witnesses since 2016–2017 and lives next door to Alekseyeva. According to Mironov, he himself began communicating with the believers in 2018 because he \"was interested.\" Later, he approached the FSB with a statement expressing willingness to participate in operational-investigative measures.\nWhen asked questions by the defense, Witness Mironov repeatedly answers that he remembers almost nothing. He reports that he did not hear any threats, calls for violence, collection of money, or refusals of medical treatment.\nMironov cannot describe any specific statements or actions that would indicate that anyone was being involved in extremist activity. In a number of instances, the witness says he draws conclusions based on materials from the investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2025-12-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20251209","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the prosecution are being interrogated. An officer of the Ministry of Justice for Karelia reports that in 2017, three legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses were liquidated in the region, including the one in Petrozavodsk, but the religion itself is not prohibited.\nOne woman, who employed Aleksey to work on her land, says: \"He is missed. I have hired a variety of people, but often they were drunkards and let me down; however, when I worked with the defendant, that didn't happen.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2025-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20251208","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the key witness for the prosecution, FSB officer M.R. Khusnutdinov. His answers show that the prosecution interprets the usual religious activity of believers as illegal organizational activity. At the same time, the witness relies on the subjective interpretation of \"organization\", without presenting evidence confirming the guilt of Ishberdin and Starikov.\nThe defense points to this and asks how the defendants should exercise their legal right to religion. Khusnutdinov replies that they should \"sit at home, study [the Bible] and that's it.\"\nThe defense notes that even tea drinking requires a certain order. The FSB officer retorts: \"The Bible does not say that Jehovah's Witnesses should organize everything like this.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2025-12-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20251203","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the defense, prosecution witness Vadim Ustinov is again interrogated via video conferencing. He says that the names of the defendants appear in the materials of operational search activities collected and transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs by the FSB officers. In his opinion, ordinary conversations and sermons are \"participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nWitness Nikolai Zaitsev, head of the criminal investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the city of Shakhunya, is being interrogated. He confirms that within the framework of this criminal case, his department did not conduct operational-search activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2025-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20251128","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Religious expert Pavel Boyko is summoned to court. He claims that Jehovah's Witnesses are conducting an illegal activity. The judge suppresses the expert's attempts to give a legal assessment of the believers' actions. The lawyer reminds: \"The decision of the RF Supreme Court concerned only a legal entity, not practicing religion.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Spirichev in Vyselki","date":"2025-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki4/index.html#20251121","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin interrogates Olga Chebrak as a suspect. The believer cites Article 51 of the RF Constitution.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chebrak in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan27/index.html#20251120","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 20, 2025, at 7 a.m., law enforcement officers carried out searches at four addresses of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the city of Kansk. Afterward five believers were taken for interrogation. One man and one woman were placed under house arrest with tracking bracelets on their legs, while another woman was ordered not to leave her home at night.\nActive religious prosecution in the Krasnoyarsk Territory began in 2018, shortly after the organizations of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Russia had been liquidated. Since then, at least 125 searches have taken place there. The last one — in September this year. Criminal cases against a total of 33 people from this region have been initiated; 5 are serving sentences in penal colonies.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-11-20T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/11/261058.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":"Two Under House Arrest","tags":["search","interrogation","house-arrest","ankle-tag"],"title":"Again Searches in Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.","type":"news"},{"body":"During the interrogation, Svetlana Kuzina says about her husband, Dmitriy: \"He is a very kind, sympathetic person, honest and absolutely respectable.\" She also states that the believers, on their own initiative, supported the authorities by participating in community clean-up days.\nThe defense motions to exclude the expert study from the evidence. It was conducted by a theologian who graduated from Saint Tikhon's Orthodox University of Humanities. The qualification of the specialist raises doubts about his impartiality in the defense. Furthermore, the expert arbitrarily changed the amount and the wording of the questions put to him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20251119","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 17, 2025, searches and interrogations were carried out in the homes of at least four believers from Bataysk. One was placed in a temporary detention facility and he was released 48 hours later. Update. According to clarified information, searches in the homes of believers began early in the morning on November 18. At least two families had elderly relatives at home, and in one case, there was also a minor child. After the searches, four men (two of them aged 60 and 64) were taken to the police station for questioning. Copies of documents were not given to the believers. The searches were authorized by the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don on November 13, 2025. \"Although the officers behaved correctly, my family and I are still anxious, have no appetite, and suffer from disturbed sleep,\" one of the believers said. \"After the search, my granddaughter cried for two more days — she was very frightened.\" Bataysk became the fifth city in the Rostov Region (along with Rostov, Taganrog, Novocherkassk and Gukovo) where Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses are being prosecuted for practicing their religion. This began in the region in 2011 in Taganrog, when the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against 16 of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses for reading the Bible, singing and praying together.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/11/241328.html","regions":["rostov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","elderly","minors"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses in Yet Another City in the Rostov Region Are Facing Prosecution","type":"news"},{"body":"In the early morning of November 19, 2025, a raid was carried out against local Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Armavir and the village of Konokovo. At least five people were interrogated and their homes were searched.\nThe criminal case was initiated by Vera Moskovaya, an investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. Two believers — Daniil Koval, 47, and Viktor Vikulyev, 35, — are suspected of organizing the activity of a liquidated organization (Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC).\nThe number of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses prosecuted in Kuban has reached 40. One of them, a retired police officer, Valeriy Baylo, died in prison due to his not being provided with medical care.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/11/251128.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New Searches in Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses — This Time in and Around Armavir","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Valeria Zhukova-Suvorova is interrogated. She says that she felt comfortable communicating with Vladlena Kukavitsa — their conversations about the Bible were peaceful and conflict-free. According to Zhukova-Suvorova, during the discussions, the believer did not exert pressure and gave her the opportunity to freely express her point of view and share her thoughts.\nThe witness admits that it was Vladlena who initiated the termination of their meetings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan20/index.html#20251111","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert Maria Samoylova, Candidate of Historical Sciences, who conducted a comparative analysis of the Bibles seized from the defendants, is being questioned in court via videoconferencing.\nSamoylova states that the edition of Jehovah's Witnesses differs from other translations in that it combines verses into paragraphs, at the beginning of each book there is a summary, some Bible books have different titles, and \"God is called exclusively Jehovah, which is a feature of this doctrine.\"\nThe expert admits that the name \"Jehovah\" is also found in other translations of the Bible, including the Synodal Translation. When asked why she considers the New World Translation extremist, Samoylova answers: \"Because it was published by Jehovah's Witnesses.\" At the same time, she admits that \"there are no extremist statements in the text.\"\nThe defense filed a motion to recognize Samoylova's testimony as inadmissible evidence, since the expert did not rely on scientific data and did not have sufficient qualifications.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2025-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20251110","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An operative of the Center \"E\" Manturov S.O. is being interrogated. Answering the questions of the accused, he says: \"No one forbids you to believe you.\" He clarifies that it is permissible to practice religion and discuss Bible teachings if it is not related to the continuation of the activities of a banned organization. Manturov refers to peaceful meetings in the format of videoconferences as such activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleg Artemov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-11-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk11/index.html#20251105","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another woman is a witness for the prosecution. Her current testimony contradicts those she gave at the investigation stage. In particular, she says that she did not communicate with the defendant after 2017. However, it follows from the protocol of her interrogation that in 2021, the woman, on her own initiative, called several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Gaydyshev. She also admits that she knows about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses after 2017 mainly \"from rumors.\" The lawyer asks the woman where she got the information that Gaydyshev is an elder. \"That's my conclusion,\" she replies. The witness saw the defendant only in one of the screenshots that the investigator showed her, but she does not know what event is in the picture.\nAbout 35 people come to the courthouse to support Vladimir, 9 of them are allowed into the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaydyshev in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-10-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk4/index.html#20251030","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the defendant, Igor Prityko. He states, among other things: \"My motive was not extremism, but the intention to exercise my right to practice and share my faith in the usual way within the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" Prityko explains: \"My actions consisted of satisfying my spiritual needs: reading the Bible and discussing it with other people, singing songs praising God and praying to God.\" To support the believer, 12 people come to the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prityko in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan23/index.html#20251028","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Pak is being questioned. He says that he has not attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses for a long time. According to him, no one was forced to participate in meetings or join any organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Chernov in Tavrichanka","date":"2025-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tavrichanka2/index.html#20251022","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert psychologist Yelena Belan is being interrogated via video conferencing. During the hearing, it turns out that many of the quotes referred to by the expert are not in the transcripts. The psychologist also disputes a number of conclusions of the religious scholar Boyko and the linguist Ryadchikova.\nBelan admits that she did not work with the original audio and video recordings, although they should be the actual subject of research. In addition, she cannot say for sure whether the signature on the expert study is hers.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2025-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20251022","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\nThe woman talks about the defendant's religion in general, but does not say anything specific about him. Referring to her affidavit, the prosecutor lists teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses that she says she does not like.\nThe second witness reports that she saw Suslov at meetings for worship. Igor asks the woman how this is possible if he lived elsewhere during the specified period, but she evades explanation.\nThe third witness for the prosecution, when testifying, enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his relatives.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Suslov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk3/index.html#20251022","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 21, 2025, Konstantin Khlybov, 34, one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Yoshkar-Ola, was detained. His home was searched. After several days in custody, the believer was placed under house arrest. The investigation charges him with organizing and participating in the activity of an extremist organization.\nIn the morning that day, Konstantin took the child to kindergarten. Law enforcement officers approached him on the street and took him to search his home. They kept him in handcuffs along the way. The law enforcement officers, led by A. S. Kasharin, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Mari El, seized all electronic devices from the Khlybov family.\nAfter the interrogation, Konstantin was detained, and the following day the court sent him to a pretrial detention center. On October 31, the court of appeal mitigated the preventive measure for the believer to house arrest.\nIn the Republic of Mari El, 11 of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already been convicted for their faith: 10 men were given heavy fines and 1 woman a suspended sentence.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-10-21T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/11/031405.html","regions":["mari-el"],"subtitle":"Father of Young Child Facing Criminal Prosecution","tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","house-arrest"],"title":"Search in Yoshkar-Ola.","type":"news"},{"body":"Aleksandr Vaganov draws attention to the fact that the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017 does not prohibit citizens from spreading their religious beliefs and gathering for meetings for worship.\nKonstantsiya Vovk and Tatyana Stepanova describe the characters of the other defendants. They describe them as kind people who have a good reputation in society and care for their family members, even if they do not share their religious views.\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2025-10-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20251020","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution is being questioned - a woman who attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2017. According to her, these meetings were aimed at \"ensuring that all people live amicably,\" and not at inciting hatred towards representatives of another religion or race, as the prosecution claims.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaydyshev in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-10-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk4/index.html#20251017","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor is questioning witnesses for the prosecution Aleksandr Sagiyev and religious scholar Sergey Zheleznyak, assistant to one of the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church for missionary work.\nSagiyev gets mixed up with his answers, since he does not personally know Robert Ishberdin and Sergey Starikov, but only heard about the defendants from others. He also says that Jehovah's Witnesses do not participate in military service, but clarifies that they agree to alternative civilian service.\nWithout grounds Zheleznyak declares that Jehovah's Witnesses oppose the state and its symbols. At the same time, he admits that he is not personally familiar with the beliefs of followers of this religion, and learned this information from the Internet and publications on sectology. When asked to cite facts, he says that he does not have any.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20251016","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A former colleague of Ilya Yershov, who worked with him for 5 years in a dialysis center, testifies. She describes him as a person far removed from extremism, polite, erudite and disciplined, without bad habits. \"Everyone in our small team knew that he was well-educated,\" the woman says. \"He could have considered himself superior to everyone else, but this was not the case.\"\nYershov's sister, who worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Penitentiary Service, is being interrogated. She says: \"Ilya and I have a great relationship and for me he is the best brother. He is a law-abiding person, responsible, intelligent, kind and decent. If necessary, he will pick my child up from school, help with their homework, spend a lot of time together, because they both like to.\" As an argument in favor of Yershov, showing that he respects the authority of the state, she adds that Ilya did not stop actively helping her even when she was in the civil service. The witness continues: \"No factors from our personal lives, such as work, faith, beliefs, and the like, have ever influenced our relationship with him.\"\nShe adds that her brother assisted the narcological dispensary during construction work and the local college as chairman of the examination board.\nThe court proceeds to the interrogation of Ilya Yershov. The believer emphasizes that the meetings for worship, for which he is charged with participating in, are legal and have nothing to do with extremism. Ilya draws attention to the prayer he said, the text of which is contained in the case materials. The believer notes that in it he only asks for help in \"being morally clean\", \"raising children correctly\", \"finding reliable friends and maintaining warm relations with them\".\nAt the request of Yershov, the court attaches to the materials of the criminal case a certificate from the tax inspectorate stating that he was not the head of the LRO.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20251016","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert religious scholar Mikhail Seleznev, Doctor of Philology and Bible scholar, gives a statement. He is interrogated via video conferencing. He says that he was surprised by the expert study, based on which the translation of the Bible made by Jehovah's Witnesses was recognized as extremist in 2017. Seleznev disagrees with the conclusion that the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is not the Bible. He was one of 27 specialists who wrote a review of this expert study. Among other things, the review states that the authors of the expert study are not Bible scholars.\nThe scholar also compares passages from several editions of the Holy Scriptures and states: \"The translation of Jehovah's Witnesses is consistent with a number of other Russian translations of the Bible and can rightly be called the Bible exactly as the Synodal translation or the translation of the Bible of the Russian Bible Society.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20251015","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","bible-ban"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 15, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a search in the town of Polyarniy at the home of a woman who is one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. She was taken to the Snezhnogorsk police department after midnight and interrogated until 6 a.m.\nThe search began at 4:00 p.m., while she was not at home. Her husband was thrown to the floor and handcuffed by the officers. According to the woman, when she arrived, law enforcement officers spoke to her rudely, used profanity, and told her that \u0026quot;invoking Article 51 of the Russian Constitution won\u0026#39;t help\u0026quot;. Electronic devices were seized from the family. The believer was not given a copy of the search protocol.\nThat same night, at least one other woman from a nearby village was also interrogated by law enforcement officers.\nThe last time searches were conducted in the Murmansk Region was in 2021.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/10/290835.html","regions":["murmansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Search and Nighttime Interrogations in Murmansk Region","type":"news"},{"body":"Yevgeniy Poveshchenko is interrogated, and then his wife. She declares: \"We have different religions, I am Orthodox, but this does not prevent us from living in peace and love.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2025-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20251014","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of specialist Sergey Bogdan. He explains that he examined Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization from a religious point of view, not a legal one. He also says that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses and they themselves, as a Christian movement, are not prohibited.\nThe defense reiterates the motion to conduct an expert study of the handwriting of Varankin's statement. She refers to the conclusion of an independent specialist, who revealed that it is very likely that the date was corrected, which may affect the admissibility of the disc with recordings as evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20251009","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["interrogation","retrial"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, Yagupov reports that he is dependent on an elderly mother with cancer, a disabled person of group III, who cannot get up without his help. There are no other relatives who can provide her with constant help. The believer mentions the torture he was subjected to during the search. He appealed against the actions of the law enforcement officers, but does not hold a grudge against anyone because of his Christian views.\nBaev also reports health problems. The believer was assigned the II group of disability.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20251009","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator R. Tazhikenov summons Nikolay Kosov for interrogation and hands him a ruling to initiate a new criminal case dated April 13, 2025 — for involving others in the activity of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Kosovs in Cherkessk","date":"2025-10-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk6/index.html#20251008","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. Two men, acquaintances of Vitaliy Syrykh, change their testimony in court, stating that during the investigation they were pressured.\nThe defendant asks questions of a woman who attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2005. Vitaliy wonders if she heard calls for violence, undermining the constitutional order and overthrowing the government during such meetings for worship. The woman answers in the negative.\nKaltan is a small town (population about 21 thousand people), and the Syrykh case is of interest to residents. On the day of the hearing, more than 30 people come to the courthouse, four of them are allowed to enter the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Syrykhs in Kaltan","date":"2025-10-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan/index.html#20251008","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses for the prosecution are being interrogated. One of them says that he saw Nadezhda twice — in the fall of 2018 and in the spring of 2019.\nAccording to him, there were no threats from her, she did not humiliate him or cause him any harm. He also confirms that he did not hear from her any calls for violent actions or to undermine the constitutional order or security of the Russian Federation.\nThe second witness for the prosecution, an officer, admits that because the events happened so long ago, he does not remember much.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lebed in Moscow","date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow8/index.html#20251006","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two prosecution witnesses.\nOne of them tells the court that at the request of the FSB, he participated in operational-search activities, recorded conversations with Timofeev and another believer. He notes that he did not feel pressure and could have stopped communicating at any time, but continued it on the instructions of the FSB.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2025-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20251002","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of linguistic expert Elena Ryadchikova continues. She reports that she has lost a certified copy of the volume with the examination. The court refuses to conduct a procedural check, explaining that the copy does not have independent legal force.\nThe defense is faced with the reluctance of the expert to answer questions. Ryadchikova again expresses doubt that the examination really belongs to her.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2025-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20251002","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of linguistic expert Natalia Segal is taking place via video conferencing. After analyzing the telephone conversation between Brattseva and her friend, the expert concluded that, consoling a seriously ill person, the believer \"played the role of a communicative leader.\" When asked by the defendant whether a communicative leader must be the head of an organization, the expert answers in the negative. In addition, Segal confirms that there are no extremist calls in Bratseva's words.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2025-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20251001","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Igor Popov explains the essence of the charges and talks about health problems - during the hearings he has already undergone 3 operations, the man was assigned the III disability group. His wife also underwent 4 spinal surgeries and is a disabled person of group III.\nThe court is questioning the expert who, at Popov's request, conducted a phonoscopic examination of the excerpt of the recording imputed to the believer. She confirms that the voice in the videos does not belong to Popov. The lawyers ask the court for a second examination, but this request is rejected.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2025-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20251001","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kuzin's 88-year-old mother is interrogated. She says: \"Dima is an exemplary son for me, whom one can only dream of, attentive, ready to do everything for me. After a major operation, I became a disabled person of group II, I have many chronic illnesses, and I have a very big memory problem. All this only worsened after suffering from covid twice. For health reasons, I need care, Dima visits me every day, does everything around the house, goes to the store, takes me to the doctors. And all year round after work, he goes every day to the village, where we have a house, a garden, chickens, and he does all this alone. The criminal case against my son was a tragedy for me and for my husband. My husband could not survive this and died last year.\"\nRegarding her son's religious beliefs, the woman says: \"Even under torture, I will never say that he made me believe something.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20250925","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Yakov Merkulov, who opened a case against Tamara Brattseva, is interrogated. He denies that he put pressure on witnesses during interrogations, but admits that some of them later retracted their testimony.\nJudge Maria Bedritskaya dismisses the defense's questions about the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the law on extremism, which formed the basis of the charge. She states that law enforcement officers should not be \"examined\". Merkulov himself ignores the questions of the lawyer and the defendant. And when a 70-year-old woman asks him to speak louder, he answers: \"I say as I want.\"\nAfter a doctor's examination, Tamara Brattseva was recommended surgery. The believer is worried that the treatment may coincide with the announcement of the verdict.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20250925","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the linguistic expert Ryadchikova continues via video conferencing. The defense notes that some of the transcripts referred to by the expert are absent in the case, and the content of the available materials does not correspond to the conclusions of the examination. Ryadchikova explains: \"I am not sure that the transcripts in your case are those that were provided to me for examination. Maybe I worked with others.\"\nDuring the break (video conferencing continues to work), the defense records a conversation between Ryadchikova and an unknown man, in which she complains about the judge's remarks. The interlocutor promises to \"talk to the judge.\" After the break, the defense claims an attempt to influence the court.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20250925","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of religious expert Olga Griva. The defense challenges the expert due to the lack of documents confirming her qualifications, but the court rejects the motion. The expert does not give clear answers to the questions of the defense, and in cases where it is difficult to answer, the prosecutor intervenes, interrupts and tries to answer for the expert.\nWhen asked about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, Olga Griva answers indistinctly, uses offensive labels in her conclusion, and states that she is not obliged to understand the structure of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20250924","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Despite the obvious contradictions in the conclusions of the experts, the court refuses to call them again. The interrogation of the defendants begins.\nYuriy Galka emphasizes the difference between a meeting of believers and a liquidated legal entity. He claims that he did not store or distribute prohibited literature. Answering questions about the search, the believer tells the court about the torture and threats he experienced. Yuriy declares that he does not hate non-Witnesses, and respects the faith choices of his family and other people. In conclusion, he said that he did not consider himself guilty.\nAleksey Antyukhin talks about the peaceful way of confessing one's faith: \"I would not go to meetings if there was hatred.\" He also notes that he did not know about the existence of the legal entity that appears in the charge, and even more so was not a participant in it.\nMikhail Veselov recalls the violence used against him during the investigative actions: \"They put him on the asphalt and stepped on, threw his wife, and threatened his daughter.\" Speaking of his innocence, the believer declares: \"Everyone has the right to choose whom to worship. But that doesn't make me his enemy.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20250924","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The FSB invades the homes of Viktor Timoshchenko, Aleksandr Gorev and Yevgeniy Bagin to conduct an inspection, but in fact the believers are being searched.\nViktor Timoshchenko, who is staying with an elderly mother suffering from Alzheimer's disease, is threatened by operatives, demanding to confess on video. The law enforcers tell the man that they will create problems for relatives, and violence will be used against him. Tymoshchenko is forced to read a prepared text on camera. Also, law enforcement officers put pressure on Yevgeniy Bagin, threatening to create problems for his wife and daughters.\nDuring these interrogations, which take place simultaneously with the ORM, none of the believers are provided with lawyers. After that, the men are taken for interrogation to the Abakan department of the Investigative Committee, where they learn that a criminal case on extremism has been opened against them (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). It turns out that the case file contains hidden video recordings of recent meetings for worship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bagin and Others in Mayna","date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayna/index.html#20250923","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","inspection","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses, women, one of whom is 84 years old, are being questioned. To all questions, she answers that she does not remember anything. The second witness does not understand what exactly the Supreme Court banned in 2017, what is the difference between LRO and religion. During the period imputed to Yershov, she was not one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and she bases all her testimony on the words of her mother.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20250923","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An expert linguist, Candidate of Philological Sciences Ksenia Litsareva, who conducted an examination of recordings of meetings for worship and conversations of believers, is being interrogated. She admits that she did not listen to the recordings in full, and made her conclusions based on transcripts. She sees signs of propaganda in peaceful conversations and discussions of the Bible by fellow believers.\nThe lawyer draws the court's attention to one of the key violations - the absence of a psychologist during a comprehensive examination. The defense believes that this contradicts the requirements of the declared methodology, which provides for the participation of a psychologist.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20250923","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The homes of about 25 families of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the villages of Mayna and Cheremushki (Khakassia) were searched, and at least 45 people were interrogated. Three believers — Viktor Timoshchenko, Aleksandr Gorev and Yevgeniy Bagin — were taken into custody. Investigative measures initiated by the FSB of Russia have been carried out since September 23, 2025.\nUpdate. According to updated information, searches were carried out simultaneously in the village of Maina (Khakassia) and the village of Sizaya (Krasnoyarsk Territory), settlements located on the border of two regions on opposite sides of the Yenisei. Mayna and Cheremushki are urban settlements with a total population of about 12,000 people, located on the banks of the Yenisei, not far from the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station. During the searches, which began at 6 a.m., phones and electronic devices were confiscated from believers. Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were interrogated in Sayanogorsk — those from Mayna during the day, and those from Cheremushki close to midnight. Timoshchenko, Gorev and Bagin were taken 100 kilometers from home to Abakan, the capital of Khakassia. According to their relatives, they were charged with organizing religious meetings and sent to a pretrial detention center by a court ruling.\nThe total number of searches that have taken place since the liquidation of legal entities of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in 2017 has far exceeded 2000, but mass searches of such a scale are not carried out that often. Earlier large-scale raids (some of them were called \u0026quot;Armageddon\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Judgment Day\u0026quot;) took place in the Jewish Autonomous Region, Crimea, Voronezh and Bryansk Regions and in the Altai Territory.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/09/291103.html","regions":["khakassia","krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":"Three Believers Sent to Pretrial Detention Center","tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"Mass Searches in Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk Territory.","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigation charged four Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Vladivostok, including three elderly, with extremism. This happened on September 17, 2025, immediately after searches in the homes of peaceful believers.\nVyacheslav Yudin, 68, Sergey Isupov, 66, Sergey Chikichev, 64, and Andrey Yavniy, 58, do not agree with the charges. The latter appealed the charge in court. \u0026quot;Simply participating in a meeting for worship or reading the Bible is not a crime,\u0026quot; he said.\nSearches began at 7 a.m. and lasted about 3 hours. The law enforcement officers seized their electronics, Bibles, personal notes and cards. The officers confiscated family savings from Yavniy, as well as part of his wife\u0026#39;s work documents, without recording them in the protocol. After the searches, the four men were taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nThe criminal case against the believers was initiated on September 11, 2025, by Denis Sushchenko, investigator of the Investigative Committee, who had previously initiated cases against other Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Vladivostok. He charged Chikichev, Yudin, Yavniy and Isupov with participating in the activity of a liquidated organization (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC).\nAs of September 2025, more than 60 people from the Primorye Territory have already faced criminal prosecution, half of them are residents of Vladivostok.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/10/011534.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":"Already More Than 30 Local Believers Are Being Prosecuted for Their Beliefs","tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"New Searches in Vladivostok.","type":"news"},{"body":"On September 3 and 4, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted searches at at least five addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses in Saratov and the village of Anastasino. As part of a new criminal case, five believers aged 29 to 59 were detained.\nThe raid began at about 6 p.m. Law enforcement officers broke into the home of one believer's family at 1:30 a.m. The Criminal Procedural Code allows a search at night only under urgent circumstances, but in this case the court had given permission at the end of August to carry out the search. FSB officers seized electronic devices and storage media, as well as personal notes.\nAfter the searches, law enforcement officers took Mikhail Proshenkov, Aleksey Kazakov, Aleksandr Akelin, Filipp Ombysh and Sergey Yefremov to the station. The wives and children of the believers were also interrogated. On Friday, September 5, the Frunzenskiy District Court placed Yefremov under house arrest, and sent the rest of the detainees to a pretrial detention center.\nIn the Saratov Region, 20 of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already faced prosecution for their faith: seven of them received prison sentences, and three — Feliks Makhammadiyev, Konstantin Bazhenov, and Rustam Seidkuliev — were stripped of their citizenship and expelled from the country.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-09-03T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/09/110833.html","regions":["saratov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","house-arrest","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Five Believers Arrested After Raid Against Jehovah's Witnesses in Saratov","type":"news"},{"body":"The court is questioning two witnesses and listening to the written testimony of six more. Yershov knew only one of them personally, but his statements relate to the period before the ban on the activities of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-08-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20250829","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 27, 2025, Crimean law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of local Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. A criminal case has been initiated against one of them, Vladimir Chertov, 52. He is charged with \u0026quot;organizing the activity of an extremist organization.\u0026quot; He was detained.\nA total of 11 searches took place. The raid affected at least 19 believers from Alushta, the villages of Partenit and Lazurne. Some of them were led by Andrey Kirov, who initiated the criminal prosecution, and Adel Abzalilov, officers of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. During the searches, electronic devices, communication equipment, books, notebooks and personal notes were seized.\nUpdate. During the search, personal documents were confiscated from the believers, including those confirming the ownership of cars and property, internal and passports for travel abroad, driver\u0026rsquo;s licenses, as well as all cash. In one case, the officers of the Investigative Committee left a family of four only 300 rubles. According to the victims, without personal documents and means of subsistence, their lives are on hold. Electronic devices, communication equipment, books, notebooks and personal notes were also seized from them. Some searches were accompanied by harsh actions of law enforcement officers — one of the families was forced to lie on the floor for about 20 minutes.\nOn August 29, a preventive measure was imposed on Vladimir Chertov — a ban on certain actions.\nThis is not the first case of pressure on believers in Alushta — searches were already carried out here a year ago. In total, 32 of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have become victims of prosecution in Crimea over the past 7 years.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-08-27T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/08/291558.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"Largest Raid of the Year Against Believers","tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","interrogation","prohibition-of-actions"],"title":"New Searches and Criminal Case in Crimea.","type":"news"},{"body":"Specialist Galina Sergeevna Ivanenko, PhD in philology, speaks at the hearing. She talks about a linguistic analysis of the New World Translation in comparison with the Synodal Translation. The expert says: \"I can confidently say that there are no differences.\" She emphasizes that the New World Translation is a Bible, and there are no linguistic signs of extremism in its text.\nNext, the wife of one of the defendants, Sergey Ryabokon, is interrogated. She says that the believer respects others and is always ready to help them: \"My husband is a law-abiding, decent and honest person. It's his way of life.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2025-08-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20250826","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","expert-conclusions","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anastasia Gaitur is being interrogated. The believer states that all the evidence of the prosecution only points to her religious affiliation and participation in meetings for worship.\n\"The prosecution used a certain template against me, which is often heard in unscrupulous media, in order to indiscriminately defame those they do not like,\" says Anastasia. \"As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I live by God's standards. These standards are set forth in the Bible. They contribute to our common well-being, teach us to respect others, act honestly, show kindness, and maintain peaceful relations even in difficult and difficult circumstances.\"\nAnastasia Gaytur sums up: \"In some ways, perhaps you, Your Honor, may disagree with the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions. To agree or disagree is the right of every person, and I respect this right.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaytur in Kurgan","date":"2025-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan5/index.html#20250821","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of three experts. One of them, Associate Professor of the Department of History and Head of the Department of Social Sciences at Tsiolkovsky Kaluga State University, Igor Kometchikov, admits that when determining membership in the organization, he was guided by the materials of the case, not scientific methods, did not study the charter of the LRO, did not familiarize himself with the decision of the Supreme Court of April 20, 2017, and cannot explain the difference between a religious group and a LRO.\nDuring the interrogation, it turns out that all three experts did not work with the original disks and case materials, but with a transcript of audio recordings made by unknown persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2025-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20250820","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","studies-violations","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the first hearing on the merits, one of the prosecution witnesses retracts his preliminary testimony and states that it was given under duress.\nElizaveta Yershova, the wife of the believer, says during interrogation: \"Ilya always tries to smooth over any conflicts... I have never seen any aggression on his part.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-08-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20250815","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, a witness for the prosecution, FSB operative Vadim Ustinov, is interrogated via videoconferencing. According to him, the defendants \"involved others in their faith\" and held online meetings via Zoom. He repeatedly emphasizes the religious aspect of the case and his personal attitude to the beliefs of the defendants. Then the testimony of this witness given at the preliminary investigation is announced.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2025-08-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20250815","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Linguistic expert Elena Ryadchikova is being questioned, whom the defense accuses of gross violations: the text of the conclusion contains 12 references to non-existent transcripts, 15 quotes without indicating the sources, as well as cases of word substitution and distortion of wording. On this basis, the defense considers the expert's conclusions unreliable. The expert confirms that she worked exclusively with the transcripts provided by the investigator, without checking them with the original audio recordings.\nAt the same time, Ryadchikova states that she did not find calls to hatred on the basis of nationality or race in Elena Gadrshina's statements.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2025-08-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20250807","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The son and daughter-in-law of Viktor Chernov are questioned. The son reports that he is not very familiar with his father's religious views. According to him, Viktor Chernov works in landscape design and leads a law-abiding life. \"He raised me; I have never seen him in an unstable state, drunk or angry,\" the witness says. In response to questions from the prosecution, he adds that his father always leaves him the right to choose — whether to listen about God or not.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Chernov in Tavrichanka","date":"2025-08-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tavrichanka2/index.html#20250801","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The son of the defendant, who was a minor at the time of the search and interrogation in the Investigative Committee, is being interrogated. He enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his relatives, so the protocol of his interrogation is read out. The young man states that he did not utter the remarks recorded by the investigator and most of the signatures were not made by his hand.\nBabayan asks the court not to schedule more than three sessions a month because he is experiencing severe back pain and needs time to recover. The prosecutor objects: in his opinion, this is a delay in the process. The court rejects the petition.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Babayan in Samara","date":"2025-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara2/index.html#20250730","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who attended online meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses from 2020 to 2021 is being questioned. He notes that he does not remember what exactly was discussed at them, since it was a long time ago. He did not personally contact the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lepskiy in Vyselki","date":"2025-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki12/index.html#20250709","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense filed a motion for the publicity of the trial, since the first hearing was held behind closed doors. The court satisfies it and proceeds to the interrogation of the prosecution witnesses.\nAleksey V.V., a former head of the department of the Center for Combating Extremism (CPE) and an operational officer, finds it difficult to answer whether there are signs of extremism in the words and actions of the defendant. In addition, he admits that Samvel Babayan did not call for enmity or religious discord. It also turns out that the witness himself did not participate in any operational measures in this case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Babayan in Samara","date":"2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara2/index.html#20250707","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the key witness for the prosecution - Varankin. He reports that at first, on his own initiative, he made several hidden audio recordings of meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses, and then, as part of cooperation with the investigation, he continued to make audio and video recordings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2025-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20250620","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the Investigation Department of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region for the city of Troitsk, D. A. Vinokurov, decides to initiate a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAt 6 am, investigator Yulia Lang, accompanied by 11 people, comes to 64-year-old Tatyana Kolotova to conduct a search. Masked people disperse to different rooms, seize phones and the Bible. They also find several religious books. The woman declares that they do not belong to her.\nAfter the search, the believer is taken to the investigative committee and interrogated for seven hours, face-to-face confrontations are held with the woman's neighbors.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kolotova in Troitsk","date":"2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/troitsk/index.html#20250610","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","search","interrogation","plant"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning a prosecution witness Nepomniachchikh, who studied the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses and attended their meetings for worship three times in 2021.\nThe defense objects to the disclosure of the testimony of witness T. Yamorozova, who died in 2024. The lawyer claims that there were significant contradictions in the case between the testimony of Nina Smirnova, given during the preliminary investigation, and the testimony of Yamorozova, but the investigator ignored this, not giving the defense the opportunity to conduct a confrontation in a timely manner. The court rejects the objection, the prosecutor reads out the testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2025-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20250605","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Igor Prityko's wife, Natalya, is summoned for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prityko in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-06-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan23/index.html#20250602","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the defense, who have known Andrey Sazonov for many years, are being interrogated. They describe him positively: they note his conscientiousness, intelligence, absence of bad habits and good relations with others.\nOne of them says: \"Andrey is a devoted, loyal and kind person who will support you in any difficult situation.\"\nAnother witness, a former city deputy head, emphasizes that the defendant's religious views did not harm working relations, and local government agencies treated Sazonov with respect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20250530","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 30, 2025, a series of searches and detentions took place in Tomsk: law enforcement officers went to at least four addresses. Anton Novopashin, a citizen of Kazakhstan, Djachi Gonhi, a student from Côte d\u0026#39;Ivoire, Andrey Plekhanov, as well as Yuriy Pichugin, who recently suffered a stroke, ended up in a pretrial detention center.\nThe searches began around 6 am. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, personal notes, bank cards, cash and Bibles. Then the believers were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. Among them were three women who were later released. The next day, Mariya Tynyanaya, judge of the Kirovskiy District Court of the city of Tomsk, sent the four men into custody to detention center No.1 in the Tomsk Region.\nOn May 29, Captain of Justice Vyacheslav Lebedev, investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tomsk Region, initiated criminal cases under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC. On the same day, he combined them with the case of Pushkov and others. The believers are charged with holding conversations and participating in events with the aim of \u0026quot;involving citizens in the religious movement\u0026quot; of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. The case contains the testimony of a secret witness who was present at some meetings for worship.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/06/051044.html","regions":["tomsk"],"subtitle":"Two Foreign Citizens Among Those Detained","tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","282.2-2","health-risk"],"title":"New Wave of Searches in Tomsk.","type":"news"},{"body":"Igor Prityko is being interrogated as a suspect. The interrogation of the believer is conducted by Captain of Justice, Denis Yemelyanenko, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prityko in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan23/index.html#20250529","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Moscow, as part of this criminal case, a search is carried out in the morning in the apartment of a 71-year-old believer. The law enforcement officers seize electronic devices from her and question her about all the defendants in the case. She is taken for interrogation, after which she is released.\nIn the afternoon of the same day, law enforcement officers detain another believer, Tatyana Levitskaya, after a search. She is in a temporary detention facility awaiting a court decision on a preventive measure.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow","date":"2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow6/index.html#20250527","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Specialist Anatoly Borisovich Gurin, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language at Tver State University (teacher of Russian as a foreign language, translator from French), testifies at the hearing. He is asked about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. In his answers, he repeatedly refers to \"publicly available sources.\" When asked by one of the defendants what exactly he means, the specialist explains that \"we are talking about ordinary Russian media.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tolmazov and Others in Tver","date":"2025-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tver/index.html#20250516","regions":["tver"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor requests 6 years and 6 months in a general regime colony for Anton Kuzhelkov.\nThe state prosecutor also asks to impose on the defendant the obligation to reimburse the costs associated with conducting a comprehensive forensic examination in the amount of 500 thousand rubles. Earlier, the defendant's car was seized.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20250515","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["punishment-request","belongings-arrest","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Olga Griva, who conducted a religious forensic examination, is being interrogated. She admits that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia, but calls the actions of believers a continuation of the activities of the liquidated organization. According to the defense, the expert goes beyond his competence and gives a legal assessment of the actions of believers without having a legal education.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2025-05-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20250512","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of prosecution witnesses continues. The woman says that she was not allowed to tell her relatives where she was: \"I came home [from the interrogation] at 4 am, my relatives called the ambulance, the police, and whatever they could.\"\nAnother woman characterizes Roman Makhnev as a sympathetic person: \"My sockets sparkled, I could not use electrical appliances. I asked him, and he did everything.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-05-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20250506","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At two sessions, witnesses for the prosecution are interrogated - Svetlana Ogoreva's brother and his wife. From their testimony it becomes clear that they did not maintain relations with the defendant for more than 10 years. The defense emphasizes that their conclusions are based mainly on rumors and assumptions and relate to events before 2017.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy/index.html#20250501","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness \"Pastor\", who testified against Jehovah's Witnesses from Vyselki, is interrogated. \"For me, this person is absolutely positive,\" he says about the defendant and adds that he cannot say anything bad about her. The witness confirms that Nataliya participated in meetings for worship, and not in meetings of a legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Novoseletskaya in Vyselki","date":"2025-04-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki10/index.html#20250425","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The security forces detain Vladimir on the street while walking and take him to investigator Suleymanov for questioning. There the believer learns that he has been assigned a restriction measure in the form of a recognizance agreement. Later, when Vladimir returns home, his mobile phone is confiscated. The man shares that from the stress he experienced, his condition \"deteriorated sharply, his eyesight dropped.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaydyshev in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk4/index.html#20250421","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Department for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Tatarstan Airat Giniyatullin interrogates Robert Ishberdin and Sergey Starikov. Believers now act as accused. They take a recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2025-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20250418","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Professor of the Kuban State University, Doctor of Psychology Elena Belan is interrogated.\nDuring the interrogation, the expert's negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses was noticeable. For example, she calls Jehovah God \"an object of worship\" and, commenting on the study of foreign languages for the purpose of preaching, notes: \"You have to be so confused.\"\nAt the next hearing, the interrogation continues via video-conferencing. Next to the expert Belan is a public defender with copies of the case materials certified by the court.\nThe defense asks why there are 155 errors in the sources of quotations in its conclusion. The judge recalls that at the last hearing Belan claimed: there were no mistakes, and after the transfer of the conclusion, it is not known who did what with him. When the public defender asks Belan if this is her conclusion and signature at the end, she answers: \"Since this is a copy of the case file, it is not clear whether it is my signature or not. I did not sign a copy.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2025-04-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20250414","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin, senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, interrogates Olga Chebrak as a witness in the case of Oleg Postnikov. The investigator threatens the believer with prosecution under the article on refusal to testify due to the fact that she uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. He forces her to sign a consent to record a voice sample.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chebrak in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan27/index.html#20250409","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin, senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, interrogates Natalia Kocheva as a witness in the case of Oleg Postnikov. The investigator threatens the believer with prosecution under the article on refusal to testify due to the fact that the woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kocheva in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan28/index.html#20250409","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 8, 2025, the home of Viktor Velikov, 54, one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Solnechnogorsk, was searched, after which he was placed in a temporary detention facility for 2 days, and then in a pretrial detention center. He is a defendant in a case for financing the activity of an extremist organization.\nAt 6 a.m., Viktor and his wife heard a loud knock on the door. Opening it, they saw a local police officer, two law enforcement officers and testifying witnesses. The police officers behaved properly. According to them, they were looking for personal notes, Bibles and the Koran. Electronic devices and bank cards were confiscated from the believer. The search lasted about 2 hours, after which he was taken to the Savelovskiy Investigative Committee, where he was interrogated, charged under Article 282.3(1) of the RF CrC and detained.\nEarlier, in 2023, the home of Viktor Velikov had already been searched — back then police officers went to his place of work and took him home. They searched for any documents or electronic media that could mention Jehovah\u0026#39;s name or Bible terms. He was also interrogated in the Moscow Directorate of the Investigative Committee. According to available information, the new criminal case is related to the case against Aleksandr Serebryakov, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the court in December 2024 on similar charges.\nUpdate. On April 10, in Tver, as part of the criminal case against Viktor Velikov, a search was carried out at the home of Andrey Lukin and his wife. Law enforcement officers waited for them for 3 hours near their home. The actual search lasted about 2 hours, it was carried out by four officials who reported to Oleg Postnyy, senior detective for the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Tver Region. Electronic devices were seized from the believers. Andrey was taken to Moscow to the Savelovskiy Interdistrict Investigative Committee. After interrogation, he was placed in a temporary detention facility, and then, by decision of the Savelovskiy Court of Moscow, in pretrial detention center No. 7 \u0026ldquo;Kapotnya\u0026rdquo; until April 25, 2025. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-04-08T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/handcuffs.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/04/140859.html","regions":["moscow"],"subtitle":"Two Men Detained in Solnechnogorsk and Tver","tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","282.3-1","sizo"],"title":"Searches at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Again in the Moscow and Tver Regions.","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Denis Sushchenko charges Anatoliy Baranov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and interrogates him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2025-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20250402","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense petitions for the declassification of the identity of witness Lozhkin and his interrogation in the courtroom in the general order. The prosecutor objects, the judge refuses.\nThe court is remotely interrogating Lozhkin, who attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2019. He is confused in his testimony and asks to postpone the hearing due to a sharp deterioration in health. An ambulance is called for him. The meeting was postponed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Knyazev and Talipov in Izhevsk","date":"2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk3/index.html#20250331","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Olga May, who met Jehovah's Witnesses in the 1990s. The woman says that they are \"very good, decent and smiling people.\" During the interrogation, she admits that, at the request of the FSB, she recorded meetings for worship with the help of special equipment and transmitted the data to the investigating authorities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20250326","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A new suspect appears in the case - 57-year-old Anatoly Baranov, who was searched in December 2023. He is interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2025-03-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20250323","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons the Kosovs for questioning and presents them with a decision to bring them into custody. During the interrogation, the investigator asks if the couple know Albert Batchaev, whom he charged with extremism in 2020. Spouses are released on recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Kosovs in Cherkessk","date":"2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk6/index.html#20250320","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the defendants continues. Valeriy Khmil notes that the investigation calls the family children's holiday a meeting for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nSvetlana Vyrezkova, who has been married for over 30 years, responds to the accusation of calling for the rupture of kinship and family relations: \"I am a supporter of traditional family values, I am married, I have two daughters and a grandson. When and whose family did I encourage to break up? This has never happened!\"\nA similar thought is expressed by Aleksandr Popras: \"I have been married to my wife for 35 years and have never regretted it. We raised two children, instilled in them honesty, respect for elders, hard work. Now we have four grandchildren, and we also want them to grow up to be honest and useful to society.\"\nTatyana Morlang says: \"In my life, I am guided only by the Bible, and it teaches goodness, not hatred.\"\nAnd this is how Natalia Perekatiy explains her motives: \"When I read the Bible, sing songs about God or talk to someone... [about him], I do not and do not want to harm others. I want other people to live easier, so that they have hope.\"\nAleksandr Podolin emphasizes that he never had the goal of harming the state or its citizens.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20250320","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two witnesses in the case. One of them has never attended meetings of believers in Kingisepp and does not know the defendants personally. The second witness retracted part of the testimony given to the investigator earlier. He explained this by the fact that he was not ready for the interrogation and was taken by surprise, and much in the affidavit was taken out of context and attributed to him.\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2025-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20250319","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Baltachev presents Elena Mironova with a decision to initiate a criminal case, interrogates her as a suspect and takes her on her recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mironova in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk12/index.html#20250318","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, Aleksandr Popov draws attention to the fact that he is accused of participating in meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses, at which believers pray together, discuss the Bible and sing religious songs. The prosecution calls such meetings meetings of members of a legal entity. However, the charter of the liquidated organization states that such a canonical meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses is not part of its structure. Aleksandr also points out that there is not a single proof in the case file that he was guided by the motive of enmity and hatred in his religious activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Kovrov","date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov5/index.html#20250318","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Kolpinsky District Court of St. Petersburg, witnesses for the defense are being questioned via video conferencing. Anton Kuzhelkov's father-in-law characterizes him as a kind, honest person who respects government officials and observes the law. When asked by the lawyer whether the defendant is prone to violence, he answers: \"No, this has never happened. I communicate frankly with my daughter, and she would share it if there was such behavior.\"\nAnother witness, who has known Anton and his family for many years, says: \"I can say that he is a good and caring husband, son, friend. When we first met, I was touched by his determination not to take up arms and his desire to serve in another legal way—in the nursing home, where he cared for the elderly. Not every young person is capable of this.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2025-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20250314","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the defendants begins. As Sergey Kretov explains, he is a deeply religious man, and his convictions do not allow him to cultivate hatred towards people with other religious views.\nYevgeniy Reshetnikov comments on the evidence presented by the prosecution and points out that the investigation collected only facts about the ordinary life of believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20250313","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, the former investigator A. Garmash, who was in charge of the case of Ushakov and other believers, is interrogated. The defense shows him the protocol of the interrogation of the \"Shepherd\", which was drawn up by Latysh in the case of Gadrshina, and asks him to compare it with his own. Garmash notes that the protocols are similar, including errors. According to the defense, this confirms that the Latvian did not interrogate the witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20250313","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Galyamov, who said that he was a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church and the head of the religious education department of the Amur diocese. He is not personally acquainted with the defendants and is not an eyewitness to the circumstances of the criminal case. He says that he studied the materials of the criminal case at the request of the investigation and gave a theological conclusion. He considers the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses to be incorrect because they do not agree with the point of view of the Russian Orthodox Church.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2025-03-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20250307","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head teacher of the school where Anna Matveeva has been working for about 20 years is being interrogated. She characterizes the believer as a professional teacher with an individual approach. The witness says: \"Anna Nikolaevna has a diploma from the city methodological community, she was also awarded a diploma of the legislative assembly of the region, has a letter of gratitude from the Ministry of the Russian Federation. In 2021, Anna Nikolaevna took 2nd place in Russia in the all-Russian competition... she was presented with this award in the small hall of the State Duma... For many years, she led a methodological community in the city for working with children with individual developmental disorders. She is a mentor to young teachers... This year, a specialist, a girl brought up, so to speak, by Anna Nikolaevna, showed herself at the city competition \"Teacher of the Year\". And in the nomination \"Discovery of the Year\" she was the leader.\nShe continues: \"Relations with all colleagues are pleasant. Anna Nikolaevna is always positive, when you need support, prompt, no one is afraid to ask her for help.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2025-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20250306","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness under the pseudonym Fedorov is interrogated. The defense petitions for the disclosure of the identity of the witness, pointing to the absence of a real threat and the need for visual observation for a full-fledged interrogation. The court rejects the petition.\nFedorov says that he knows Jehovah's Witnesses from Krasnoyarsk and knows about believers from Lesosibirsk by hearsay. He does not know Andrey Shiyan and Anna Matveeva. According to the witness, he did not receive any threats from the believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20250304","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the secret witness Andreev. The defense and the defendants file a motion to declassify it and ask for interrogation in the courtroom. According to Ivan Neverov, this is necessary, since during the trial it was obvious that the secret witnesses had repeatedly testified according to the instructions received.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Neverov and Others in Saransk","date":"2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk2/index.html#20250303","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["secret-witness","first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge allocates a spacious hall for hearings. A secret prosecution witness appears at the hearing. The defense filed a motion for its declassification, but the court refused. The interrogation takes place on the radio.\nThe witness claims that she does not know the defendant personally, but heard about her from another woman. According to a secret witness, the defendant allegedly coordinated meetings, distributed speeches and handed over literature. At the same time, the witness does not hide his negative attitude towards the defense: he answers the question with a question, addresses the lawyer in a raised voice. However, she is forced to admit that she has not heard any extremist calls from Bratseva.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20250227","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Candidate of Philosophical Sciences Grigory Illarionov, who carried out an examination in the case of Shiyan, Matveeva and other believers from Lesosibirsk, is being interrogated. Illarionov talks about his vision of the history and structure of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. He says that only legal entities are banned in Russia, but not faith itself.\nThe next to be questioned is specialist Alla Kepchatova, who conducted a psychological and linguistic study. From the materials presented, she concludes that the participants in the conversations consider themselves to be Jehovah's Witnesses. She calls the discussion of the Bible as part of online meetings for worship, where only the believers themselves were present, as propaganda.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20250226","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"According to the prosecution, the fact that the defendants paid utility bills for a worship building that was not used for its intended purpose after the ban on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia proves that the believers were engaged in financing the activities of an extremist organization. To confirm this, prosecution witnesses are interrogated in court for several months - employees of the water utility, the municipal waste management service and power grids. Witnesses either cannot identify the defendants or do not confirm the connection between the payment of utility bills and extremist activities.\nAt one of the meetings, FSB officers Latyshev and Interior Ministry officers Yatsenko are interrogated. They believe that all believers carried out illegal activities only because they are Jehovah's Witnesses. And the fact that the worship building was cleaned and order was maintained allegedly means that the activities of the extremist organization continued.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20250225","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant testifies. Among other things, he draws the court's attention to the fact that the psychological and religious examination did not reveal in his words any propaganda of exclusivity, superiority, inferiority of a person on the basis of sex, race, nationality, language, origin, attitude to religion, membership in any social group.\nCommenting on the testimony of a prosecution witness who said that a person cannot remain Jehovah's Witness if his or her spouse does not profess this religion, the believer emphasizes: \"Love and respect are what God expects in families, regardless of whether the husband and wife are of the same faith or different. My mother is an example of this. She is a Christian and professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. And her husband, my father, is a Muslim. They've been happily married for 30 years.\"\n38 people come to the hearing to support the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20250224","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A 70-year-old prosecution witness is interrogated, who tells how the night interrogation in the FSB went. \"My blood pressure rose, the letters blurred,\" the man recalls. \"One asks, the other walks, handcuffs him over his head and says: 'Stop messing with him, pack him up and take him, there he will tell you everything - what is necessary and what is not necessary.'\"\nThe court asks the witness to characterize the accused. He answers: \"In my life, I have met very few such people. They are highly moral people. I know very well how they treat their parents, how they take care of their families. This is rare.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20250224","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 22, 2025, the homes of two families of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were searched in the cities of Slavgorod and Yarovoye (Altai Territory). The believers were interrogated and then released.\nThe investigative measures were carried out as part of a criminal case initiated on December 25, 2024 under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC (participating in the activity of an extremist organization). The searches were led by Margarita Chupina, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory. FSB and police officers searched for digital media, mobile devices, computers and religious literature.\nThe first search began early in the morning in the house of Alik Yeliseyev, 33, and his wife and lasted about 5 hours. Entering the house, the law enforcement officers knocked the man down. Not finding what they were looking for, the law enforcement officers began threatening the believers that they would tear up the floors and smash the wall. Eventually, they seized computers, phones, flash cards, a hard drive and Bibles from the couple.\nThe house of Sergey Barsukov, 52, and his wife was searched in the afternoon. At the demand of law enforcement officers, the couple handed over electronic devices and two Bibles. They also confiscated their personal notes and letters.\nThis is already the eighth criminal case against Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the Altai Territory. Three men were sentenced to prison terms from 3 to 6 years.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-02-22T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/03/040924.html","regions":["altaisky"],"subtitle":"Case Initiated on Suspicion of Extremism","tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","interrogation"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Searched at Border with Kazakhstan.","type":"news"},{"body":"The defendants again petition for the declassification of the identity of witness Semyonova, because the witness herself during interrogation in court confirmed that there were no threats, violence or other actions against her that would cause reasonable fears about security. Moreover, interrogation in such a mode, according to Neverov, deprives the defendants of the opportunity to ask questions that help to identify false testimony on the part of the witness. The court does not accept these arguments and refuses to satisfy the petition.\nTwo witnesses for the prosecution are being questioned via videoconferencing. Among them is Sergey Vlasov, who had previously participated in another trial of believers in Saransk. Then his identity was also initially classified, but later the court declassified Vlasov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Neverov and Others in Saransk","date":"2025-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk2/index.html#20250221","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, Vladlena Kukavitsa refutes the arguments of the prosecution and states that the investigation attributed the wrong motives to her. For example, the prosecution claims that in 2004 Vladlena Kukavica became a member of the legal entity of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, this is not possible as she was only 14 years old at the time.\nThe defendant believes that she acted within the framework of the law: \"Every person, in addition to physical needs, also has spiritual ones. And the state has taken this into account at the legislative level. Therefore, no one can deprive me of the right to satisfy my need to believe in God, to pray, to read the Bible and to tell others about what is written in it.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan20/index.html#20250220","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the secret witness Semyonova. The defense files a motion to declassify it.\nThe defense lawyer, addressing the court, says: \"This is not the first time I have participated in this kind of cases and I draw attention to the fact that this is really the most harmless confession that exists. Nevertheless, the defendants are being charged under the most serious article.\"\nThe court denies the motion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Neverov and Others in Saransk","date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk2/index.html#20250220","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["secret-witness","first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a classified prosecution witness. The lawyer reads out a motion to disclose the identity of the witness, since there were no threats or illegal actions on the part of the accused, and they are characterized as exemplary and peace-loving people. The judge asks for the opinion of the prosecutor, who is categorically against the disclosure of the identity of the witness and visual interrogation. The witness is interrogated by the judge in another room. The defence is not allowed to speak to him, and the lawyer passes his questions through the judge, who has to go from the courtroom to another room and back again to get answers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20250218","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 30 people are present at the first hearing. The defendants say they do not consider themselves guilty. Ivan Neverov notes that the essence of the accusation boils down to participation in worship services via video link. He emphasizes: \"The prosecutor did not take into account the fundamentals of Christianity, to which Jehovah's Witnesses belong. From the very beginning of their existence, Christians have kept in touch with each other and held joint worship services with common prayers and the singing of spiritual songs.\" Mikhail Shevchuk agrees with Neverov's arguments and adds that he professes his faith following the example of Jesus Christ.\nBoth believers note that the accusation does not contain any indications of extremism in their actions. Similar statements are made during the interrogation of witnesses. For example, Murlaev, an employee of the Center for Counteracting Extremism, talks about the infiltration of two informants into a group of believers and notes that during the years of operational-search activities, he has not heard any extremist calls from the defendants.\nAnother witness, a 78-year-old man, retracts his testimony to the investigator and states that he did not say what is recorded in it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Neverov and Others in Saransk","date":"2025-02-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk2/index.html#20250214","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Karelia Viktor Petrov is conducting a search of a woman who is a witness in the Timofeev case. After the search, the woman is interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20250212","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses who are familiar with the religious beliefs of the defendants are being questioned. They emphasize the fundamental difference between the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and its legal form, LRO, insisting that the religion is not associated with an organization recognized as extremist and does not contain any calls for violence or violation of the law.\nOne of the prosecution witnesses characterizes the defendants as follows: \"They are sympathetic people, law-abiding, always ready to help.\" Two witnesses retract their testimony given during the investigation, citing severe stress during the interrogation. One of them declares: \"Now I am speaking in my right mind and clear memory - this is the truth.\"\n40 people came to support the believers, but 13 are allowed into the courtroom. Court staff are surprised by the size of the support group.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20250211","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the 5-hour meeting, witnesses for the prosecution are interrogated. The first is an operative who participated in the search activities against Brattseva and was present during the search in her home. He notes that he did not hear threats or insults from the woman.\nNext, four elderly women are interrogated, the eldest of whom is almost 80 years old. They give a positive characteristic of the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20250206","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned in court for several sessions. The testimonies of two more people are read out, since they have already died. Many of those interrogated have known Roman and Dmitriy for more than 20 years and have never heard extremist statements from them. In particular, one of the witnesses characterizes the defendants as decent, benevolent and moral people without bad habits.\nAnother witness states that he does not know Makhnev and Kuzin, and during the search, law enforcement officers at gunpoint forced him to sign blank forms of the interrogation protocol.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2025-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20250201","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of psychologist Ekaterina Zabelina and religious scholar Andrey Konyuchenko. The latter notes that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia, and their joint meetings for worship are a common way of expressing religious beliefs.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20250130","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An inspection of the apartment of Nikolay and Larisa Kosov is underway, in which 5 people participate. Law enforcers confiscate believers' laptops, phones and personal records. At this time, Larisa's daughter is also at home. After that, the three believers are taken for interrogation to the Center for Combating Extremism. They enjoy the right not to testify against themselves and their loved ones. The interrogation is being conducted by investigators Umar Salpogarov and Sergey Dolzhenko.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Kosovs in Cherkessk","date":"2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk6/index.html#20250130","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["inspection","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of E. A. Oncheva. She says she doesn't remember where she bought the recorder, who taught her how to use it, or where it went.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fomin in Cherkessk","date":"2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk4/index.html#20250129","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor's office, investigator Roman Latysh is interrogated. The defense is interested in how he was able to listen to 63 hours of meetings for worship in 2 hours and draw up a 300-page protocol. During the interrogation, it turns out that the investigator copied data from similar cases against believers in Vyselki.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Penskaya in Vyselki","date":"2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki5/index.html#20250128","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Roman Latysh, the investigator who led the case. The defense believes that he made several falsifications. The lawyer asks him how it is possible to look through 23 discs with video recordings lasting 63 hours in three hours and compile 300 sheets of transcripts on them. \"These are my ways of examining objects and documents,\" the investigator answers.\nThe defense also notes that the protocol of the interrogation of the secret witness \"Pastor\", which was carried out by Latysh, coincides word for word with the protocol of interrogation conducted by another investigator, A. Garmash, in a similar case in Vyselki. To this, the Latvian replies that he does not remember the circumstances of the interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20250128","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Valeria Suvorova, who from July to September 2022 participated in the OPM and for this purpose communicated with Vladlena on biblical topics. Suvorova states that Vladlena was the initiator of the discussion of the Bible with her, and she herself agreed to this \"out of curiosity.\" She had never heard any calls for violence or extremist statements from the defendant.\nThe defendant states that witness Suvorova gives false testimony and can confirm this at the next court hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan20/index.html#20250123","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the prosecution are being interrogated. One of them is Raisa Permyakova, born in 1939. Due to her advanced age, vision and hearing problems, the woman has difficulty understanding the questions she is asked. According to her, Olga Kalinnikova and Larisa Potapova periodically came to her, discussed the Bible and helped around the house. Around August 2017, she was approached by an FSB officer who installed a hidden camera in her home. Answering questions from the defense, the woman admits that Potapova and Kalinnikova did not urge her to hate anyone or use violence.\nPermyakova's neighbor is interrogated, who knew that Potapova and Kalinnikova came to her and helped her. According to her, they did not cause any harm to the elderly woman.\nAnother prosecution witness says that he once talked to the defendants, but does not remember in what year. In his opinion, Jehovah's Witnesses are banned in Russia. The man did not like that the defendants were talking to local residents about the Bible, and he began to collect information about them.\nAnother witness to the accusation, Dmitry Kovtun, who previously testified in the case of Roman Gumenyuk, claims that he does not know Kalinnikova and Popova personally. According to him, he identified them in the photographs shown to him during interrogation by the FSB, as he saw women at online meetings for worship. To this, Olga Kalinnikova states that she was not present at them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalinnikova and Potapova in Kurilsk","date":"2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurilsk/index.html#20250123","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of January 23, 2025, in Vladikavkaz and the village of Nogir (Republic of North Ossetia—Alania), representatives of the intelligence services inspected the homes of three families of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. A criminal case has been initiated.\nAt about 6 a.m., 15 people arrived at the apartment of one of the believers. The senior investigator leading the inspection of the home explained that the reason was that the family belonged to the religion of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Electronic equipment and a Bible were confiscated from the family. After interrogations, the believers were released.\nAs part of the criminal case, the home of another family from Vladikavkaz was inspected. The investigative actions lasted about 10 hours and were carried out by 10 people, 4 of whom were armed. The law enforcement officers behaved appropriately, allowed the family to have breakfast, and carefully returned things to their place.\nAt the home of a family of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the village of Nogir, law enforcement officers inspected not only the house, but also the car, vegetable garden and place of work. The law enforcement officers acted respectfully. The believer\u0026#39;s blood pressure rose due to the stress.\nIn 2022, some believers from Vladikavkaz already faced detention and interrogation on similar charges.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/01/291048.html","regions":["osetia"],"subtitle":"Law Enforcement Officers Inspected the Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses","tags":["inspection","new-case","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"Criminal Case for Faith Has Been Initiated in Vladikavkaz.","type":"news"},{"body":"Early in the morning, Vasily and Irina Shishkin are searched. After that, the believers are taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. There, the couple learn that they have been followed for two years, and a wiretapping has been installed in their house.\nA criminal case was opened against Vasiliy under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization), he was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. Investigative actions are led by the senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Prokopyevsk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass Rafig Gambarov.\n","caseTitle":"The Shishkin Case in Prokopyevsk","date":"2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk4/index.html#20250121","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Emelianenko interrogates Artamonov and Krushevsky and charges them with participation in the activities of an extremist organization and involvement in it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Krushevskiy and Artamonov in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan21/index.html#20250115","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["282.2-1.1","282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal investigation officers come to Ilya Yershov's home and take him to the police station. There he is informed that he is wanted because he allegedly stopped \"getting in touch\" with the investigator of the Investigative Committee, does not live by registration, does not appear on summonses. According to Yershov, he has not received any calls or summonses from the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region, and he lives at his former place of registration.\nThen the man is photographed, fingerprints are checked, sneaker prints are photographed, biomaterial is taken and taken to the Investigative Committee, where he is summoned to report.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20250114","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Khutova, who works in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as an interrogator. She reports that her mother, E. A. Oncheva, had been in contact with Jehovah's Witnesses on Bible topics for some time. According to Khutova, her mother asked her to rewrite the recordings of such conversations from the dictaphone onto a CD. These recordings formed the basis of the accusation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fomin in Cherkessk","date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk4/index.html#20250113","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who previously attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses is being questioned via videoconferencing. He gives a positive characterization of the defendant and says that Andrei Sazonov is not associated with extremism. In his testimony, he says that Jehovah's Witnesses encourage to lead a healthy lifestyle, do not smoke, do not abuse alcohol, and go in for sports.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2024-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20241227","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Not far from Novorossiysk, traffic police officers stop a car in which Dmitry Mladov is traveling with his wife. They are taken to the anti-extremism department for interrogation. The man is searched and sent to a temporary detention facility in the city of Taldoma (Moscow region), 1,600 km from Novorossiysk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mladov and Inkina in Dubna","date":"2024-12-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dubna/index.html#20241223","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["ivs","search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Denis Polikarpov, who previously attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses. In the fall of 2018, he began to transmit video and audio recordings of meetings with believers to the FSB and the police. When asked whether Polikarpov can give examples of any extremist statements by Khamatshin, he finds it difficult to answer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2024-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20241219","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, searches are carried out at the homes of four families in Dubna and the nearby village of Zaprudne. At least five people were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee in the city of Dmitrov and soon released.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mladov and Inkina in Dubna","date":"2024-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dubna/index.html#20241219","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","282.2-2","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A series of searches and interrogations of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses took place from 19- 23 December 2024, in Dubna and the village of Zaprudnya near Moscow, as well as in the Krasnodar Territory. At least two people were detained on charges for extremism. One of them still remains behind bars.\nIn the Moscow Region, searches began on Thursday, December 19, at 5:30 a.m., and affected four families. At least five people were taken for interrogation to the Directorate of the Investigative Committee in Dmitrov. According to the believers, the investigators pressured them, insisting that they sign a waiver to participate in the court proceedings for the recognition of the searches as lawful. Everyone except Galina Inkina was released shortly after. The next day, the court imposed on her a preventive measure that was not related to detention. The believer was fitted with a tracking bracelet.\nDmitriy Mladov, 45, a resident of Novorossiysk, was detained by law enforcement officers four days later in the Krasnodar Territory. Traffic police officers stopped the car in which Dmitriy was traveling with his wife. After checking their documents, they took them for interrogation to the department for counteracting extremism. He was searched, after which he was taken to the Moscow Region and placed in a temporary detention facility in the town of Taldom.\nTwo weeks earlier, five believers had been arrested as a result of searches in Moscow and the Moscow Region. Thus, the total number of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses facing criminal prosecution for their faith in Moscow and the Moscow Region has exceeded 25.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-12-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/12/260909.html","regions":["moscow_obl","krasnodar"],"subtitle":"Elderly Woman from Moscow Region and Resident of Novorossiysk are Prosecuted for Their Faith","tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","282.2-2"],"title":"Further Raids Against Jehovah's Witnesses.","type":"news"},{"body":"Pavel Boyko, a religious scholar whose expertise has already been used in court cases against other Jehovah's Witnesses in the Krasnodar Territory, is being questioned.\nThe defense draws attention to a number of violations committed by him. In particular, Boyko selectively studied the materials provided by the investigator, while using extraneous data to compile an examination. In addition, the expert changed the quotations at his discretion.\nBoyko declares that God's name, Jehovah, is used only by Jehovah's Witnesses. However, in response to the arguments of the defense, he is forced to agree that this name is also present in a number of Orthodox translations of the Bible.\nBoyko admits that some of his conclusions about Jehovah's Witnesses are based on his own subjective opinion. The expert states that he does not consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be Christians, since they do not teach about the Trinity. To this, the defense cites quotes from prominent religious scholars Artur Artemyev and Nikolay Gordienko, who claim the opposite, and declare the incompetence of Pavel Boyko. It is noteworthy that the expert cited the works of these religious scholars in the list of scientific literature he used, but came to the opposite conclusions.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2024-12-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20241218","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Artem Demidov, who conducted covert video filming of meetings for worship, characterizes the defendant as a sympathetic, helpful person, an athlete, and also adds: \"You are a super-person, you should be looked up to!\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20241210","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 5, 2024, at least eight homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were searched in Moscow and Lyubertsy near Moscow. In one of the cases, the law enforcement officers used force. Five believers — Zaur Murtuzov, Daria Petrochenko, Liliana Korol, Larisa Kislaya, and Oksana Ivanova — were sent to a temporary detention facility. A criminal case has been initiated.\nUpdate. By a court decision, Zaur Murtuzov, Liliana Korol and Darya Petrochenko were placed in a pretrial detention center, Larisa Kislaya and Oksana Ivanova under house arrest. In the early morning, officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB, accompanied by the National Guard and SOBR, broke into the houses of believers, after waking them up with loud knocks on the door. In some apartments, law enforcement officers (numbering from five to eight people, some of them wearing masks and with weapons) broke down the doors using crowbars and sledgehammers. According to one of the believers, in her case the testifying witnesses turned out to be police.\nAccording to eyewitnesses, the officers demanded they unlock phones and laptops, provide access to correspondence, threatening them with criminal prosecution and detention. The officers beat one believer on the head and stomach and broke his nose. During the searches, passports for travel abroad,electronic devices, flash drives, hard drives, notebooks, cards, photographs, Bibles, religious books and a Bible atlas were seized. The searches lasted from 2 to 5 hours.\nFive believers were taken to the Investigative Department for the Southern Administrative District of Moscow, interrogated, and later placed in a temporary detention facility. On the same day, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Y. S. Shumilova,investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow, charged Zaur Murtuzov with participating in the activity of an extremist organization and involving others in it. This is how the investigation interprets conversations on Bible topics with a woman (Olga Grigoryeva), who for two years pretended to be interested in the Holy Scriptures.\nTo date, 19 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have been convicted for their faith in Moscow and the Moscow Region, 7 of them are serving time in penal colonies.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-12-06T17:16:03+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/12/061716.html","regions":["moscow","moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["siloviks-violence","search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"title":"New Wave of Searches of Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow and the Moscow Region","type":"news"},{"body":"Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kisla, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov are charged under \"extremist\" articles.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow","date":"2024-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow6/index.html#20241205","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer participates in hearings in two courts. At 9 a.m., the Kostroma Regional Court considers the believer's complaint about the extension of his detention. The measure of restraint remains the same.\nLess than an hour later, Dmitriy is already participating in a session of the district court, where he continues to testify.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2024-12-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20241204","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","appeal","sizo","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Terebilov states that Roman Lazarev himself expressed a desire to communicate with him and at the same time, as it turned out, kept an audio recording of all conversations starting from the very first one.\nCommenting on Lazarev's testimony that he urged him to stop smoking and swearing, Dmitriy says: \"Since when has it become a sign of involvement in a religious organization to tell a person that the Bible condemns smoking and swearing?\"\nTerebilov also notes that the investigation considered letters from sympathetic people as evidence of his guilt. \"What is criminal in sharing one's thoughts about God, discussing some passage from the Bible, some scientific or historical fact?\" he asks the court. He quotes the words of the censor of the colony, who was previously interrogated in court: \"I myself was interested in some articles about animals and miracles. The letters did not contain any calls to incite hatred and enmity. There were no insults. All the letters were friendly.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2024-12-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20241203","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness is interrogated, whom the judge refuses to declassify. He says that he has been invited to the court \"to give a truthful assessment of the testimony on biblical points.\" As it turns out, the witness attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The man speaks negatively about this religion in general and cites a number of facts that do not correspond to reality. For example, he claims that believers do not drink wine, do not marry for love, do not go to the theater, and forbid children to read the works of Ivan Turgenev.\nAt the same time, answering questions from the defense, the witness admits that he did not hear any statements at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses inciting religious discord or promoting the superiority or inferiority of citizens on the basis of attitude to religion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2024-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20241128","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Several witnesses during interrogation say that they never heard the defendants call for terrorism or advocate the superiority of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses over others. On the contrary, the services discussed why it is important to be at peace with all people and to respect the authority of the state.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20241128","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The examination of witnesses for the prosecution shows that the testimony of one of the women differs significantly from what is recorded in the investigator's report.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk","date":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk3/index.html#20241127","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The next prosecution witness is being questioned via videoconferencing, who claims that in 2017 he saw Andrey Sazonov talking to people on biblical topics. At the same time, a witness cannot identify a believer in the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20241127","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness tells the court that after the ban on legal entities in 2017, the defendants continued to meet at their homes to discuss the Bible. When asked by the prosecutor whether there were calls to extremism at the worship meetings, the witness explains: \"If there had been such calls, such a parishioner would have been expelled from the congregation.\" He also emphasizes that \"it was a peaceful gathering.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2024-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20241119","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness is interrogated, who acts under the pseudonym Vasily Sergeevich Dudka. He describes meetings for worship as meetings of believers at which prayers were read, the Bible was studied, and songs were sung. Of Demidova, he says that she was engaged in \"recruiting new members,\" but he cannot name a single person whom she would have recruited.\nThe court refuses to satisfy the defense's motion to declassify the witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2024-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20241112","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vitaliy Manuilov testifies in court and emphasizes that Jehovah's Witnesses have a legal right to worship together and to profess their faith. According to Vitaliy, the prosecution's actions demand \"renunciation of faith and nullify the explanations of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Manuylov in Barnaul","date":"2024-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul5/index.html#20241107","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four prosecution witnesses are being questioned, three of whom are not acquainted with Andrey Sazonov. A woman who used to attend meetings for worship indicates that the testimony she gave during the investigation is not true.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2024-11-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20241106","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Pastor\" who attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses from the 1990s to the 2010s. To one of the questions, he answers: \"For him [the defendant] to say that other religions are bad, I, for example, did not hear these phrases from him.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Spirichev in Vyselki","date":"2024-11-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki4/index.html#20241101","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer testifies. He notes that the investigation did not prove his \"motives of enmity and hatred\", did not find a single victim, and the prosecution witnesses did not know him personally, so they could not say anything on the merits.\nOleg Sakun says that the prosecution ascribes to him a criminal intent aimed at continuing the activities of an extremist organization, while he simply took part in the worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses. As an example, the defendant cites an outerwear factory, which is a legal entity, which went bankrupt and ceased its activities in the country. The defendant asks: \"Can it be concluded that former factory workers cannot sew clothes for their own needs or for the needs of other people? Will their actions be considered a continuation of the activities of the legal entity?\" The believer emphasizes that this example clearly illustrates that the liquidation of the legal entity \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\" has nothing to do with the peaceful religious services of the individuals of whose participation he is accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sakun in Kovrov","date":"2024-10-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov6/index.html#20241029","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is postponed: Lydia Nekrasova is ill, and Andrey Kharlamov is in rehabilitation (in December 2023, he underwent hip replacement surgery).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20241028","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret prosecution witness under the pseudonym Pastor, whose testimony appears in the cases of several other Jehovah's Witnesses from the village of Vyselki, is being interrogated. He does not know the defendant Penskaya personally and cannot confirm the fact of her presence at meetings for worship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Penskaya in Vyselki","date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki5/index.html#20241028","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the prosecution witness, who is a relative of Valeriy Khmil. He says that he did not know what faith Valeriy was, and did not hear that Valeriy expressed hostility towards people of other religions. Of the defendants, the witness recognizes only Sergey Kretov, to whom he once turned on electrical issues.\nDeputy Prosecutor Nikiforov finished presenting all the evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2024-10-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20241024","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are being questioned. Both women describe Aleksandr as a respectful, kind and sympathetic person. A neighbor of the defendant says: \"The whole street is for you, we will all sign it.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Davydenko in Pavlovskaya","date":"2024-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya4/index.html#20241023","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Linguistic expert E. A. Savina and the wife of the defendant Olesya Gumenyuk are interrogated.\nThe believer makes written notes. He states that he has never tried to undermine the foundations of the constitutional order or public security. \"Have you found at least one victim and deceiver in this case? Roman says. \"Even the main witness for the prosecution, Kovtun, said at the confrontation: 'I know this man, I have no animosity.' It is clear from the case file that he did not suffer any damage and did not have any problems through my fault. On the contrary, my wife and I treated him as friends.\"\nCommenting on the testimony of Dmytro Kovtun, who kept secret audio and video recordings of their conversations, Gumenyuk states that he never urged him to give up alcohol, sports and psychotherapeutic help.\nThe court shall attach to the case file the defendant's written notes and testimonies from the place of study.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov","date":"2024-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/korsakov/index.html#20241022","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness, Anatoly Zaostrovsky, is being interrogated under the pseudonym Aleksandr Anisimov. During the interrogation, it turns out that the witness does not see the difference between the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and a legal entity that was liquidated in 2017. In his opinion, being an adherent of the creed and being part of a legal entity are the same thing. The witness admits that he is not aware that the Supreme Court did not consider the legality of the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n\"Anisimov\" speaks positively of Klokov, although he claims that he does not know him personally, only seeing him at services that he has attended since 2015. The witness says that he does not see any threat to himself from Klokov, but refuses to answer the lawyer's question about the reasons for the secrecy.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klokov in Barnaul","date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul4/index.html#20241016","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Andrey Bannykh, answering the lawyer's questions, says that he has been practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses since 1995, and after the liquidation of the Local Religious Organization in 2017, he did not cease to be a believer.\nIn his testimony, Andrei Kozhushko drew attention to the fact that the \"divine services examined by the court are of a peaceful nature... do not pose any threat to society and the state, and even more so do not have signs of hatred, violence and extremism.\"\nPavel Loshchinin says that he has never been brought to criminal or administrative responsibility: \"I am a law-abiding citizen and would never participate in any illegal activity.\"\nPositive references, awards and diplomas of believers are announced.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhushko and Others in Lesnoy","date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesnoy/index.html#20241016","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Leonid Petrov, who is confused about the issue of acquaintance with the defendant. Aleksey Pasynkov himself says that he does not know this man and his testimony is a lie.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20241016","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Mikhailov charges Aleksey Ovchar and interrogates him again.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ovchar in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy3/index.html#20241016","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the lawyer, the court examines a fragment of a magazine published by Jehovah's Witnesses seized during the search of Ketov's home. \"This article and the biblical principles from it encourage us to respect the state, to respect the laws of the country,\" the believer emphasizes. \"I would like to add that I have dedicated my life to God and pledged myself to fulfill his laws and requirements.\"\nThe court is clarifying the circumstances of the interrogation of a prosecution witness who had previously stated pressure from the investigation. The law enforcement officer Belov, who conducted the interrogation, denies this. He says that the witness signed the protocol, but did not express any concerns.\nAleksandr Ketov is being interrogated. He states that the testimony of the key prosecution witness is untrue. The witness based his statements on the words of three other people, but at the confrontation their testimony differed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20241016","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator V. V. Mikhailov resumes the investigation against Aleksey Ovchar. He is being questioned as a suspect and his wife as a witness in the case. The investigator takes a recognizance agreement from the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ovchar in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2024-10-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy3/index.html#20241015","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"One of the witnesses says that she knows Aleksandr Voronchikhin and knows him only from the positive side. She is not personally acquainted with the other defendants. After the prosecutor asks to confirm the testimony she gave earlier at the preliminary investigation, the witness replies that he cannot confirm it due to significant discrepancies.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2024-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20241014","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lydia Nekrasova testifies in court. She is perplexed: \"I am accused of a crime that I did not commit. I did not join any extremist groups, did not incite religious hatred in anyone, and especially did not use any violence against anyone.\" The believer continues: \"I do not understand why I, a peaceful person, am presented today as a dangerous criminal for society. It hurts me a lot.\"\nThe court attaches to the case file the positive references of Lydia Nekrasova from the nursing home for the elderly and disabled, where she worked as a nurse for 14 years, as well as from her neighbors.\nThe next defendant, Andrey Kharlamov, emphasizes during the interrogation: \"The prosecution has no facts that I committed any illegal actions.\" As an argument, he cites the conclusion of the FSB expert Shakhova. After examining the records of 10 worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses in Syktyvkar, she came to the conclusion that \"extremism has not been identified.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20241014","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 11, 2024, the home of a Jehovah\u0026#39;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.\nEarly 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.\nIn Kazan, six Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution, with four of them sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 6.5 years.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-10-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/10/220837.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":"Home of a Large Family of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kazan Was Searched","tags":["search","interrogation","minors","families"],"title":"Handcuffs, Insults, and Intimidation.","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym Pastor. The defense draws attention to the fact that the witness personally attended the meetings for worship mentioned in the case file, his name is mentioned in the transcript, and his face can be seen on the videos. The defense filed a petition to declassify the identity of the Pastor, but the court refused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2024-10-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20241010","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kerch are searched, after which they are interrogated and released.\nBurik was placed in a temporary detention center and charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Burik in Kerch","date":"2024-10-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kerch2/index.html#20241009","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of October 9, 2024, law enforcement officers searched at least ten addresses of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Kerch (Crimea). A criminal case was initiated against Vitaliy Burik, 53, for organizing the activity of an extremist organization. After 2 days in a temporary detention facility, he was placed under house arrest.\nBurik was detained at his workplace in the boiler house. The law enforcement officers broke into the premises, cutting the thick chain on the gate, and took the believer home for the search. In addition, they searched the apartment and two garages belonging to Burik\u0026#39;s relatives.\nThe law enforcement officers also searched the home of Artem Shabliy, who had previously been convicted under an article for extremism because he is one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Other families raided by law enforcement officers this morning, have also been searched in the past because of their religion.\nThe raid on the houses of believers was carried out by investigators of the local department of the Investigative Committee, accompanied by armed special forces from Simferopol. In some cases, the law enforcement officers behaved rudely and demanded passwords for electronic devices. Digital equipment was seized from the believers, then they were taken for interrogation. After 4 p.m., everyone except Vitaliy Burik was released.\nThe criminal case against the believer under Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC is being conducted by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Crimea. The search warrant was issued by the Kievskiy District Court of Simferopol.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-10-09T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/10/150821.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"A New Criminal Case for Faith Was Initiated","tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"In Kerch Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched.","type":"news"},{"body":"The judge interrogates the defendants. Lyubov Ovchinnikova and Lyubov Kocherova make written notes and express their disagreement with the accusations. It is recalled that the constitutional right to freedom of religion cannot be a crime. They also draw attention to the fact that they have never been members of the banned legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, and the very fact of this ban does not deprive them of the right to read the Bible privately.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-10-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20241008","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two prosecution witnesses, one of whom is an FSB officer. The judge selectively reads out the case file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov","date":"2024-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/korsakov/index.html#20241001","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym Pastor. The court rejects the defense's request for an ordinary interrogation.\nThe secret witness says that he voluntarily studied the Bible in the early 1990s and attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to him, he met the defendants in the worship building during a Christian meeting.\nWhen asked by the lawyer whether he received threats of murder, violence or destruction of property from the defendants and their fellow believers, the secret witness answers in the negative. During the interrogation, he shows that he has a personal animosity towards Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2024-09-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20240930","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Valery Ilchenko, a special services agent who also testified against Lyudmila Shchekoldina and Maxim Beltikov, is being interrogated. Answering questions, he says that believers introduced him to biblical teachings, encouraged him to do good and develop friendship with God and people.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Davydenko in Pavlovskaya","date":"2024-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya4/index.html#20240919","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the 15th volume of the case materials. The defense draws the court's attention to the violation of the procedure for the seizure, examination and description of material evidence.\nThen investigator Mikhail Kozharin, who interrogated the witness in the case, is interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chemrov in Nazarovo","date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo2/index.html#20240918","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The woman, who is a witness for the prosecution, claims that she does not know Andrey Sazonov. Another witness, operative Chugunov, who participated in the ORM against Jehovah's Witnesses in Uray, admits that he has never heard statements of an extremist nature from the defendant. A third witness states that he testified under duress: he was threatened that his mother would go to prison. The wording used in the protocol was suggested to him by the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20240918","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, law enforcement officers burst into Samvel Babayan's apartment. The security forces put the owner of the apartment and his 17-year-old son on the floor and read out the search warrant. During the 6-hour search, the investigator, three operational officers, two IT specialists and three special forces soldiers seized a laptop, mobile phones, flash drives, a hard drive and bank cards.\nThe whole family is taken for interrogation to the local department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then the investigator detains Samvel Babayan and sends him to the temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Babayan in Samara","date":"2024-09-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara2/index.html#20240916","regions":["samara"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 16, 2024, in Samara, law enforcement officers detained Samvel Babayan, who practices the religion of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Despite the poor health of the believer, the court sent him to a pretrial detention center. A criminal case for extremism has been initiated against him.\nThese events were preceded by a search and interrogations, which took place on the same day. The law enforcement officers took Samvel, his wife and 17-year-old son to the local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The young man was taken separately from his parents; on the way a police officer threatened him with a long term of imprisonment in a penal colony if he did not incriminate his relatives.\nInvestigator Yuriy Prokopov charged Samvel Babayan with organizing the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC). The decision to arrest him was made by Irina Velmina, judge of the Zheleznodorozhniy District Court of Samara; the hearing was held on September 18, and by then the believer had spent 2 days in a temporary detention facility.\nSamvel Babayan is not the only one whose home was invaded by law enforcement officers on September 16. At least five other searches of the homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Samara are known to have taken place.\nUpdate. Police and special forces officers broke into the houses of believers early in the morning. The security forces demanded passwords for phones, tablets and computers. In some cases, they confiscated Bibles, notebooks with notes, pictures of Bible scenes, bank cards, as well as electronic devices.\nAccording to one believer, the law enforcement officers used force against him: they twisted his arms, handcuffed him and put him on the floor in the corridor, where he lay until the end of the search. At some point, he fainted. Later, he was taken to the police station for interrogation. For several hours, he was subjected to rough treatment: the security forces hit him on the head, insulted him and pressured him.\nSince 2021, ten of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have been convicted in the Samara Region.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-09-16T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/09/300909.html","regions":["samara"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation"],"title":"Details of Raid Against Jehovah's Witnesses in Samara: Law Enforcement Officers Used Force Against One Believer","type":"news"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice Anuar Khasanov interrogates Mariya Ogoreva as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mariya Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-09-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy6/index.html#20240913","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aleksandr Kruglyakov is being interrogated. Answering the questions of the judge and the state prosecutor, the believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nLydia Nekrasova feels bad and an ambulance is called. Due to the elderly woman's poor health, the meeting was postponed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-09-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20240913","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An operative of the FSB A. I. Isaev is being interrogated. He briefly recounts the information contained in the materials of operational-investigative activities.\nThe defense is trying to file a motion due to the fact that such an interrogation of an operational officer cannot be considered as real evidence. The Court ignores this request.\nWhen answering questions from the defense, Isaev notes that he has not heard from Jehovah's Witnesses and specifically from the defendants calls for violence, disrespect for state authorities, the severance of family ties and refusal of medical treatment.\nHe also acknowledges that the Supreme Court did not assess the legality of Jehovah's Witnesses' religious beliefs. At the same time, he refers to a certain plenum, at which, according to him, the activities of believers \"were considered prohibited and extremist.\"\nThe interrogation of witnesses for the prosecution continues. Two women who cannot provide any specific information on the circumstances of the criminal case are taking the floor.\nThen two secret witnesses under the pseudonyms Kuznetsov and Smirnova speak via video link. Witness Kuznetsov says that he cannot say anything for sure and that his testimony is only speculation.\nSmirnova used to attend services of Jehovah's Witnesses. She can only say who the elders are from the words of other believers whose names she does not remember.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhushko and Others in Lesnoy","date":"2024-09-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesnoy/index.html#20240912","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a man who studied the Bible with Pavel at his own request \"to broaden his horizons\" and later began to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. The witness says that the FSB officer offered him to install a video camera to record the man's conversations with Pavel. The officer, according to the witness, explained to him that there was \"little compromising evidence\" on Chemrov. During the interrogation, the witness himself does not confirm any of the proposed statements proving the guilt of the defendant. The prosecutor files a motion to read out the testimony of this witness given during the preliminary investigation, and the court grants the request.\nThen the second witness, the mother of the previously interrogated man, is interrogated. She reports that she heard \"only good\" things from Chemrov, but she herself did not attend the Bible studies. The prosecutor again filed a motion to read out the woman's testimony given during the preliminary investigation, the request was granted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chemrov in Nazarovo","date":"2024-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo2/index.html#20240911","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 40 people gather outside the courthouse, wishing to support the defendants. 10 listeners are allowed into the meeting room.\nA witness who previously attended meetings for worship is being questioned in court. He says he read in a magazine from the 1970s that Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden to give blood transfusions and organ transplants. The lawyer clarifies whether the witness knew that Aleksandr Kostyuk had undergone hip replacement surgery. He replies in the negative. At the request of the prosecutor, the testimony of the witness given during the preliminary investigation is read out in court. He fully confirms them.\nThen the testimony of another witness is read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tolmazov and Others in Tver","date":"2024-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tver/index.html#20240911","regions":["tver"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A classified witness is being interrogated. He says that Manuilov is one of Jehovah's Witnesses, talks in detail about the religious structure of this community in Barnaul and gives the names of some believers. When asked by his lawyer how he knows all this information, he replies that he found it on the Internet.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Manuylov in Barnaul","date":"2024-09-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul5/index.html#20240904","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An investigative group of 14 investigators of the Investigative Committee, headed by investigator Kuznetsov, is being created for additional investigation of this criminal case.\nKuznetsov brings Mikhail Dorofeyev as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and charges him in a new edition.\nInvestigator for especially important cases Chivileva L.V. interrogates Dorofeyev. The believer pleads not guilty and petitions for the dismissal of the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2024-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20240821","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Bushuev presents Novoseletskaya with a new version of the charge and interrogates her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Novoseletskaya in Vyselki","date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki10/index.html#20240820","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of the prosecution witness is ongoing. The protocols of confrontations between the witness and the defendants are announced. The witness confirms his testimony in part and expresses doubt that he pronounced the name of the defendant Kruglyakov during the interrogation and thinks that he could have been attributed later. The witness states that he did not indicate the roles and status of other participants in the services, although this testimony is recorded in the protocol.\nHe also says that he attended meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2014, a period not imputed to the defendants.\nNext, the court reviews video recordings of worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-08-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20240814","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, armed law enforcement officers searched the house of Tamara Bratseva and her husband. Electronic devices and personal records were seized from the woman. After the search, the believer is taken away for interrogation and a written undertaking not to leave is taken from her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2024-08-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20240807","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 7, 2024, the homes of at least five Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Crimea were searched and they were interrogated. A criminal case has been initiated against Tamara Brattseva, 68, from the village of Razdolnoye. The believer was placed under a recognizance agreement.\nIn the early morning, several armed groups of masked law enforcement officers invaded the homes of believers in the villages of Razdolnoye and Senokosnoye and the town of Alushta. Law enforcement officers rudely demanded passwords for electronic devices, quizzed them about their fellow believers, and in one case threatened to harm a pet. Electronic devices, personal notes, media storage and money were seized. The searches were carried out under the leadership of Y.A. Merkulov, the senior investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea.\nIn the village of Razdolnoye, they went to the workplace of one believer. He was laid face down on the floor and his hands were bound with a nylon zip, which injured him. Later, he had his injuries recorded in the emergency room, but the medical certificate was taken away from him at the police station.\nOver the past 7 years, more than 30 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Crimea have already been prosecuted for their faith. Eight of them are serving their sentences in penal colonies, one was transferred to prison by a court decision, another was sentenced to forced labor and three were given suspended sentences.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-08-07T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/police.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/08/130810.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","recognizance-agreement","health-risk","elderly"],"title":"Four Searches, Interrogations, and New Criminal Case: Prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Crimea Continues","type":"news"},{"body":"Judge Iryna Klyueva denies the defense's motion to summon a linguistic expert, Professor Elena Ryadchikova for questioning.\nInvestigator Nikita Rudenko is interrogated. He answers all questions very quietly. Asking everyone involved in the process to give louder answers leads nowhere.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2024-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20240805","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","elderly","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tatyana Pasynkova returns from vacation. When crossing the border, she is detained and interrogated for an hour. FSB officers are interested in whether she is under recognizance agreement and ask questions about her daughter-in-law, Yulia Pasynkova. The woman is released without any charges.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tatyana Pasynkova in Mednogorsk","date":"2024-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy5/index.html#20240805","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"They are interrogating an FSB officer who participated in operational-search activities, as well as a witness who says that in 2019 or 2020 he communicated with believers on spiritual topics.\nThe state prosecutor selectively reads out the case file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2024-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20240731","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the defense, the former chairman of the local religious organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in Voronezh is being interrogated. The witness states that none of the defendants has ever been a member of the LRO.\nHe explains the difference between the religious activity of believers and the activity of a legal entity. He also explains that the LRO appeared in Voronezh in 1999, and believers existed there long before that. It was registered for household needs and for renting premises for worship\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240730","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines two witnesses for the prosecution. Both women state that they do not know the defendants. One of them communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses 26 years ago, another has a friend who professes this religion. The latter notes that the believers never demanded property and money from her, did not threaten her, and she did not hear calls for illegal activities from them.\nOther prosecution witnesses did not appear in the courtroom. At the request of the defense, the judge decides to summon them again. The prosecutor then reads out the charges.\nAfter the break, the court hearing, at the request of Andrei Kozhushko, was adjourned to another day because of his seizure.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhushko and Others in Lesnoy","date":"2024-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesnoy/index.html#20240717","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses continues. Among them is Ilya Klimenko, an FSB operative who took part in the search of Alexei Pasynkov's house. It describes the religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, but does not mention any specific illegal actions of the believer.\nAnother witness states that she has never seen the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20240717","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee Dmitry Laktionov summons Natalia for interrogation, during which he involves her as an accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Novoseletskaya in Vyselki","date":"2024-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki10/index.html#20240712","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Examination of prosecution witnesses. They either do not explain anything, or speak from someone else's words, agreeing that these are rumors.\nOne of the witnesses states that he made a video recording of the services and handed the materials over to law enforcement officers. However, he cannot confirm the participation of Aleksey Pasynkov in meetings of believers after 2017.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20240710","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the prosecution are being interrogated - FSB officers who conducted operational-search activities - Vatslavsky and Cherednichenko. As it turned out, they did not save the original audio and video recordings of the OPM.\nAccording to Vaclavsky, a sign of extremism in the actions of Jehovah's Witnesses is the assertion that there is only one true religion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Biysk","date":"2024-07-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/biysk/index.html#20240704","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor interrogates the prosecution's witnesses – three officers of the CPE and the FSB.\nNext, witness Ogarev is interrogated. His wife was a prosecution witness in a similar case in Cherkessk. He does not know the defendant personally.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popova in Cherkessk","date":"2024-07-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk3/index.html#20240704","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 2, 2024, at least 9 addresses of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were searched in the city of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Region, and another search was conducted by Nizhny Novgorod law enforcement officers in Akhtubinsk, about 1100 km from Kstovo. In total, the investigative measures affected more than 20 people.\nThe law enforcement officers went to a home of a believer, 57, at about 6 a.m. During the search, her mobile devices, laptop and hard drive were confiscated. She was threatened with arrest and asked questions about other believers whose homes had been searched that morning. After that, she was taken for interrogation.\nWhile searching the house of a married couple, law enforcement officers behaved aggressively. Armed SOBR fighters knocked down the 55-year-old owner of the house, twisted his arm behind his back and pressed him to the floor with their knee, although he did not resist. The security forces confiscated electronic devices from believers and demanded that they provide passwords.\nIn some cases, searches took place in the presence of minor children. Also, electronic and storage devices were seized from their parents. During the search of another family\u0026#39;s home, investigators confiscated two cars.\nAfter the searches, four residents of Kstovo were detained. Another married couple, a 45-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, were detained by Nizhny Novgorod law enforcement officers in Akhtubinsk (Astrakhan Region) as part of the same case.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-07-02T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/07/051457.html","regions":["astrakhan","nizhegorod"],"subtitle":"Six Believers Detained","tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","minors","families"],"title":"In the Nizhny Novgorod and Astrakhan Regions, Searches at homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Carried Out.","type":"news"},{"body":"A district police officer and a woman whom the believer does not know are interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baylo in Kholmskaya","date":"2024-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya7/index.html#20240626","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Of the 22 people who came to the courthouse, 6 were allowed into the courtroom.\nThe interrogation of religious expert Pavel Boyko continues. He continues to express his negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses. In the expert opinion, Boyko points out that the word \"peace\" carries an extremist connotation. Defendant Lelikov asks if the expert knows that this word has many meanings. Boyko agrees, but says that since he is not a linguist, he cannot explain the meaning of the word in the context of the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2024-06-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20240621","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","elderly","interrogation","expert-conclusions","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 21, 2024, Natalya Zalevskaya, judge of the Petrozavodsk City Court, sent Sergey Fedorov, 50, to a pretrial detention center. The day before, the home of the believer was searched.\nBack in March 2024, law enforcement officers first went to the home of the Fedorov couple in the city of Tolyatti, where they then lived, with a search warrant. The apartment of the believers was invaded by 9 people who did not identify themselves. The couple was taken to different rooms, Fedorov was handcuffed and hit on the head. Then 8 people spread out around the apartment, one stayed with Sergey, holding him on the floor on his knees with his hands clasped behind his back and raised high.\nThe Fedorovs were not read their rights, nor were they allowed to make a phone call to their relatives. During the 4-hour \u0026quot;inspection\u0026quot;, according to believers, the law enforcement officers planted several books, flash drives and other items. Laptops, mobile phones, smartwatches, and personal notes were seized.\nThen Sergey Fedorov was taken to Petrozavodsk for interrogation, which was conducted by M.V. Golubenko, Lieutenant Colonel of the FSB. After interrogation, the believer was released. On June 6, 2024, Golubenko initiated a criminal case against Sergey Fedorov under Article 282.2(1) of the RFCrC (organizing the activity of an extremist organization).\nOn June 20, in Petrozavodsk, the Fedorovs\u0026#39; house was searched again with the participation of the same representatives of the local FSB. The couple was taken to the local office where Sergey was detained. The next day, the court imposed pretrial detention as a preventive measure on him. The believer is in a detention center at penal colony No.9 in the Republic of Karelia.\nThis is the fourth criminal case against Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in this region. Five believers had previously been sentenced to heavy fines.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-06-21T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/07/021634.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["siloviks-violence","new-case","282.2-1","sizo","interrogation","search","plant","inspection"],"title":"In Petrozavodsk, One of Jehovah's Witnesses Was Arrested After a Search","type":"news"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, investigator Artur Selin, is being questioned. He says that during the investigation of the criminal case, believers were always polite and punctual.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2024-06-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20240618","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"With the judge's permission, Galina Komissarova reads excerpts from the publications of two religious scholars, Nikolai Gordienko and Sergey Ivanenko, and comments on them. The believer also tells how biblical knowledge helped her in raising her own children.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-06-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20240617","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","elderly","interrogation","scholar-publications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An employee of the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Kostroma Region, A. A. Sokolov, who at the time of the ORM worked in the FSB, is being interrogated. He believes that Terebilov can show what is written in the Bible, but interpretation already violates the law. In his opinion, the goal of the law enforcement system is to force Terebilov to abandon his beliefs and stop preaching.\nAnother prosecution witness, Roman Lazarev, whose testimony formed the basis of the criminal case against Terebilov, was serving his sentence in the same colony as the believer. Lazarev says that the believer encouraged him to get rid of bad habits.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2024-06-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20240614","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of prosecution witnesses lasts about 2.5 hours. One of them, Alexeev, says he met with Sergei Lukin at his home to discuss the Bible. He did not hear any coercion from the defendant to change his faith.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Biysk","date":"2024-06-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/biysk/index.html#20240613","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court does not satisfy the defense's request to declassify the secret witness. His interrogation takes place in a separate room. The secret witness says he has known Jehovah's Witnesses since the late 1980s. I never met or communicated with Lyudmila personally. Neither he nor his family had ever received threats from any of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lyudmila Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2024-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki3/index.html#20240606","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Boris Andreev is being interrogated. He says that the accusation of extremism is erroneous, since \"at the Christian services of Jehovah's Witnesses, in songs, prayers, comments of believers, it was about love and the desire for good deeds.\"\nNatalia Sharapova is being interrogated. Answering her lawyer's questions, she says that she met Jehovah's Witnesses in the 1990s, but accepted the faith only after she herself decided that she needed it - in 2012, no one called her or persuaded her. She mentions that one of the services recorded in the case file took place at her home, as she and her elderly mother love to invite guests. When asked about the \"roles\" at the service, Natalia explains that there are no \"seniors\" or \"juniors\", everyone is equal. When charged with distributing banned literature, the woman replies that she did not do so and that no prohibited literature was found in her possession during the search.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240605","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 6:30 a.m., the law enforcement officers, having knocked down the gate on Kamshilova's property, invaded her house. They are concentrated in different rooms, so Irina and her daughter have no way to keep track of who is doing what. Electronic devices and personal records were seized from the believer. The investigator, raising his voice, hurries Irina to sign the protocol and tells her that \"it is useless to write remarks.\" The believer feels sick and squats against the wall waiting for the cardiovascular medicine to take effect. The security forces force Irina to stand up. Irina's daughter persuades them to wait a little until her mother feels better.\nAfter an almost 3-hour search, Irina is taken for interrogation to the FSB department, after which she is asked to sign a not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kamshilova in Kurgan","date":"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan4/index.html#20240531","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Under the pretext that the neighbors allegedly started a fire, FSB officers in masks and with machine guns burst into Gaytur's apartment. The search is carried out under the direction of investigator Ermolaev with the participation of detectives S. Y. Glushkov and A. S. Shtrekker. It lasts more than 4 hours. Electronic devices and data carriers, as well as personal notes, notes and letters, the Bible and scanwords on biblical topics are seized from the believer.\nDuring the search, Anastasia's father, Aleksandr Gaytur, who is a suspect in another criminal case, is also in the apartment.\nAfter the search, Anastasia is taken to the FSB department for interrogation, and a restriction measure is chosen for her in the form of a recognizance agreement and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaytur in Kurgan","date":"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan5/index.html#20240531","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of expert religious scholar Pavel Boyko, head of the Department of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at Kuban State University, who performed an examination of audio recordings of Jehovah's Witnesses' services, continues. In response to one of the lawyer's questions, the expert reads out a voluminous fragment of the text of the examination that is not related to the question asked. After that, the lawyer again filed a motion to challenge the expert, but the judge refused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2024-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20240530","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. The first was FSB officer Yevgeny Ilyin, who searched Alexander Salnikov's home. He says that during the search, secular literature and clippings from the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation were seized, among other things. According to Ilyin, the believer during the search did not deny that he was one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The witness could not say what was the incitement of religious hatred on the part of Salnikov. According to him, he does not remember many dates, places and details.\nThe next student who participated in the search as a witness is interrogated. He says that during the search, Salnikov became ill. According to the witness, the presence of a webcam on the believer's computer indicates that he was the organizer of online worship.\nThe third witness explains that he has known the defendant since about 2005. \"I have very deep respect for this person, he is respectable, has many positive qualities ... A conscientious worker in production, a good family man who loves his family,\" he characterizes the believer. The witness claims pressure during one of the interrogations: according to him, FSB officer Ilyin shouted at him using obscene language and threatened. On this basis, the witness retracts his previous testimony, stating that he signed it under duress. When the judge shows him the record of the interrogation, he states that he did not say this.\nThe court refuses to disclose the testimony of witnesses who did not appear to the prosecutor.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Salnikov in Magnitogorsk","date":"2024-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magnitogorsk/index.html#20240530","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of religious scholar L. M. Galiyev via video conferencing. The judge reads out the conclusions of three examinations from the case materials made by Galiev. The defendant Komissarova draws the court's attention to the expert's lack of necessary education. During interrogation, Galiev often evades answering many of the defendant's questions and does not see the difference between religion and legal entity.\nGaliev also said that he was not faced with the question of identifying signs of extremism among the participants of the service, among whom was Komissarova. However, he mentions this in his report and admits that he was simply repeating the wording of the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20240530","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness who had previously attended worship services. When asked by the judge about what is happening at the services, the witness answers: \"We discussed the Bible, communicated, nothing superfluous, an ordinary meeting of the congregation, which is not prohibited.\"\nThe witness does not confirm the preliminary testimony because it is partially unreliable. He says that at the time of the interrogation he was serving a sentence in a general regime colony and was pressured before the interrogation. According to him, investigator Belov and FSB Major Ryzhov threatened him with an increase in his sentence if he refused to testify.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2024-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20240529","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. The lawyer files a motion to dismiss the criminal case.\nA witness who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017 is being questioned. The lawyer draws attention to the fact that the testimony of the witness does not relate to the period of the defendant in question.\nThe prosecutor reads out the 5th volume of the case file, reads the testimony of the interrogated witness, and also reads out the testimony of the classified witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2024-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20240529","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The lawyer lists local religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses that were liquidated by a 2017 Supreme Court decision . He comments: \"The Khorol district is not on the list.\" The lawyer asks to ensure the appearance of a secret witness, giving her real name, since Sharapova recognized this woman, but the court refuses.\nThe court also does not satisfy the petitions for the admission of historical documents, the position of the ECHR, as well as the interrogation of the witness by the defense.\n14 fellow believers come to the courtroom to support the defendants, 10 of whom are allowed into the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240528","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three defense witnesses are being questioned in court. They speak positively about the defendant. One of the women says that she knows Sharapova, since their children studied at the same school. She describes her \"as a wonderful mommy, a very decent and good person\" and adds that Natalia has always been a pleasure to talk to. Witnesses also report that Sharapova did not discuss religion with them or invite them to worship services.\nBoris Andreyev requests that the letter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that Jehovah's Witnesses have the right to practice their religion and the Opinions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention be examined and acknowledged.\nBoris also asks for a comparison of different translations of biblical texts that were heard at the services underlying the accusation. The judge refuses to satisfy. The defendant asks to include in the minutes of the hearing an objection to the actions of the judge and explains why he considers this petition important for the process.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240522","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating several convicts who served their sentences in IK-1 in the Kostroma region together with Terebilov. During the interrogation of one of the witnesses, discrepancies with the testimony recorded by the investigator are revealed.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2024-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20240520","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Religious scholar Grigory Illarionov is being interrogated via videoconference. The prosecutor asks him to describe in detail the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. The defense asks its questions.\nThen the prosecutor reads out excerpts from the phonetic examination of the recording of Valery Schitz's voice. At this point, the prosecution concludes the presentation of its evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Schitz in Lesosibirsk","date":"2024-05-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk/index.html#20240517","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the second secret witness under the pseudonym Fedorov. His interrogation is also conducted by the judge in person in another room.\nFrom Fedorov's answers, read out by the judge, it becomes clear that he once attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nHe informs the court that he does not know Valery Shitz and has never attended a Jehovah's Witnesses service in Lesosibirsk.\nAccording to the defense, the testimony of the secret witness was made \"as a carbon copy\" with the testimony of secret witnesses in similar cases of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The defense also claims a violation of the right to interrogate a witness, which contradicts the principle of adversarial parties.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Schitz in Lesosibirsk","date":"2024-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk/index.html#20240516","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym Ivanov. The judge, having taken a list of questions from each of the parties to the proceedings, retires with the secretary to the next room, where he interrogates the witness independently. The judge then reads out his answers. According to them, it becomes clear that the secret witness had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Schitz in Lesosibirsk","date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk/index.html#20240515","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Subbotina, who had previously attended services. According to her, after religious meetings began to be held via video conferencing, she did not see Dmitry Ignatov at them.\nThe public prosecutor reads out the testimonies of three witnesses who did not appear. The lawyer states that the information provided is not related to Ignatov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20240515","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Salnikov expresses his attitude to the charges against him: \"The specific events related to the actions imputed to me are not indicated in the indictment: neither the date, nor the time, nor the place, nor the method, nor the actions themselves ... It remains unclear how I could coordinate my actions with a non-existent organization or how I coordinated my actions with an organization whose activities I myself allegedly organized.\nSalnikov reminds the court that on April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses as a religious denomination and did not require believers to stop exercising their constitutional rights and freedoms.\nThen there is the interrogation of a 75-year-old woman who had a search and two interrogations in connection with the case of Alexander Salnikov. She describes the believer as a deeply decent and honest person: \"It is very rare to meet such people in life.\" When asked how Jehovah's Witnesses feel about other religions, the woman replies: \"They have no animosity. Jehovah's Witnesses respect other religions.\" The prosecutor reads out her testimony from the record of the investigator's interrogation. The woman refuses her words.\nNear the courthouse there are about 60 people who came to support the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Salnikov in Magnitogorsk","date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magnitogorsk/index.html#20240514","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court attaches to the case file the response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on the right to profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, the decision of the ECHR in the case of LRO Taganrog and others v. the Russian Federation.\nGevorg Yeritsyan's wife is being interrogated. She does not share her husband's religious views, but gives a positive characterization of both her husband and all the defendants. The woman explains to the court that she attended religious services and there was nothing extremist, in particular, calls for violence and destruction of the constitutional order.\nThe interrogation of the defendants begins. Lyubov Galitsina declares: \"Extremism is incompatible with my religious beliefs, because first of all, as a Christian, I am obliged to love God and my neighbor. And Jesus said that you need to love even your enemies! What kind of extremist am I if I try to keep these commandments sincerely.\"\nGevorg Yeritsyan says that in his life he is guided by the commandments of Jesus: to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. He refutes the testimony of a classified witness regarding the destruction of the family. Gevorg gives his own example: \"My wife is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but we have a strong family, and we have been married for 14 happy years, we have two wonderful children.\"\nGaregin Khachaturyan briefly talks about his life: he grew up in Nagorno-Karabakh, his family lost their home due to the war events; Garegin became a widower when his son was only six months old. \"Biblical hope, the help of God and friends helped me to survive that difficult time, to remain human and maintain a positive attitude,\" the believer concludes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20240514","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Oleksandr Kopylets is charged with a new edition. The believer does not admit his guilt. \"I do not agree with the charges, since I have never carried out, organized or continued extremist activities,\" he said.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2024-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20240513","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness is being questioned via video conferencing. She says that she personally does not know Alexandra Lubina, she has never seen him live. I heard about him from my mother's stories, I saw his photo, but I can't identify him exactly.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20240506","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","disability","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the prosecution are being questioned, including a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church. \"I absolutely can't say anything about a person I don't know. I don't know her personally and her activities,\" he says.\nThe next to be questioned is an expert, a professor at the Department of General History and International Relations. He confirms that Jehovah's Witnesses are \"part of Christianity, the Christian tradition\" and their religion is not prohibited in the Russian Federation.\nHe also agrees that the preaching of Jehovah's Witnesses is a worldwide practice and that they engage in this activity guided by the words of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible.\nThe defense is filing several motions. Among other things, she requests that the case file include a religious expert examination carried out by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on 15 April 1999, which at that time confirmed the right of Jehovah's Witnesses to practice their religion freely without finding anything dangerous to society. The court rejects this petition, stating that it is a photocopy, not the original.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Globa in Unecha","date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/unecha/index.html#20240506","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses confirm that they did not hear from the defendant calls for violent actions against any religious group of people, as well as calls to commit any illegal actions against them.\nThe first to be questioned is witness Natalia Grebneva, who, at the request of the FSB, made audio and video recordings of Jehovah's Witnesses worship services. She informs the court that she knows the defendant and saw him at such a meeting once 6 years ago.\nThe second witness, FSB officer Nikolay Korendov, who conducted the ORM, cannot confirm Sokolov's participation in the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in Zeya. He also does not see the difference between religious activities and the activities of a legal entity.\nThe court is reviewing two records of worship. The defendant draws attention to the fact that they do not indicate that this is a meeting of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Zeya, and believers read texts from various translations of the Bible, including the Synodal, which is used in various Christian denominations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov in Zeya","date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya5/index.html#20240506","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness who does not confirm her acquaintance with the defendant and enjoys the right not to testify against herself and her relatives is being interrogated.\nAnnouncement of written materials of the 3rd to the 11th volumes of the case, including the conclusions of experts from religious studies and psychological-linguistic examinations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov in Zeya","date":"2024-05-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya5/index.html#20240503","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tatiana Zhuk, Stanislav Kim and Svetlana Sedova also testify.\nZhuk tells the court: \"Previously, I myself worked as a kindergarten teacher and organized various events there that were both fun and at the same time instructive. And they were attended by both children and adults ... And that was okay. Why is such an event, organized privately among believers, a crime?\"\nFurther, the believer notes that she was not present at the event in the café \"Alice\", although the case file notes that on that day her \"criminal actions were suppressed.\" She then draws the court's attention to the fact that in the case file her characterization contains the details of another woman with whom she shares the same surname. She says: \"I stated this at the court hearing. However, the characteristic was not removed.\nStanislav Kim says: \"When I was hired, I notified the HR department that I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses ... The security service conducted a thorough check and did not see anything illegal in my religious beliefs. On the contrary, during my service, I was repeatedly awarded with diplomas and gratitude, received incentives that are recorded in my work book. This shows that I am useful to society and do not pose any threat.\"\nSvetlana Sedova explains: \"The indictment states that I 'used my apartment for the purposes of the LRO (local religious organization) to hold meetings.\" In the materials considered during the judicial investigation, there is no evidence that the apartment was used by any legal entity. This is not confirmed by the testimony of witnesses. The Bible teaches us to be hospitable, so I provided my apartment to gather with friends. […] It is not illegal to invite guests to your home. Worshiping God with friends is also not forbidden by law.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2024-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20240427","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court session lasts more than 6 hours without a lunch break.\nReligious scholar Pavel Boyko is being interrogated. In his speech, he focuses on issues that are not the subject of this criminal case - he discusses whether Jehovah's Witnesses are real Christians, commenting on their doctrine.\nThe lawyer and the defendant file a motion to disqualify the expert because of prejudice against the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and incompetence. The judge refuses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2024-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20240427","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense file a motion to attach to the materials of the criminal case the written text of the ECHR decision in the case of \"LRO Taganrog and others v. Russia\". The court satisfies the motion, despite the objections of the prosecution, and examines it.\nDefendant Alexander Lubin reads out his written notes. The believer draws attention to the fact that \"the prosecution did not provide a clear explanation as to why it believes that [he] could practice his faith exclusively within the framework of a 'religious association'.\" He also asks: \"Why does the prosecution believe that the constitutional rights of believers and the rights of religious groups were lost for me in April 2017? Why can't I use them now?\"\nThe believer tells the court about his state of health: \"It is difficult for me to walk, and in the event of a fall, I am not able to get up without assistance. Criminal prosecution on trumped-up charges further worsened my already poor health and deprived me of the opportunity to receive full-fledged routine medical care.\"\nLubin also cites a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in the case file, explaining that \"members of a liquidated organization can independently practice religious worship as part of religious groups that do not require registration.\" He concludes: \"In court, we did exactly the opposite—we looked at the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and how they were expressed. And this is not a crime! Therefore, I do not consider myself guilty and do not plead guilty.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2024-04-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20240425","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","disability","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution continues to question witnesses. Witness Antonov declares that this is the first time he has seen Ignatov, so he has nothing to tell the court about the defendant.\nWitness Zhuravlev worked at the Center for Countering Extremism and carried out surveillance of believers. He believes that conversations between friends on biblical topics mean the continuation of the activities of an extremist organization.\nWitness Panasenko does not know Ignatov, but speaks positively of Jehovah's Witnesses as human beings.\nThe material evidence seized from Ignatov is considered: the Holy Scriptures, notebooks, postcards, etc.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2024-04-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20240424","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vitaliy Zhuk gives his testimony: \"I am accused of inducing the rupture of family and family relations. I strongly disagree with this. […] While various psychologists and family counselors sometimes suggest that they separate for minor reasons, Jehovah's Witnesses try to keep the family together. My family is almost 30 years old. Other defendants have also been happily married for decades.\"\nThe believer continues: \"The videos of the worship services, the thoughts that are heard there, clearly show that Jehovah's Witnesses and extremism are completely incompatible concepts. As for the connection with banned organizations and legal entities, this part of the accusation is not confirmed by anything.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2024-04-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20240423","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Polevodov testifies in court. He draws the attention of the audience to the following fact: \"The indictment states that I \"was aware of the public danger and the unlawful nature of my actions and wished to commit them.\" This statement is not true, because I realized that my actions did not violate the legislation of the Russian Federation in any way and did not pose any danger to anyone ... I also clearly understood that my lifestyle did not pose any threat to society.\"\nThe believer also notes: \"In turn, the investigation did not provide a single fact proving that by my way of believing in God, I exposed anyone to any danger, offended someone's feelings or caused any other harm. […] The prosecution itself does not really believe that I can be dangerous to the society in which I am ... Since August 2019, I have not had any preventive measure. But my intent and my goals have not changed at all since then. I am still determined to worship my God, Jehovah, and to show love for my neighbor.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2024-04-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20240417","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Witness Galstyan, who attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses 20 years ago. She does not know the defendant. Answering a question about the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses, the woman explains: \"Previously, literature was widespread, there was no ban on it, and I read it with pleasure.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2024-04-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20240417","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is attended by 25 people. Three prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\nThe first witness says that she met the defendant several years ago and speaks positively about her. When asked what organization Yulia is a member of, the woman replies that she does not know.\nThe grandmother of one of the defendant's students is also being questioned. The woman is satisfied with the result of Julia's work as a tutor. When asked what religion Yulia Globa professes, the witness replies that she does not know.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Globa in Unecha","date":"2024-04-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/unecha/index.html#20240417","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sorokin and Zhukov file a petition to grant the defense the right to exercise the adversarial nature of the parties. In one of the points, he points out: \"The prosecutor, in the presence of witnesses, repeatedly pointed out the cancellation of the acquittal previously issued in the criminal case. The defense considers such actions as exerting pressure on witnesses from the prosecution in order to obtain testimony favorable to it and asks to take measures aimed at preventing such violations.\nInterrogation of a prosecution witness who attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2018. He says that after 2017 he had no contact with Sorokin. According to the witness, Sorokin and Zhukov never called him to extremism or undermine the constitutional order.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2024-04-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20240417","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons Larisa Serdtseva and Nina Smirnova for questioning as suspects. They ask to postpone the investigation until an agreement is concluded with a lawyer, their request is granted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2024-04-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20240416","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vitaliy Manuilov comes for questioning to the Investigative Committee. He is charged and placed in a temporary detention center.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Manuylov in Barnaul","date":"2024-04-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul5/index.html#20240411","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned. One of them, an Orthodox priest, talks about the history and teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. Other witnesses, colleagues of the accused, give him positive characteristics.\nIgor Kasabov explains to the court that the decision of the Supreme Court of April 20, 2017 on the liquidation of organizations concerns legal entities, not believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kasabov in Tambov","date":"2024-04-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tambov2/index.html#20240411","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who had previously testified in the case of another believer from Oryol, Vladimir Piskaryov, is being questioned. He is unfamiliar with Dmitry Ignatov. He says, \"I don't know what I'm doing here.\"\nAnother prosecution witness states that Ignatova does not know and has never met him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2024-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20240410","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Astapov, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies of the Institute of Philosophy and Socio-Political Sciences (Southern Federal University), testifies to the court via videoconferencing. He states: \"[Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia] have found themselves in a situation where the activities of organizations are banned, but their religious activities are not prohibited... It is necessary to distinguish between these concepts... We see religious organized activity, but we don't see the activity of LROs.\" The specialist adds: \"The state did not ban them. They don't have to give up their faith.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240410","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution is interrogating the brother of Ekaterina Menkova. He describes his sister as a kind, sympathetic and literate person who graduated from the institute with honors. The second witness reports that he does not know any of the defendants.\nThen the court proceeds to the study of material evidence - disks with video recordings made secretly in Tutinova's room. In the recordings, the defendant is talking via video conferencing with two women on religious and domestic topics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista","date":"2024-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/elista/index.html#20240409","regions":["kalmykia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines material evidence, including audio recordings and screenshots of worship services held via video conferencing. The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that the investigator attributed the voices from these recordings to the suspects without any examination and with numerous errors.\nThe lawyer states that there is no incitement to enmity and hatred in the examined recordings, but on the contrary, those present are encouraged to treat others with love.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240405","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three witnesses are being questioned. None of them knows Ignatov personally. One woman says that she did not hear any propaganda of exclusivity, calls for the breakdown of family relations and disobedience to the authorities from the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2024-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20240403","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator brings in Aleksandr Sazhin as a defendant and interrogates him. The believer is accused of discussing the Bible with other people and singing songs.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazhin in Fokino","date":"2024-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/fokino/index.html#20240402","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning four defense witnesses: three relatives and a friend of Yevgeny Stefanidin. All of them characterize the defendant as an honest, open and friendly person. One of them notes that Eugene is a good family man: \"I know that my daughter loves him very much, she is always waiting for him when dad comes home from work. He is not just a father to her, he is a friend to her, because they spend a lot of time together.\nAccording to witnesses, the believer shows deep respect for all people, regardless of their religious views and social status. None of the interrogated heard that Stefanidin called for disobedience to state power or undermining the foundations of the constitutional order.\nWhen asked if they heard the defendant call for no medical intervention, the witnesses reply: \"No. Zhenya takes his health seriously. He is now being treated for cancer.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2024-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20240402","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Bailo is summoned for questioning by the Investigative Committee. He was charged with participating in the activities of an extremist organization, after which he was placed in a temporary detention facility in the city of Krymsk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baylo in Kholmskaya","date":"2024-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya7/index.html#20240402","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","282.2-2","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After the search, the security forces detained and interrogated Alexei Timofeev. On the same day, a decision is made to bring the believer as an accused under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2024-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20240402","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 2, 2024, searches were carried out in Petrozavodsk at seven addresses, including that of Aleksey Timofeyev, 30, and his wife. The believer was detained and placed in custody. A criminal case was initiated against him under Article 282.2(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing the activity of an extremist organization).\nThe search in the home of a second family of believers was conducted from 7:25 a.m. until 10 a.m. It took place in the presence of testifying witnesses and two FSB officers. The head of the family was forcibly laid on the floor and handcuffed. Electronic devices, flash drives, paper notes, bank cards, as well as books by religious scholars about Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were seized from the couple. After that, the husband was taken for interrogation, first to the FSB Directorate, and then to the Investigative Committee.\nOn March 26, 2024, the criminal case against Aleksey Timofeyev was initiated by Viktor Petrov, an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Petrozavodsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Karelia. He also filed a motion with the court to detain Timofeyev. On April 3, Judge Yekaterina Kanayeva imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Aleksey for a period of one month and 24 days until May 25.\nEarlier, five Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Petrozavodsk received heavy fines for their religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-04-02T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/04/090812.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":"One Believer Was Sent to a Detention Center","tags":["search","new-case","interrogation","282.2-1"],"title":"Law Enforcement Officers Conducted Searches in the Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Petrozavodsk.","type":"news"},{"body":"Associate Professor of the Department of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge of Voronezh State University, Doctor of Philosophy Aleksandr Arapov, who performed an examination of the records of divine services, is interrogated. He was unable to determine whether those present were members of the Jehovah's Witnesses' legal entity in Voronezh or ordinary believers. The expert also notes that he did not find any signs of incitement to hatred in the records of Jehovah's Witnesses' services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240327","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who secretly recorded conversations with Sorokin is being interrogated. He says that he voluntarily stopped going to services back in 2016 and has not met Sorokin since September 2017. Since that time, the defendant has not offered him any literature or invited him to religious meetings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2024-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20240327","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of defense witnesses begins. The chairman of the Union of Orthodox Women of Udmurtia, says that he has known Alexander Votyakov since 2008, he has repeatedly carried out construction work on her order. The witness characterizes the defendant as a calm and responsible person who performs his work efficiently, they have never had conflicts. According to her, Votyakov respected representatives of other religions, did not call for the severance of family ties, refusal of medical intervention or disobedience to state power.\nThe brother of Alexander Votyakov characterizes him positively. According to him, he is a good family man, has no bad habits, he has never heard calls for any illegal actions from the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2024-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20240326","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Chelyabinsk Region, Alexander Chepenko, makes a decision to bring Maxim Khamatshin as an accused.\nOn the same day, he is interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2024-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20240325","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Astapov, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies of the Institute of Philosophy and Socio-Political Sciences (Southern Federal University), is being interrogated. He makes a brief excursion into the history of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, talks about their confessional structure and some creeds. He also expresses the opinion that the literature of any denomination can be attributed to propagandizing the superiority of its religion.\nThe specialist describes Jehovah's Witnesses as law-abiding citizens. He declares: \"There can be no extremist calls from Jehovah's Witnesses simply because it follows from creeds.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2024-03-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20240322","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","expert-comments","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 21, 2024, Vladimir Fomin, 44, one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses with a disability, was sent to a temporary detention facility in Cherkessk. A criminal case has been initiated against him under two articles for extremism. During the hearing regarding preventive measure, he lost consciousness and an ambulance had to be called.\nA month earlier, on February 21, the home of Vladimir Fomin and his wife was searched. Electronic devices and data carriers were seized from them.\nThe believer is charged with participating in the activity of an extremist organization and involving other persons in it. The case was initiated by Aslan Shabanov, senior investigator of the Cherkessk Investigative Committee. On March 23, the Cherkessk City Court imposed pre-trial detention on Fomin.\nThe reason for initiating the criminal case against Fomin was an incident related to the case of Menchikova, a resident of Cherkessk who earlier had been convicted for her faith. The charges against Vladimir were based on conversations about the Bible with a woman, which the investigation deemed to be involving others in the activity of a banned organization.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-03-21T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/03/280841.html","regions":["karachaevo"],"subtitle":"He Was Placed in a Detention Center","tags":["new-case","sizo","search","282.2-2","282.2-1.1","disability","interrogation"],"title":"A Criminal Case Initiated in Cherkessk Against Vladimir Fomin who Has a Disability.","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of witnesses by the defense. The defendants make written notes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Barnaul","date":"2024-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul2/index.html#20240319","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense invites 14 witnesses to the court for questioning. All of them use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Chechulins in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2024-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy2/index.html#20240319","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that none of the documents submitted by the prosecution contains evidence of illegal activities of believers. These materials either date back to 2017 or have no dates at all, and therefore it is impossible to establish how they relate to the present case. All of them only confirm that the defendants belong to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, which they do not hide anyway.\nFurther, the defense recalls that the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation liquidated legal entities, among which the assembly of believers in Kirsanov is not listed. Moreover, the Supreme Court's decision states that religious groups, such as the Kirsanov congregation, have not been liquidated at all. Consequently, the activities of these groups are absolutely legitimate.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2024-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20240318","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB operative Konstantin Tvoryanovich, a technical specialist who looked through Dolganov's computer during the search, is being interrogated.\nThe court examines three DVDs. The defendant notes that there is no mention of legal entities and there are no extremist statements, but simply a biblical discussion. For example, topics such as showing love, preparing for natural disasters, living in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and respecting authority are raised. The defendant concludes: \"I don't understand how with these comments I could push anyone to unlawful deeds.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2024-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20240318","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After a 15-minute interrogation, investigator Chepenko takes Oleg Artemov on his own recognizance. During interrogation, the believer declares that he does not agree with the suspicions and enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones. He also requests that the case be dismissed for lack of corpus delicti.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleg Artemov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2024-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk11/index.html#20240312","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander and his wife Maria read out their affidavits.\nIn her speech, Maria talks about her relationship with her husband and his reputation: \"My husband and I have been in a happy and legal marriage for more than 6 years. And my husband's religion only helps to make our marriage stronger. For him, faith in God is not a position in some legal organization, but a life according to principles and beliefs ... My husband's religion does not imply hermitism and fanaticism. He always had a lot of friends. Acquaintances, neighbors and colleagues speak positively about him. My husband was educated in a government agency. He has many years of experience in official work. He genuinely loves his city and supports Togliatti sports teams.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2024-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20240312","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. He says that he communicated with believers more than 5 years ago. It turns out that he was interrogated together with his wife, their testimony is absolutely identical.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2024-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20240311","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of 6 prosecution witnesses. When asked whether Sorokin encouraged violent change of the foundations of the constitutional order or violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, whether he promoted social, racial, national or religious strife, all witnesses answered in the negative.\nWhen asked by the prosecutor whether Sorokin was a member of the organization, one of the witnesses replies: \"Not in the organization, but his faith is like that. I don't know that he was a legal entity in the organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2024-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20240311","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation is conducted by the deputy head of the Investigative Department of the FSB in the Republic of Karelia, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice M. V. Golubenko. He wondered if Fyodorov knew believers from different regions of Russia who had been prosecuted for their beliefs.\nAfter giving explanations, around midnight, Fedorov is released from the FSB building in Petrozavodsk. By this time, the believer has spent two days under arrest.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2024-03-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20240308","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the investigator's office, bank cards and a smartphone are seized from Artemov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleg Artemov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2024-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk11/index.html#20240306","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The results of the religious examination are announced.\nA prosecution witness who previously testified in court is being questioned. The prosecutor is interested in Gushchin's role in organizing worship services for Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2024-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20240306","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["first-instance","expert-conclusions","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym \"Yolka\" is being interrogated. According to her, she attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses in the homes of believers several times. The witness admits that she did not hear any extremist calls from believers and that there was a friendly atmosphere at the meetings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240306","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor, investigator A. I. Grishkevich, who initiated the case against Kocherova and Ovchinnikova, is interrogated.\nThe court proceeds to the evidence of the defense, including the recording of the worship service on the topic \"Why be guided by the Bible?\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20240305","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Alexei Lelikov's brother. He gives the defendant a positive characterization and says that, despite different religious views, they have a kind and calm relationship. He also says that the defendant did not call any of his relatives to do anything illegal, on the contrary, encouraged them to obey the authorities and strengthen family ties.\nThe public defender discusses the difference between the meetings of the LRO and the services of believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2024-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20240304","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman with whom Nadezhda Korobochko periodically talked about the Bible is being interrogated. She confirms that she communicated with the believer for two years only on religious topics. The woman explains that the defendant never invited her to worship, did not say anything about refusing blood transfusions or about the superiority of her religion over others. The prosecution witness herself gave the believer her phone number, as she was interested in communicating with her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2024-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20240304","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning in Omsk, security forces armed with assault rifles conduct searches at least 7 addresses.\n7 law enforcement officers come to the apartment of the Rygaev spouses, accompanied by investigator Saltanat Zhansakova. At this time, Sergey is detained on the street on his way to work. According to the believer, three FSB officers beat him in a police van and pulled a bag over his head, demanding to give him the password for his phone. Then he is brought home. After the search, the spouses are taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nDuring a search in the Pyzhovs' apartment, the security forces hit Leonid in the face, demanding to name the password from the smartphone. The spouse is at work at this time.\nThe security forces break into the house of two other women. They, as well as their elderly parents, become ill, they are allowed to drink medicine. After the search, the whole family is taken for interrogation.\nIn the apartment of a 52-year-old believer, the security forces, among other things, tear up children's crafts and check their contents. The woman is taken away for interrogation, later released. Her passport is confiscated, which is why she cannot seek medical help and restore her SIM card.\nIn another case, at least 10 security officials searched the apartment of a 62-year-old believer.\nIn total, on this day, about 15 believers and their families are taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. After interrogation, the 67-year-old woman becomes ill, she asks to call an ambulance, but instead she is taken home.\nLeonid Pyzhov and Sergey Rygaev are placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2024-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20240304","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk","elderly","siloviks-violence","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Stanislav Martyn is being interrogated. He states that he knew A. Kocherov at work; In the fall of 2019, he asked him to give driving lessons to his wife. According to him, during the classes they talked several times with Lyubov about the Bible, after which he turned to the FSB and began to record their conversations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20240301","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officer Denis Zhilenko, who, together with Gerasimov, carried out operational measures against the defendants, is being interrogated. The witness acknowledges that he is not an expert in the field of religion. However, his testimony, according to the defense, contains an assessment of religious activities. On the merits of the case, Zhilenko cannot explain anything specific, referring to the fact that he does not remember much.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-02-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240229","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"More than 20 people come to support the believer. The prosecution is interrogating a religious scholar, associate professor of the Department of History and Philosophy of Tambov State University Yana Chernova. She talks about Jehovah's Witnesses and draws the court's attention to the fact that their beliefs are based on the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2024-02-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20240228","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution is interrogating religious scholar, associate professor of the Department of History and Philosophy of Tambov State University Yana Chernova. She talks about Jehovah's Witnesses and draws the court's attention to the fact that their beliefs are based on the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2024-02-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20240228","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Elena Laskina reads out the conclusions of the comprehensive examinations of the video recordings of the services. One of the authors of the examinations, Kirill Kirushin, is being interrogated. Galina Komissarova asks the expert why he concluded that \"sources of an extremist nature banned on the territory of the Russian Federation\" were promoted during the service. The expert replies that he took these formulations from the plot written by the investigator on the appointment of a forensic examination.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-02-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20240227","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB operative A.A. Ogienko is being interrogated, who forced Kocherov to introduce his wife, Lyubov Kocherova, to Martyn. Martyn's recorded conversations about the Bible were submitted for examination to a religious scholar, who concluded that the topics discussed were characteristic of Jehovah's Witnesses. When asked by the lawyer whether the defendants had talked about the Bible with other people, the witness answered in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20240226","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, FSB operative Denis Gerasimov, who conducted operational-search measures against believers in Voronezh, including wiretapping telephone conversations and remote monitoring of the contents of their computers, is being interrogated. He cannot explain which activities of the defendants are illegal and acknowledges that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240226","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator interrogates Yelena Kopatskaya, her husband and eldest son as witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kopatskaya in Birobidzan","date":"2024-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzan25/index.html#20240221","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution reads out the results of forensic psychiatric, phonoscopic, linguistic and religious examinations.\nThe court satisfies the defense's motions to interrogate linguist Zubkova and religious scholar Schiller. The defense also asks the court to exclude from the case the materials of three searches of Alexander's fellow believers as irrelevant evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tsikunov in Kaltan","date":"2024-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan2/index.html#20240221","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the FSB department , Gvardeev, is being interrogated. He says that in 2019 he received a message from an embedded FSB agent Stanislav Martyn that they were talking to him on biblical topics. After that, the believers were monitored and subsequently the information was transferred to the Investigative Committee.\nProsecution witness Romanov explains that Lyubov Kocherova is the wife of his colleague, and he knows Ovchinnikova only outwardly. Romanov cannot confirm whether the local community of Jehovah's Witnesses held services after the liquidation of their legal entities in 2017.\nAnother witness says that she has friendly relations with Ovchinnikova and Kocherova. According to the woman, shortly before the interrogation, she underwent eye surgery and could not see well. However, the interrogation protocol was not read to her, and she signed it, trusting the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-02-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20240220","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert Lenar Galiev is being interrogated. It turns out that he does not have the qualification of a religious scholar. He admits that his attitude to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses was formed under the influence of the books of sect scholars, and not on the basis of audio recordings of the worship services of believers, from which he compiled an examination. He believes that Dolganov uses the name of God \"specifically.\"\nHe claims that the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia as an organization appeared in 1931, which is not true.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2024-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20240216","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 14, 2024, from 6 a. m., homes of believers were searched in Vladivostok. Their electronic devices, photographs and personal notes were seized, after which they were interrogated in the local department of the Investigative Committee.\nDuring one of the searches, a search warrant of the Frunzensky Court of Vladivostok dated February 12, 2024 was presented.\nSince 2017, 27 residents of Vladivostok have faced criminal prosecution for their faith.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-02-14T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/02/191539.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New Searches of Homes Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok","type":"news"},{"body":"Relatives of the defendants are being interrogated. Tatiana Morlang's husband refers to poor health and enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones.\nValeriy Khmil's wife describes him as a caring husband who is ready to help others. She goes on to say that during the interrogation she faced threats from the investigation: \"I was scared, [we] have three children ... Everything I said was said under pressure.\" When asked whether Valeriy Khmil called for religious discord or refusal of medical care by his actions or words, he answers in the negative.\nFrom the materials of the case, the conclusions of the religious examination are read out. The court satisfies the motion of the defense to summon the author of the examination to the court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2024-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20240208","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Sergei Gvardeev, head of the FSB department. He informs the court that he has no dislike for the defendant. He notes that he does not have a legal education and does not understand the difference between a legal entity and a religious denomination. The decision of the Supreme Court to ban the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses has not been read.\nThe last to be interrogated is Stanislav Martyn, who recorded meetings of believers on a dictaphone. When asked by the court whether he confirmed his testimony that Valery \"persuaded him to make a decision to join the banned organization of Jehovah's Witnesses,\" Martyn replied in the negative.\nAbout the believer himself, he says: \"As much as I talked with him, a good family man, he works, he did not notice any aggression in anyone's direction. I rate it positively.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20240208","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"There are two witnesses in court: a mother and a daughter, a disabled person of group I. The testimony of the latter was read out at the previous meeting. The mother reports that she does not know the defendants, she has not heard extremist appeals from them, but she noticed that studying the Bible makes them better, helps them get rid of bad habits. She refutes some of the testimony attributed to her, which was given under pressure.\nThe woman's daughter is summoned for interrogation. She says that the investigator insulted her because of her disability.\nThe prosecutor petitions for the disclosure of the testimony of secret witnesses Alexei and Elka, since one of them is outside the Primorsky Territory, and the other is being treated in the hospital.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240208","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Olesya Ulyanova decides to read out the protocols of the interrogations of three witnesses in the case in connection with their failure to appear in court due to illness. The lawyer objects to the actions of the presiding judge.\nDuring the interrogation, another prosecution witness indicates that he does not know the defendants, does not know who Jehovah's Witnesses are, and this is the first time he has heard about the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The man admits that during the interrogation he was pressured - if he does not testify, he will increase the period of supervision. The prosecutor asks to read out the record of his interrogation. In this regard, the court sends to the Investigative Committee an extract of the minutes of the court session and the protocol of the interrogation of the witness to check the actions of the detectives Bradul and Bolshak for coercion to testify (Article 302 of the Criminal Code).\nThe next witness says that this is the first time he has heard the name \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nThe court attaches to the case file the decision on the refusal of the Investigative Committee to initiate a criminal case in relation to the investigation into the abuse of authority by investigator Elena Piskun.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2024-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20240207","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 6, 2024, at least 7 addresses of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses and their relatives were searched in the cities of Shakhunya and Gorodets, and the village of Vakhtan (Nizhny Novgorod Region). Those affected included elderly and families with children. Some were interrogated and later released.\nThe searches began around 6 a.m. and lasted between 2 and 5 hours. They were conducted by law enforcement officers — local and from Nizhny Novgorod. They seized electronic devices, personal notes, data storage and Bibles. In most cases, the law enforcement officers behaved properly. One of the believers, an elderly man, repeatedly lost consciousness during the search; an ambulance was called for him twice and eventually he was taken to the hospital, from where he was discharged later.\nThe interrogations of the believers were led by T.A. Smirnova, senior investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Shakhunya.\nThis is not the first wave of prosecutions of believers in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Already 13 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the region have been sentenced for practicing their religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-02-06T08:50:40+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2024/02/090850/image_hu_7581793484aa384d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2024/02/090850/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2024/02/090850/image_hu_ef03c5c9bccced98.webp","webp2x":"/news/2024/02/090850/image_hu_63cd156833263421.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/02/090850.html","regions":["nizhegorod"],"subtitle":"One of Them Ended up in Hospital","tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","minors"],"title":"In the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Searches Were Carried Out at the Homes of Believers.","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee is conducting searches in the apartments of both believers. Alexander Krushevsky's investigative actions are led by I. Y. Nenko, Anatoly Artamonov's — senior investigator D. V. Emelianenko. Later, Krushevsky was taken to the Investigative Committee and interrogated. The believer explains to the investigator that he is a person with hearing disability of group III.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Krushevskiy and Artamonov in Birobidzhan","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan21/index.html#20240206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["search","interrogation","disability","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The deputy head of the investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice S. N. Galyamov, initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons for participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serdtseva and Others in Shakhunya","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shakhunya/index.html#20240206","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2","elderly","minors","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kirill Kirushin, who participated in the preparation of a psychological and religious examination, although he does not have a higher education in psychology, is being interrogated. Previously, he participated in trials in the cases of other Togliatti residents.\nAnswering the question by what actions of Dolganov he realized that he was conducting extremist activities, he refers to the case materials. About what he concluded that Dolganov belonged to an extremist organization, Kirushin says: \"Only from the words of the investigator.\" When asked if he has a dislike for Jehovah's Witnesses, he refuses to answer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20240206","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yuriy Menyailov, an FSB technical specialist who took part in the ORM, is being interrogated. When asked what happened on the recordings, he answers: \"Some kind of prayer, people in the room.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240206","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The medical documents of the defendants shall be attached to the case file.\nTwo investigators who interrogated three witnesses in the case testify in connection with the fact that the women stated that pressure was exerted on them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2024-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20240205","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, a neighbor of Valery Rabota, is being interrogated. She describes him as a calm, balanced person, not seen in conflicts, and notes that Valery helped her with the housework. They did not talk about religious topics. The court reads out her affidavit, the woman does not confirm them.\nFSB officer Ogienko, who conducted the ORM, is also being interrogated. He explains that he did not personally witness any crime on the part of Valery; I have not heard any statements related to inciting enmity and hatred towards any religious group or nation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20240205","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"17 people come to the courthouse, 8 of them are allowed to attend the hearing.\nProsecution witness M. K. Kokhalskaya, who had previously attended services via video link and filmed them on a phone camera, is being interrogated. She says that she has not heard any extremist statements from Galina Komissarova.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20240205","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense files a motion to return the case to the prosecutor due to the absence of victims in the case, as well as evidence of guilt. Kocherova also asks the court to join their case with the case of Valery Rabota. The court rejected both motions.\nThe prosecutor reads out the charges, after which the interrogation of witnesses begins. The first to be interrogated is A. Kocherov, the wife of Lyubov Kocherova. The witness declares that he was sick at the time of giving the written testimony, so he refuses it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20240202","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the daughter of Elena Yurenkova, who does not share the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. The girl characterizes her mother positively.\nAlso being questioned is expert Lenar Galiev, an associate professor at the Department of History and Methods of Teaching, who claims that the use of the biblical name Jehovah God is not a manifestation of faith, but an indication of belonging to a legal entity (Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia).\nThe court attaches the text of the defense's petition on the jurisprudence of international and Russian courts, the position of state authorities, as well as scientific information regarding the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe court is reviewing two DVDs of worship services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yurenkova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti5/index.html#20240202","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the daughter of Svetlana Vyrezkova. She says she thinks her mom is \"the kindest person.\" When asked about her choice of religion and treatment, she replies: \"My mother always raised me that I had the right to choose. And now I make the decisions that I think are right.\"\nAfter the interrogation, the prosecutor begins to read out materials containing a transcript of wiretapping - conversations of believers on everyday topics (culinary recipes, pandemic, self-isolation, etc.).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20240201","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the written materials of the case, including information on what Jehovah's Witnesses believe in, what principles they follow in everyday life, in the family, and how they relate to state power.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Virich in Luchegorsk","date":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk4/index.html#20240201","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The chief accountant of the organization that rented out the hall for worship is being interrogated. The witness says that the lease agreement was concluded not with a legal entity, but with an individual, while she is not personally acquainted with the defendants.\nAnother prosecution witness, who previously attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, says that there are no forced financial fees for them: \"Whoever can and wants as much, there are voluntary donations.\"\nThe owner of the apartment, which was rented by the Golik family, is summoned for interrogation. He says that he rented the apartment under the contract to Dmitry and Kristina, because \"[he] liked them, friendly.\" He did not discuss any religious matters with them and did not see any religious materials in the apartment.\nThe prosecutor reads out the testimony of a witness, which says that there was a map of Israel hanging on the wall in Golikov's room.\nSeveral other witnesses invited by the prosecution say they do not know the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Golik and Others in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk3/index.html#20240201","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Pavel Kosarev, an employee of the FSB of Russia, is being interrogated. He describes the structure of the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, the functions and structure of the activities of believers. The FSB received all the necessary explanations from a secret witness who \"turned to the department himself in 2022\" and brought CDs with recorded liturgical meetings.\nWhen asked by the defendants to the prosecution witness about the threat to the security of the state posed by the activities of believers, the operative replies that the Witnesses, as an international organization of Jehovah, receive religious literature and guidance from outside. He also says that believers \"do not revere state symbols, refuse to serve in the army, do not observe public holidays.\" Kosarev believes that the study of religious materials, the study of the Bible, prayers — \"all this is part of the structure of the [liturgical] meeting,\" and therefore is extremist activity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2024-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20240130","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are summoned to court. One of them talks about his acquaintance with the embedded FSB agent Stanislav Martyn, who collected information about Valery Rabota. His testimony given during the preliminary investigation is announced, the witness himself does not confirm them.\nThe next to be questioned is the witness Romanov, who knows the defendant well. According to him, he did not speak negatively about other religions and they talked about the Bible for a long time - in the period from 2008 to 2012.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20240130","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20240130","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court rejects the request to exclude evidence obtained in violation of the law, promising to evaluate it when sentencing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2024-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20240129","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, the defendant's correspondence with fellow believers in the messenger is selectively read out and other materials are examined. The defense asks to recognize the results of operational-search measures as inadmissible, since, in its opinion, they were obtained with violations. The court refuses.\nThe expert opinion of religious scholar Ekaterina Elbakyan is announced. The judge attaches him to the case file, but refuses to interrogate the religious scholar via video conferencing. Then Inver Siyukhov begins to testify.\nAbout 40 people are outside the courthouse to support the believer. Eight of them are allowed to attend the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Siyukhov in Maykop","date":"2024-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop/index.html#20240129","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Historian Maria Serdyuk is being interrogated. It tells about the past of Jehovah's Witnesses and describes the structure of a religious organization. When asked by the defendants, she replies that the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia and that they have the right to practice their religion within the law, as long as it does not involve the use and distribution of extremist literature.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2024-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20240129","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned. One of them says that she knows the defendants as believers, decent and law-abiding people, and the other has never seen the Chechulins.\nSergey Chechulin comments on one of the transcripts of the recorded conversation: \"We are talking about prayer, the conversation is completely based on the Bible, there are no words that would humiliate representatives of other religions.\" Elena Chechulina adds: \"The transcript often mentions the expression 'meeting of the congregation,' which means Christian worship, not a meeting of a legal entity.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Chechulins in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2024-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy2/index.html#20240129","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The state prosecutor reads out the interrogation protocols of numerous prosecution witnesses, with whom Aleksey Shcherbich is not personally acquainted and who cannot testify against him. The defendant asks not to attach their testimony and the protocols of their interrogations to the case file.\nWitnesses interrogated during the hearings confirm their earlier testimony, which is at variance with what they say in court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk","date":"2024-01-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk3/index.html#20240125","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. Defendants Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov express their attitude to the charge, stating that they do not agree with him.\nThe interrogation of prosecution witnesses begins, including senior commissioner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs D. Kursky, former senior commissioner S. Sablin, employee of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Tambov region N. V. Aparshin, head of the economic security department Tsyplakov (who worked at the Center for Countering Extremism during the ORM), as well as senior district police officer Sergey Kuznetsov. The testimonies of several witnesses shall be read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2024-01-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20240124","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Rogatin, associate professor of the Department of Religious Studies of Kazan Federal University, who performed the examination, which was discussed at the last meeting, is being interrogated. The expert answers many questions of the defense evasively. For example, it cannot explain the difference between a legal entity and a religious group.\nThe defense asks how the expert determined that the record of worship provided to him was a meeting of a liquidated legal entity. He replies that he was guided by \"personal conviction.\" Rohatyn adds that the worship services of believers are similar to those that were held before the liquidation of legal entities, which means that this is a continuation of the activities of the banned organization.\nPublic defender Marina Parfenovich draws the court's attention to the fact that the expert, in fact, relied in his conclusions only on the testimony of a secret witness Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich, who is neither a religious scholar nor an expert.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Parfenovich and Gerashchenko in Krasnogvardeyskoye","date":"2024-01-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnogvardeyskoe/index.html#20240122","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Egorov refuses the defendants to disclose the identity of the classified witness. This woman says that she had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, and admits that they \"were friendly, I did not fear for my life.\" She clarifies that when she decided not to attend services anymore, no one forced her to return and did not put pressure on her. Of the three defendants, the witness recognizes Khachaturian and Galitsyna. It characterizes them as peaceful believers; I have not heard any extremist appeals or statements about religious superiority from them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2024-01-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20240122","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Experts are being interrogated: associate professor Lenar Galiev and master Kirill Kirushin. The defendant asks the court to recognize their conclusions as inadmissible evidence of her guilt. She notes that Kirushin did not have the right to conduct a study of the materials, since he is not a state forensic expert; Lenar Galiev went beyond his competence by giving a legal assessment of her religious affiliation; the examination contains a negative assessment of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses without indications of scientific sources, which may indicate bias of experts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhevnikova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-01-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti4/index.html#20240122","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Denis Drozdov, senior detective for especially important cases of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Voronezh Region, is being interrogated. He could not answer questions about whether there were calls for incitement to hatred and enmity at the services and whether extremist materials were used.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-01-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240119","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hearings in the case of Valery Rabota in the new composition of the court begin. The case is being considered by judge Maria Luzhbina.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2024-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20240118","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court proceeds to the examination of prosecution witnesses. Witness Sarantsev, who since 2015 has been working as deputy head of the department for countering extremist organizations, cannot inform the court of anything on the merits of the case. He describes the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses as follows: \"People gathered to pray, prayed and dispersed.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2024-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20240118","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 40 people come to the hearing. A secret witness under the pseudonym Murzabekova, whose voice has been changed to male, is being interrogated. Talking about himself, the witness speaks either in the masculine or in the feminine gender. According to her, she attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2017 and is personally acquainted with the defendant. To the questions: where, when and how Muzarbekova met Sergey Skudaev, why she began to study the Bible and what was the atmosphere among believers, the secret witness does not give answers, referring to Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2024-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20240117","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness Reutov, who attended meetings of believers and kept a secret recording, is being interrogated. He knows the defendant personally, but he has not heard her make negative statements about other religions or calls to disobey the authorities. The defense draws attention to the contradictions in the testimony of the witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yelena Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2024-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk/index.html#20240117","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Galyamin testifies. In his written notes, he explains that he \"is a believer and is being prosecuted solely for his peaceful religious activities.\" According to him, it follows from the testimony of witnesses that none of them, regardless of their religion, was subjected to humiliation or other illegal actions on the part of the defendants.\nThe believer draws the court's attention to the fact that the expert Belova in her examination quotes from the publication \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation\", but the publication itself was not provided to her for research, which raises doubts about the reliability of her conclusions.\nThe defendant notes that he exercised his constitutional right by participating in worship services, and his meetings with fellow believers were exclusively peaceful. Moreover, \"the topics discussed were of a socially useful nature: how to show love in the family, how to be law-abiding people, how to get along with others, provide help and share thoughts about God with others.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2024-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20240116","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","studies-violations","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A technician who is not familiar with Dolganov is being interrogated. He did not examine the equipment seized from him and did not see what programs were installed on the defendant's device.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2024-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20240116","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor shall request the examination of two prosecution witnesses not named in the indictment. Despite the objections of the defense, the court grants the petition.\nOne of the witnesses says that for about 7 years she spoke on the phone with Korobochko exclusively on religious topics. Basically, Nadezhda read her verses from the Bible. The witness says that she did not talk to the believer under duress and that the conversations stopped before 2017.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20240112","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution is interrogating technical specialist Y. Lazarev. He explains that the Zoom program is a service for video conferencing, its use in Russia is not prohibited. Agrees that the use of a fictitious name during a video conference can be regarded as a protection of personal data.\nSecret witness I. I. Ivanov, who made video recordings of divine services and handed the disks to the investigator, is interrogated via audio link. He says that songs, prayers and Bible talks were heard at such meetings. In general, he characterizes Jehovah's Witnesses as sympathetic people, and Galina Komissarova as a thoughtful and attentive woman. Ivanov reports that he has not heard any extremist statements from the defendant, including calls to undermine the foundations of the constitutional order, break off family relations, and refuse medical intervention.\nIvanov cannot specify which actions of Jehovah's Witnesses he considers illegal. To many other questions about the work of Jehovah's Witnesses, he says: \"I am not an expert.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20240112","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"14 people come to support the believers. Anatoly Lyamo is being interrogated. He says that worship services in private apartments were not illegal, since they were held in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2024-01-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20240111","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Kravchenko interrogates Ilya Ershov as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20231229","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator V. A. Boranukov, accompanied by the head of the CPE, Azat Dzhamturiev, comes to Svetlana Ogoreva and her mother with a search. Women call the district police officer, in which the search takes place in a more relaxed atmosphere. However, Svetlana's mother becomes ill, she calls an ambulance. During the 4-hour search, law enforcement officers seized Bibles, electronic devices and personal records. On the same day, Svetlana is interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2023-12-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy/index.html#20231228","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"M. Kozharino, senior investigator of the Nazarovsky district department, interrogates Pavel Chemrov and brings him in as an accused. According to the investigator, saying prayers and studying religious literature is participation in the activities of an extremist organization and is subject to criminal punishment.\nChemrov is chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chemrov in Nazarovo","date":"2023-12-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo2/index.html#20231228","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court refuses the defendant to exclude from the case file examinations and protocols of interrogations of experts, but attaches documents confirming Olopova's chronic diseases. Also, the judge gets acquainted with the contents of the medical book, which the defendant brought with her.\nThe believer is being interrogated. The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that the accused provides beauty services to all women, regardless of their nationality and religious views. The believer also says that she has never participated in rallies and protests and tries to help others financially as much as possible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olopova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-12-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti2/index.html#20231225","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness is being interrogated. He reports that he attended worship meetings both before 2017 and after.\nThe lawyers again ask the court to declassify the witness, stating that he does not answer questions in his own words, but reads his testimony. The court refuses.\nWhen asked what interested the secret witness in the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, he reports that he \"came there to expose the organization.\" He also notes that he did it because of a \"loved one.\" When asked by the prosecutor to describe the defendants, he replies that he cannot say anything bad about them. The witness also says that he has never seen the statutes of Jehovah's Witnesses' legal entities, and also confirms that in order to be a believer, you do not need to be a member of any legal entity or register on the site.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231219","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of a witness who had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses continues. He says that these were legal, in his opinion, ordinary religious meetings of believers, not related to any legal entities.\nThe witness also explains that no one encouraged him to use the Bible in the New World Translation, but in the Synodal Translation there are many incomprehensible and outdated words for him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231219","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness M. V. Kokhalskaya, who collaborated with the police and secretly filmed online worship services, is being interrogated.\nThe woman does not hide her negative attitude towards believers. She has previously been involved in lawsuits against other Jehovah's Witnesses in Togliatti.\nThe witness says that he does not know the defendant personally and cannot say anything specific about him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2023-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20231219","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor requested suspended term for the defendants: Yuriy Ponomarenko — 4 years, Oleg Sergeyev — 3 years and 6 months, and Nikolay Dikhtyar — 2 years.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ponomarenko and Others in Luchegorsk","date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk2/index.html#20231215","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["punishment-request","defense-arguments","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses who appeared at the court session continues. They consistently enjoy the right not to testify against themselves and their loved ones.\nThe court continues to examine the materials of the case. Among them are transcripts of telephone conversations of believers and the conclusion of a linguistic examination dated April 26, 2021, regarding video recordings made at meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Virich in Luchegorsk","date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk4/index.html#20231215","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness A. S. Zaikin is being questioned. He says that Jehovah's Witnesses study the regular Bible in a modern translation, and that they are normal people. The witness informs the court that he communicated with the defendant Igor Kletkin, but does not know Nikolai Kononenko and Nadezhda Korobochko. He also confirms that Kletkin did not continue the activities of the local religious organization after 2017.\nThe court examines material evidence - items seized during the search of Nadezhda Korobochko.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20231215","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines five witnesses and reads out the testimonies of seven witnesses who did not appear. The prosecutor examines the written materials of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Virich in Luchegorsk","date":"2023-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk4/index.html#20231214","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court satisfies the believer's request for the admission of a defense counsel to participate in the proceedings along with a lawyer.\nIn addition to the participants of the process, there are 15 listeners in the hall.\nProsecutor Azamat Adzhiyev reads out the indictment. Alexei Pasynkov reads out his attitude to the charges, without admitting guilt in extremism.\nA witness is being questioned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2023-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20231214","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants comment on the materials of the case with the decision of the ECHR regarding Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and conclude: \"The assertion by the consequence that the proclamation of one's religion as the only true one is regarded as incitement to religious hatred, entailing socially dangerous consequences, is a kind of speculation of the investigator ... Neither the examination of the evidence by the prosecution, nor the testimony of witnesses, nor the examination proved the fact confirming that the defendants incited religious hatred or proclaimed violence on any grounds.\nFor an hour, the court watches a video recording in which Aram Danielyan discusses Bible teachings with a man.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231214","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court shall examine an information technology specialist as a witness. He says that Zoom, a program used by believers to hold worship services, is not banned in the Russian Federation and is used in state institutions.\nA secret witness \"Ivanov\", who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses for 5 years, is being interrogated. He says that Alexander Chagan is a calm smiling person. At worship services, the man heard that Jehovah's Witnesses believed in the truth of their religion, but no extremist calls were made. The witness cannot explain what a local religious organization (LRO) is and how the activities of such a legal entity differ from spiritual activities, although the expression \"LRO\" often appears in the protocol of his testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chagan in Tolyatti","date":"2023-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti/index.html#20231214","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Captain Kravchenko calls Oleksandr Gaytur to the border department of Petukhovo.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gaytur in Kurgan","date":"2023-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan3/index.html#20231212","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness Ivanov is being interrogated. The petition to declassify his identity is rejected by the court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2023-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20231212","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Specialist Lazarev is interrogated about the use of the Zoom program. He knows nothing about Jehovah's Witnesses.\nSona Olopova petitions for the study of the written materials of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olopova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-12-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti2/index.html#20231211","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Seven defence witnesses are being questioned. They positively characterize the defendants, saying that they have strong families and good relations with their parents, they are responsible for their work, are always ready to help and do not refuse medical treatment. The witnesses did not hear any negative statements about the state authorities and representatives of other religions from the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-12-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20231211","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The FSB task force that searched Denis Kuzyanin's house is being interrogated. As it turned out, the instruction to the technician to create new folders on the desktop of the believer's laptop and add documents there during the search was given by the detective. The investigator did not reflect these actions in the protocol.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231207","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator continues to interrogate Dmitry Terebilov and charges him under Article 282.2 (1.1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He presents the conclusion of a historical and religious examination, in which an expert - a historian and a teacher by profession - makes a conclusion not of a specialized, but of a legal nature and states that Terebilov involved others in the activities of a banned extremist organization. The defence is requesting the disqualification of the expert.\nDuring the interrogation, the investigator presents Terebilov with letters, notebooks, photographs, postcards, which were previously seized from the believer without his personal presence in order to find out whether these are his belongings.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2023-12-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20231206","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another witness is being interrogated. He says he was interested in studying the Bible, so he attended several worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses. He cannot characterize the defendants, since he saw them only once or twice, and Alexandra only via video link.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231205","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons Dmitry for questioning as a suspect. The investigation is trying to find out whether the voice on the audio recordings obtained during the operational-search activities belongs to him. The believer refuses to testify. The investigator presents Terebilov with a decision on the appointment of a forensic historical and religious examination.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2023-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20231205","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines a witness who had previously attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses. He speaks positively about believers, says that studying the Bible helped him overcome bad habits and improve relationships with his wife and children. He also notes that believers never encouraged him to commit unlawful acts.\nSpivak asks the witness if he personally read the interrogation protocols during the investigation before signing them. He replies that he did it inattentively, as he trusted the investigator. At the same time, he says: \"Now I understand that [religion] is not prohibited, but only a legal entity.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231205","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness Olenin is interrogated. He says that believers used them to study the Bible, sing songs and pray. He also notes: \"Rights, freedoms and legitimate interests were not violated during the meetings.\"\nOlenin refuses to answer some questions, fearing that his identity may be revealed in this way.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20231201","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of three witnesses. They inform the court that Kabanov did not call for disrespect for state power, refusal of military service and refusal of blood transfusions.\nThe prosecutor reads out the case materials from the first two volumes, which mention the topics of child-rearing, obedience to authority and water baptism. He also voices the order of worship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2023-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20231201","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four witnesses for the prosecution testify, including Stefanidin's mother and Votyakov's son. All of them characterize the defendants positively: conscientious, honest people, do not have bad habits and are ready to help.\nA written description of Yevgeny Stefanidin, provided by his sister, is also announced. She describes her brother as a responsible citizen and father. He describes his relationship with his brother as trusting.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231128","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Nikolay Saparov. He says that after his detention at the Mineralnye Vody airport, he was subjected to violence, including the use of a stun gun, who was forced to take the blame for extremism. According to the believer, he was pushed into a car and taken about 300 km to the law enforcement department in Adygea. Along the way, he was beaten and intimidated.\nAfter the interrogations, first in the building of the local department of the Federal Security Service, and later in the building of the branch of the Investigative Committee, Nikolai Saparov was taken to his home for a search, which, according to the defendant and his lawyer, took place with violations, including without witnesses. As a result, investigators \"found\" documents and items in Saparov's house that did not belong to him.\nThe lawyer filed a motion to exclude the search protocol from the case file, arguing that the search at Saparov's place of residence was carried out by the investigating authorities with numerous violations of the criminal procedure legislation. The defender draws the court's attention to the fact that investigator Shnakhov allowed the uncontrolled movement of operational officers around the house, which is a significant violation. This does not exclude the planting of documents and objects that were \"discovered\" in Saparov's house. The judge rejects the motion of the defense to exclude the search protocol from the case file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Saparov in Maykop","date":"2023-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop2/index.html#20231128","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications","plant","siloviks-violence","torture"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses begins. The first to be interrogated is the secret witness I. I. Ivanov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yurenkova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti5/index.html#20231128","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness, a woman with whom Lubin spoke on the phone about the Bible. The woman explains that the believer did not tell her anything bad or offensive, did not hurt her feelings, did not invite her anywhere and did not call her to anything.\nThe Court examines the case file in volumes 14 to 21.\nThe lawyer draws the court's attention to the fact that the voiced materials are not related to the participants in the trial, and also do not relate to the period imputed to the defendant. In addition, according to him, the state prosecutor does not indicate what exactly these materials have to do with the charges. The Court takes note of this observation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20231128","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 23, 2023, on Iturup Island security forces searched the homes of two women who practice the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Olga Kalinnikova, 47, and Larisa Potapova, 59, were placed under a recognizance agreement.\nA three-hour search took place in the apartment of Olga Kalinnikova, who lives with her minor daughter in the town of Kurilsk. The operation was led by K.P. Deshko, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region. Electronic devices, various data storage devices, notebooks and personal notes were seized from Kalinnikova. According to her, law enforcement officers spoke rudely about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nOn the same day, at about 9 a.m., representatives of the border guards of the FSB of Russia with two attesting witnesses went to Larisa Potapova, who lives in the village of Reidovo. The security forces seized the Bible and other books, as well as video discs. The believer's elderly mother who is 87, felt ill as her blood pressure rose sharply due to great stress. After the search, Larisa was interrogated in the investigator's office.\nThe Korsakov Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation had already initiated a criminal case against Olga Kalinnikova and Larisa Potapova on October 12, 2023. Investigators suspect the women of \"extremist activity,\" by which they mean conversations with local residents about God.\nOn Sakhalin, this is the fourth criminal case for believing in God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-11-23T15:51:09+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/11/291551/image_hu_2e490b5dd4dd9bea.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/11/291551/image_hu_aa070b536aecc5b8.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/11/291551/image_hu_c51742191b7fb50b.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/11/291551/image_hu_366ce223752e9a65.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/11/291551.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":"Criminal Case Initiated Against Two Women for Their Faith","tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","new-case","minors","282.2-2","elderly"],"title":"Searches on Kuril Islands.","type":"news"},{"body":"Olga Kalinnikova and Larisa Potapova are being searched. They start early in the morning and last more than three hours. Kalinnikova's apartment at this time is a minor daughter. Electronic devices, flash drives, books, personal records, passports and photographs are seized from women.\nAfter the searches, the women are taken to the investigative committee for interrogation, which is conducted by investigator Deshko. In the presence of the school psychologist and her older brother, Kalinnikova's 13-year-old daughter is interrogated.\nWomen are taken on a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior and allowed to go home.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalinnikova and Potapova in Kurilsk","date":"2023-11-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurilsk/index.html#20231123","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["search","interrogation","minors","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Ivliev, senior commissioner for especially important cases of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Samara Region, is being interrogated. He explains that he received video recordings of worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, made secretly by a prosecution witness questioned at the previous hearing. After the examination, Ivliev sent the materials to the Investigative Committee. The witness cannot explain anything about the content of the filmed services.\nTestifying is a prosecution witness who is not personally acquainted with the defendant, but heard about him from his friend Alexander, whose name he refused to give. This anonymous acquaintance gave him a 3-minute video, explaining that Chagan was speaking on it. The witness then handed over the video to law enforcement officers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chagan in Tolyatti","date":"2023-11-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti/index.html#20231123","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses who are familiar with the defendants in connection with their professional activities are being questioned in court. Both characterize believers positively.\nA third witness explains that the Supreme Court did not prohibit the practice of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. He has known them for a long time, but he has never heard extremist statements from them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-11-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20231123","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A motion has been filed to attach positive characteristics to the defendants.\nDefense witnesses are interrogated - acquaintances and relatives of the accused. Five of them, who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, state that the difference in religions has never caused disagreement or controversy between them and the defendants.\nDenis Kuzyanin tells the court that during the search, two new folders appeared in the memory of the laptop seized from him, which contain information included in the indictment of the case file.\nJudge Dmitry Derunov instructs the secretary to summon for questioning the persons who were present during the search of Kuzyanin's house.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-11-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231123","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants testify. The conclusion of the religious examination is read out. The characteristics of the defendants are investigated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20231122","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. Yelena Chernykh asks him to indicate exactly when and under what circumstances she called for the undermining of the state system, the destruction of the family and the incitement of religious hatred. To all these questions, the witness replies that he does not remember, because a lot of time has passed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yelena Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2023-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk/index.html#20231122","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeny Stefanidin's father is being interrogated. He characterizes his son on the positive side, says that Eugene has no bad habits and he has a strong family. He can't say anything about Votyakov, since he sees him for the first time.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231121","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A defence witness is being questioned. He describes Vasichkin as a peaceful and hardworking person, a good family man. The witness says that he never heard negative statements from him about representatives of other religions and that the defendant never forced him to become Jehovah's Witness.\nFurther, the court interrogates Vasichkin's boss. She gives him a positive characterization and says that he is a responsible employee who can be relied on.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231121","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 07:20 in the morning, investigator Bulat Urazov interrogates Bashabayev and draws up a protocol for the seizure of personal belongings: a phone, tablet and laptop, as well as a common notebook with personal notes. The believer is photographed and sent to a temporary detention facility, where he will be fingerprinted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bashabaev and Others in Saratov","date":"2023-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov3/index.html#20231120","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The specialist who conducted the voice examination is interrogated. There are inconsistencies and shortcomings in it, which the expert explains by a technical error. The judge draws attention to the inadmissibility of errors in the expert opinion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kokovin in Yaroslavl","date":"2023-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl2/index.html#20231120","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 16, 2023, searches were carried out at no less than at 6 addresses in Saratov. They affected at least 13 believers. Aleksey Vasilyev, 47, and Aleksey Yefremov, 59, were placed in a temporary detention facility, and a day later they were placed under house arrest.\nThe investigative actions were sanctioned by the Volzhsky District Court of Saratov on November 9, 2023, at the request of investigator Bulat Urazov. The raids began around 6 a. m. and lasted on average until noon. The security forces seized electronic devices, storage media, personal notes and greeting cards. The RF internal passport was also seized from one of the believers.\nAfter the searches, all of the believers were interrogated at the local office of the Investigative Committee. Among them are a woman with a disability and a man, 64, suffering from heart disease, who felt ill during the interrogation. Despite this, he was kept at the investigative office for the longest time.\nThe criminal case on the basis of which the searches were carried out was initiated on October 31, 2023, under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC (participating in the activity of an extremist organization).\nIn the Saratov Region, 12 Jehovah's Witnesses have already become defendants in criminal cases for their faith in God: seven of them have served time in penal colonies, the other five men are defending their right in court to practice the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nRussian human rights activists and the world community condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The ECHR found these prosecutions groundless and unlawful.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-11-16T14:55:09+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/11/221455/image_hu_99dc544cbd75a2d2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/11/221455/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/11/221455/image_hu_ab1029e1ee3e46bf.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/11/221455/image_hu_eaa0dc106b024473.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/11/221455.html","regions":["saratov"],"subtitle":"Two believers under house arrest","tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","house-arrest","elderly","disability","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"In Saratov, searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses.","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness under the pseudonym Shukshin, an 85-year-old neighbor of the defendant Nadezhda Korobochko and investigator Golovchenko.\nThe court rejects the request for disclosure of the data of the secret witness. Witness Shukshin informs the court that he attended worship services of believers until 2022. When asked by the prosecutor what was the involvement of other persons by the defendants in the banned organization, Shukshin answers: \"They studied the Bible.\"\nWhen asked by the defense when and where exactly Nadezhda Korobochko distributed the banned literature and whether he witnessed this fact, Shukshin replies that he saw it, but cannot confirm either the year, place, or the people to whom this literature was offered. Nor can the witness explain the difference between the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses and other Christian denominations. He says that Jehovah's Witnesses are also Christians and that their worship services are not meetings of legal entities, but meetings of ordinary believers, and the name of the creed is taken from the Bible. The witness confirms that he has not seen a single case of disrespect for authority by believers.\nNadezhda Korobochko's elderly neighbor explains that she has been living next to the defendant since 1965, but met her only in 2022 - she was carrying a heavy bag, and Nadezhda helped her carry it. Since then, they saw each other several more times, greeted each other, and 2-3 times the defendant helped her carry purchases from the store.\nWhen asked by the defense whether the witness confirms the words of the state prosecutor that Korobochko recruited her, the woman answers in the negative. She states that investigator Golovchenko tricked her into signing the protocol and the testimony in it did not correspond to reality. The woman says: \"He gave me to sign some paper, said that it was necessary to close the case, I signed it. The fact that she recruited me was never like that. He wrote there that she persuaded me. She never persuaded me.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20231116","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Several believers are searched and interrogated, including in families with minor children and a disabled person.\nAt 6 a.m., the Efremovs are awakened by a loud knock on the windows. The house includes 8 people, including two investigators, witnesses and riot police. The investigator hands Alexei a search warrant, informs him that the court has already made a decision on their case, and offers to cooperate with the investigation. Alexei's blood pressure rises, an ambulance is called for him. During the search, the believer is lying down, but he is lifted up to sign for the seized items.\nThe search lasts 3 hours, the security forces take away electronic devices, bank cards and personal records. Aleksey Yefremov is detained and taken to the Investigative Committee, where he is interrogated throughout the day. Despite the believer's repeated statements about his chronic diseases (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and three heart attacks), he was denied medication and insulin injections and placed in a temporary detention facility.\nAt 6 a.m., 10 people burst into Alexei Vasiliev's house, including employees of the FSB, CPE, SOBR and witnesses. The believer is laid on the floor and handcuffed. An employee of the Investigative Committee presents a search warrant, but does not provide a copy of this document. Alexei's wife and their minor daughter are taken to the investigative committee.\nDuring the 8-hour search, the believer's laptop and tablet, personal records, phones, smart watches with charging, wallet, cash, bank cards, car documents, driver's licenses, passports, WI-FI router and the Bible in the Synodal translation are seized. Also, operatives pick up the password to the believer's laptop and hack it. After the search, Vasilyev was taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation by investigator Bulat Urazov, who said that the believer, his wife and minor daughter would be placed in a temporary detention facility. After interrogation, Aleksey is placed in an isolation ward, and his relatives are allowed to go home.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bashabaev and Others in Saratov","date":"2023-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov3/index.html#20231116","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","minors","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses for the prosecution, elderly women, are being questioned. One of them is familiar with the Votyakovs in a neighborly way. She explains that she has not heard from the defendants statements about the superiority of the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses over the creeds of other religions, as well as calls for disobedience to the authorities, negative attitudes towards representatives of other religions or the destruction of family ties.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-11-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231114","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a secret witness, Konstantin Konstantinov, who was twice present at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses. He confirms that the Bible was studied on them, and notes that \"the atmosphere was trusting.\"\nThe defendant submits motions for a larger room and for the declassification of secret witnesses. The judge rejects them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2023-11-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20231113","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the charges. The defendant expresses his attitude towards him: \"The material evidence collected by the prosecution testifies to my peaceful attitude towards people and that the motive of my actions is always love for people and God.\"\nThe court grants two motions: to provide the defendant with the opportunity to familiarize himself with the records of court hearings as they are made, and to examine material evidence (partially). The court does not satisfy the defendant's request to summon new witnesses who were witnesses during the searches, considering it premature.\nThe defendant's father is being questioned. He refuses to testify against his son, so his testimony given during the preliminary investigation is announced.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2023-11-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20231113","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a defense witness. The woman shows the difference between ordinary believers and legal entities: \"We have freedom of religion in our country, I understand it in such a way that every believer can believe what he believes, and the ban applies to legal entities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20231110","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three defence witnesses are being questioned. Two of them are employees of Vasichkin. These men, despite the fact that they profess different religions, say that they have never heard offensive words from Alexander addressed to representatives of other faiths and they have never had conflicts on religious grounds. The defendant did not persuade them to change their beliefs, he was always ready to help. Another defense witness speaks of Aleksandr as a sympathetic person.\nThe defense again submits a petition to summon expert Tatyana Belova to the court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231107","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of defendants Elena Mikhailova, Svetlana Shishina and Svetlana Ryzhkova.\nAnswering questions, they say that they are all connected by friendly relations. For example, Ryzhkova says: \"We not only study the Bible, but also communicate on all topics, go to the cinema and theaters together, and do Scandinavian walking, and go to barbecues and have picnics. And so we communicate with each other. We're friends, we're just studying the Bible.\"\nThe defendants note that they did not hear any statements or appeals of an extremist nature from each other, and that they did not in any way incite religious hatred.\nShishina emphasizes: \"The main thing in my life was studying the Bible and discussing God's principles with my friends, and I was never interested in organization. I have nothing to do with it and never had.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2023-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20231107","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A specialist in the field of history, philosophy and religion is being interrogated.\nIn fact, he broadcasts the position of the prosecution, baselessly asserting that Jehovah's Witnesses pose a threat to the state due to the fact that they do not take up arms and do not serve in the army for reasons of conscience.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2023-11-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20231103","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Valentina's son, Alexei, is being interrogated. He says that he lives with his parents, he is not interested in the Bible, but he knows that his mother reads it. According to him, such a publication can be bought in the store.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Samus in Kostroma","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma3/index.html#20231102","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the part of the defense, two employees of Aram Danielyan and his relative are being interrogated. They know the defendant as an honest, sympathetic and law-abiding citizen, without bad habits. He never participated in the discussion of political issues, did not incite anyone to hatred and enmity, they did not hear extremist statements from him.\nThe defendants draw the court's attention to the conclusion of a comprehensive psychological and religious examination. It emphasizes that believers are a religious group, and their meetings are informal. The form of addressing the participants to each other by name, as well as the use of the words \"brother\" and \"sister\" indicates that they are equal to each other, there are no divisions by position.\nAccording to the conclusion of the examination, the words of believers do not contain propaganda of the inferiority of citizens on a national or social basis, motives to break off family relations or to carry out extremist activities.\nSergei Polosenko states that the bank cards and personal records presented in the case file do not prove in any way that he was engaged in extremist activities: \"Rather, their presence suggests that I live in society, I have a business reputation.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231102","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Petrov is being interrogated. The defense shall file motions for the declassification of the witness and for access to justice during the examination of the classified witness. The first court rejects, the second satisfies.\nThe defense is filing a motion to summon for questioning the expert Tatyana Belova, Ph.D., associate professor of the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Personnel Management at Ivanovo State University, author of a religious forensic examination, in which she gave an extremely biased assessment of Jehovah's Witnesses. The defense points out the absence of a copy of the diploma of the relevant higher education in the specialist's opinion, the lack of qualifications for the study of world religions, as well as the relevant experience. In his conclusion, the specialist often refers to the sources indicated in the list of references, but there is no relevant information in these sources.\nDuring the interrogation of the secret witness Petrov, it turns out that he had previously voluntarily attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Teikov. The man did not hear calls for violence, incitement of religious hatred or overthrow of the authorities at worship services. He also says that during the period of investigative actions he did not receive any threats from the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231102","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness whose mother is one of Jehovah's Witnesses. She says she has a \"strongly negative\" attitude toward the denomination, calling them \"active preachers and the only organization that offers Bible studies.\"\nTo the questions of the defense about whether she heard from Chagan calls not to serve in the army, not to celebrate secular holidays and refuse medical intervention, as well as statements encouraging non-recognition of state authorities, local self-government or refusal to perform civic duties, she answers in the negative. Confirms that Aleksandr Chagan did not offer her any religious literature and did not involve her in the activities of any organization. She cannot give a description of Alexander, because she \"communicated little with him.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chagan in Tolyatti","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti/index.html#20231102","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Former investigator Ponomarev, who interrogated prosecution witnesses, is being interrogated via videoconference. The judge asks Ponomarev to explain the witness's message about the threat of deprivation of her parental rights in case of refusal to give accusatory testimony against Gobozev and Potapov. The investigator denies this.\nThe court proceeds to consider the evidence of the defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20231102","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning 5 witnesses. One of them says that she does not recognize two of her signatures, and the other three do not belong to her.\nThe court examines the materials of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20231102","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"22 people come to support the defendants.\nAlexander Kruglyakov testifies. He reports that his actions, recorded by the investigating authorities during the investigation, have nothing to do with extremism.\nThe defendant also petitions for the exclusion from the case file of the protocols of interrogations of one of the prosecution witnesses, conducted by two different investigators, since they were drawn up with violations. Kruglyakov points out that in the interrogations of the witness different data are given, although no more than 5 days passed between them. At the same time, there are exactly the same proposals in the protocols. On this basis, Alexander concludes that some passages of the text were copied and there was no actual interrogation of the witness.\nIn addition, the defendant files a motion to cancel the measure of restraint due to the fact that most of the witnesses in the case have already been questioned at the trial and not a single one has confirmed Kruglyakov's involvement in the alleged crime. The court refuses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2023-10-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20231031","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court reads out the case file in five volumes and reads out the testimony of the prosecution witness who did not appear in court.\nAn employee from the \"E\" center is being interrogated.\nThe defense draws attention to the mistakes made in the paperwork. Thus, she points out that additional sheets were added to the case file after the defendant had familiarized himself with them.\nThe judge shall attach to the case all materials submitted by the defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kokovin in Yaroslavl","date":"2023-10-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl2/index.html#20231031","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Aleksey Alekseev, who provided information to the detectives and the investigator and gave them explanations on hidden video footage of worship services, is being interrogated.\nThe court rejects the petition of the defendant Alexander Kutin to declassify the witness, since he is against.\nAlekseev informs the court that he has attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses since 2004. He confirms that the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses is international. He also says that he attended worship services and participated in the preaching work voluntarily and did so for the purpose of studying the Bible.\nThe witness reports that he is not familiar with any document of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses. When asked by the defendant Maksim Derendyaev whether it is necessary to belong to any organization in order to practice the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, he finds it difficult to answer.\nAt the end of the interrogation of the secret witness, Maksim Derendyaev makes a repeated request for his declassification, arguing that the use of such extraordinary security measures must have serious grounds, and the witness did not declare them and there were no threats from the defendants or other persons against him. The court shall attach this petition to the case file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-10-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20231030","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution files a motion to read out the testimony of two deceased witnesses, the defense objects. The court rejects the petition, but decides to attach it to the case file. The testimonies of witnesses are read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-10-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20231030","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor is interrogating three prosecution witnesses: FSB investigator Dmitry Shevchenko, specialist Arkady Boyarkin and secret witness Larisa Ivanenko.\nWitnesses inform the court that until 2017 Maksym Zinchenko participated in worship services, but they cannot explain anything about his activities after the ban on legal entities.\nAbout 70 people come to the hearing, and for the first time the spouse of a believer is allowed into the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zinchenko in Sevastopol","date":"2023-10-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol6/index.html#20231030","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, a former Jehovah's Witness, is being questioned. He says that he has no personal animosity towards the defendants, there were no conflicts with them, but in general he is opposed to believers.\nSome of his testimonies do not agree or have significant contradictions with the testimony given during the preliminary investigation. The prosecutor asks that they be read out of the case file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2023-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20231025","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The testimony of a witness who died in 2020 is being announced. According to them, the witness was not connected with the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses; she was familiar with Vasichkin, since he worked in her subordination. She knew nothing about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231025","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Ivan Ivanov is being interrogated. The man says he attended Jehovah's Witnesses services for a couple of months in 2015 and never attended them again. According to him, there he was shown in the Bible the answers to questions that were vital to him. The witness relates that at the services the believers sang songs and studied the Bible; He did not hear any extremist statements. He believes that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited, but it is clear that he is confusing the terms \"Kingdom Hall,\" \"congregation,\" and \"local religious organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231024","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Larin, who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses and documented, according to him, about 20 liturgical meetings, is being questioned. The Witness repeatedly repeats that the reason for the ban on the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is that they are dangerous to the constitutional order because of their views on military service, blood transfusions and attitude to power, but cannot cite any specific facts to support his words.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20231023","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them states that he has never heard any extremist statements from any of the defendants. He gives an exceptionally positive characterization of each defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2023-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20231023","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tatiana testifies. She explains to the court that the spread of beliefs is characteristic of most religions and she, professing her faith, used Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nThe defendant also reads out some of the materials of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20231023","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"According to the videoconferencing, the compilers of the religious examination Galiulin R. R. and Galiev L. M. It turns out that the examination was paid for by the FSB. The judge removes the question regarding the religion of the experts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231019","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of a witness who spoke at a previous hearing continues. The woman claims that the testimony recorded in the record of her first interrogation does not belong to her. According to her, the investigator told her the names of those who needed to be identified in the video, and gave recommendations on what to say at confrontations. The security forces also threatened her with a search of her son-in-law and the seizure of equipment necessary for his work.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231019","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines the materials of the case. A witness is being questioned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20231019","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the expert Schiller continues. The defense asks him questions. The expert explains that by confession he understands religion, therefore he agrees that, accordingly, the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian Federation is not prohibited.\nThe defendant Oksana Solntseva states that the expert does not distinguish between the concepts of \"confession\" and \"organization\", since he states that both legal entities (the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses, 395 regional religious organizations) and all believers of this denomination are banned in Russia. The expert admits that the investigator set him \"the task of proving that the Magadan congregation is part of an extremist organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-10-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20231018","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","studies-violations","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a married couple whose neighbors are Jehovah's Witnesses. According to them, neither the neighbors nor their guests have ever involved them anywhere.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231018","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The state prosecutor files a motion for the disclosure of the testimony of a witness - a representative of law enforcement agencies, since there are a number of significant contradictions regarding the status and date of the search.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2023-10-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20231017","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses is being interrogated. She says that they are taught to respect the authorities and people of any religion. Thanks to attending services, her husband stopped abusing alcohol. About the defendants, the woman says: \"These are kind and sympathetic people.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231017","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness, Garegin Khachaturyan's neighbor, is being interrogated, who gives the defendant a positive characterization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2023-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20231016","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Kirill Krayushkin, who conducted covert video filming of worship services, is being interrogated. He tells the court that he knows the defendant Sergey Ashikhmin, as he talked to him about God and the Bible. The witness says that he treats Sergey well, did not notice any negativity or pressure on his part. When asked by Ashikhmin why Krayushkin believes that Jehovah's Witnesses are banned, he says that he read about it on the Internet without checking the authenticity of the sources.\nThe witness also informs the court that he voluntarily continued to attend worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses after 2017. At the same time, he did not consider them extremist, but considered them as an opportunity to get acquainted with the Bible and the religious views of the Witnesses. When asked by the lawyer whether he was pressured at these services and whether he began to think like an extremist, the witness replied in the negative. He also states that he did not hear any appeals against the state authorities at the services.\nIn addition, Krayushkin says that he does not see the difference between meetings of believers and the organization. To the questions of the defendant Maksim Derendyaev, whether he can name the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, whether he has seen the documents of the LRO or its charter, the witness answers in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20231013","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"13 people come to the courthouse to support the believers.\nThree prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them states that he did not say what is recorded in the protocol of his interrogation, and doubts that the signature in the protocol belongs to him.\nThe second witness, according to him, is known only with Lyamo and Spivak and had business relations with them, they did not talk about religious topics. He did not hear any calls for extremist activity from believers.\nA third witness, a woman who attended Jehovah's Witnesses services until 2015, says she knows believers only from the good side. At worship services, she never heard compulsion to donations. The witness characterizes Galyamin on the positive side and says that the believer did not recruit her anywhere, she attended services of her own free will.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231012","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning 6 prosecution witnesses. One of them informs the court that they talked with the defendant Lubin about the meaning of life, about the role of God in human life and about the Bible. The witness describes Alexander as a \"calm, kind and thoughtful\" person. The defendant did not incite him to violence and did not say that he hated anyone. The witness never heard from the defendant the names of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the name \"Local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Shadrinsk.\"\nAnother witness, a woman, says that her husband attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017, and notes that because of his association with them, he stopped drinking.\nThe Court begins to examine the written materials of the case from volumes 3, 4, 14, 15, 30 and 31.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20231012","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses are questioned, after which the court reads out the protocols of their interrogations. Both women do not corroborate their testimony because they do not remember what they said. One of them justifies this by the fact that she was in a state of shock.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20231011","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The expert Vadim Shiller, Candidate of Historical Sciences, member of the expert council on religious expertise under the Ministry of Justice of the Kemerovo Region, appointed by the investigator, is being interrogated.\nAccording to the expert, Jehovah's Witnesses do not deviate from the Holy Scriptures, which for them \"is the constitution, and deviation from any of its norms is a violation.\"\nSchiller acknowledges that \"the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not forbidden in our country,\" and they have the opportunity to practice their faith. However, he states: \"If believers gathered at home, read the Bible, commented on this Bible ... and if they were with people who are related to them, then the right to freedom of religion would be exercised in the right way. In this context, gathering in organized groups... they are not exercising their right to freedom of religion.\"\nKonstantin Petrov clarifies whether he understood correctly that it is family ties that determine whether or not the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses can or cannot be practiced. Shiller acknowledges that this is not spelled out in the regulations; the Supreme Court decision refers only to legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20231011","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","studies-violations","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A girl who was a former Jehovah's Witness is being interrogated. She did not hear any calls from the defendants for illegal activities, refusal to perform civil duties, as well as incitement to violence and the overthrow of the state system. The witness attended the services voluntarily, they were educational in nature, the Bible was discussed. The girl is surprised that the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as extremist, because \"these are peaceful people who live according to the Bible and do nothing wrong.\"\nThe judge extends the defendants' preventive measure until January 20, 2024.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20231011","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Stanislav Trunichev, senior detective of the Center for Countering Extremism, is being interrogated. He says that he does not know for what activities the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses were liquidated, so he cannot say what activities the believers from Teikovo continued.\nTrunichev admits that he determined the voices of the defendants on recordings from the case materials without the use of special techniques and equipment, since he does not have special knowledge in the field of phonetic examinations. He agrees that he could have made a mistake. According to him, during the ORM there were no complaints that the defendants humiliated anyone on the basis of their religious affiliation. During the search of Vladimir Spivak's house, the witness did not find any items confirming his illegal activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2023-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20231011","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness. The woman states that she does not know the defendants and cannot tell anything about the circumstances of their case. The prosecutor requests that the written testimony of the witness be read out in court. The defense objected: the judicial interrogation made it obvious that the witness was ignorant, so there is reason to believe that she gave written testimony from someone else's words. However, the court reads out the record of her interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Parfenovich and Gerashchenko in Krasnogvardeyskoye","date":"2023-10-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnogvardeyskoe/index.html#20231009","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After the interrogation, investigator Chepenko chooses a preventive measure for Andrey Shurygin in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shurygin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk10/index.html#20231005","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of investigator Pereskokov and witnesses. One of them says that before the interrogation, the investigator gave her ready-made answers, which were required to be voiced on camera. Another indicates that during the interrogation, the investigator spoke to her harshly and threatened to summon her son for questioning.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20231005","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aslan Shabanov, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Cherkessk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, initiates a criminal case against Rimma Popova under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believer is interrogated and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popova in Cherkessk","date":"2023-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk3/index.html#20231004","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Igor Popov is being interrogated. He explains to the court that religious meetings of Jehovah God's servants took place at all times, regardless of the presence of legal entities, and adds: \"I still have the right provided for in Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation to have and disseminate my religious beliefs.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20231004","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses' services since childhood is being questioned. The man says that he has not heard from believers calls for extremist activities, disobedience to state authority, manifestations of violence or intolerance on ethnic grounds.\nThe witness answers some questions by referring to Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, therefore, at the request of the prosecutor, his written testimony is read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polyakevich and Others in Pechora","date":"2023-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pechora/index.html#20231004","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the defence are being questioned. One of them is a former employee of the government of the Irkutsk region, whose duties included interaction with religious organizations. He explains that during the entire existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Irkutsk, there were no violations of the law on its part.\nThe second witness for the defense, the former director of Irkutsk's Trud Stadium, knows Jehovah's Witnesses well, having held annual worship services at the stadium until 2009. He says that the believers, on their own initiative, repaired the stadium and cleaned it up. Thanks to the help of Jehovah's Witnesses, the stadium was able to adequately represent the Irkutsk region at various sports competitions, including the Ice Hockey World Championship, for many years. The witness expresses special gratitude to Yaroslav Kalin, who many times gratuitously serviced electronic scoreboards and other equipment at the stadium.\nAndrey Tolmachev draws the court's attention to the fact that for the prosecution the concepts of \"religion of Jehovah's Witnesses\" and \"legal entity of Jehovah's Witnesses\" are equal, although in fact this is not the case. He explains that having religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness and being a member of a legal entity of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia are two different things. \"I try always, everywhere and with all people [...] to act with kindness and respect, because I am a Christian, this is what my religion teaches,\" the believer emphasizes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20231002","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of two additional prosecution witnesses is ongoing. They did not hear from the defendants statements indicating the exclusivity or superiority of Jehovah's Witnesses over other religions.\nOne witness shares that studying Bible norms and principles helped her stop smoking and abusing alcohol.\nAt the request of the prosecutor, the records of the interrogations of witnesses are read out, as they differ from the testimony given in court. Both witnesses state that during the interrogations they were subjected to psychological pressure from the investigation.\nThe judge does not allow Aleksandr Votyakov to use the car that is under arrest, despite the fact that the defendant needs to make frequent trips to work and transport tools.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20231002","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The lawyer petitions for the face-to-face interrogation of the secret witness Ivanova, the judge refuses. The prosecutor begins the questioning of the witness Ivanova. She reports that she finds nothing reprehensible in the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The witness confirms that she was never forced to become a member of any religious organization. Answering the prosecutor's questions, Ivanova reports that several people came to the service to one of the believers, among whom were the Piskarevs.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Piskareva in Oryol","date":"2023-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel4/index.html#20231002","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Kiselyova gives contradictory answers that are at odds with her written testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gerasimov in Kazan","date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan4/index.html#20230928","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses begins. One of them is detective I. V. Matytsin. Answering most of the questions, he says that this is not in his competence, since he is neither a technical specialist nor a religious scholar, and \"is not obliged to disclose the ORM.\" Also, the witness cannot specifically indicate what signs of a threat to the security of the state he saw in the actions of the defendant.\nAt the request of the prosecutor, the protocol of Matytsin's interrogation is announced.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chagan in Tolyatti","date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti/index.html#20230928","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Cross-examination of investigator Solovyov and the witness. She says that she was pressured and refused to sign the protocol, as the content did not correspond to her words. In response to a request to amend the protocol, the investigators shouted at her, insulted her, threatened her with dismissal from work, eviction from a rented apartment, and threw a fountain pen at her. Some of the wording in the protocol was corrected, and the woman signed under pressure. She clarifies that particularly strong pressure came from investigator Ponomarev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230928","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The 8th, 9th and 14th volumes of the case materials are being examined.\nThe questioning of prosecution witnesses continues, who are also unable to testify anything on the merits of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-09-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20230928","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Law enforcement officers come to Viktor Velikov's workplace, he is taken home and a 3-hour search is conducted. Law enforcers are looking for any documents and electronic media where the name Jehovah or religious terms are mentioned. After the search, Velikov was taken to the Investigative Committee of the city of Moscow, where he was interrogated. During the investigative actions, it becomes clear that they are being carried out in connection with the case against Aleksandr Serebryakov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Velikov in Moscow","date":"2023-09-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow7/index.html#20230926","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses begins. One of them is an elderly woman. The prosecutor asks her if the witness knows that the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses are banned in Russia. The lawyer objected: \"The activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia are not prohibited, this religion can be practiced.\" The court removes the prosecutor's question.\nThe witness characterizes the defendants as decent people, excellent family men. She has never heard from them calls to undermine the foundations of the constitutional order and refuse medical intervention - such accusations are voiced by the prosecutor's office.\nAt the request of the prosecutor, the written testimony of the witness in connection with the contradictions found shall be read. The woman explains that the investigators put pressure on her during the interrogation and did not write down in the protocol what she said. Asks to consider the testimony given in court correct.\nYevgeny Stefanidin's wife is being interrogated. She claims that the accusations against her husband are unfounded. The woman says: \"My husband is a valuable employee at work. He has a good relationship with everyone. We have a very friendly family, my daughter is constantly worried about how her dad is. I can say the same about Sasha Votyakov. I know his family, his wife, his children. He is an excellent employee, law-abiding, and pays taxes conscientiously.\" The witness draws the court's attention to the fact that Yevgeniy is registered with an oncologist.\nThe testimony is given by the son of Alexander Votyakov. He does not share the religious views of his parents, but describes the relationship with them as good. He visits them regularly. The witness never heard the defendants motivate them to break family ties, renounce their civic duties, or make statements about the exclusivity of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The prosecution reads out the testimony of Votyakov Jr., given during interrogation by the investigator. The witness refuses them, arguing that during the interrogation he was threatened with beating. The defense states: \"Any testimony given under threat is inadmissible.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2023-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20230925","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court proceeds to the questioning of other experts. The prosecutor and the judge once again prevent the defense from asking questions.\nIn the conclusion, made by Elena Melezhko, it is indicated that the use of the name Jehovah is characteristic of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The defense points out that even Leo Tolstoy used this name in his writings, which the expert is surprised at.\nThe defense also asks whether the experts are sure that the defendants quoted from publications recognized as extremist. They answer that they could not verify it. They add that the search for these phrases on the Internet led to blocked resources, and this, in their opinion, means that the materials are extremist.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230925","regions":["tula"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four defense witnesses are being questioned. Vladimir has about 40 years of friendship with three of them. The men report that they do not share the beliefs of the accused, but this does not interfere with their good relationship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baykalov in Kemerovo","date":"2023-09-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo2/index.html#20230922","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeny Sokolov learns that on December 15, 2022, a second criminal case was opened against him - in the city of Zeya, Amur Region. He is again charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - he is charged with \"preparing and conducting religious meetings.\"\nInvestigator of the FSB of Russia in the Voronezh region I. O. Chekurov acquaints Sokolov and his lawyer with the decision on the appointment of an outpatient psychiatric forensic examination. After that, Chekurov interrogates Yevgeny.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov in Zeya","date":"2023-09-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya5/index.html#20230922","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of 6 prosecution witnesses who cannot provide any information about the illegal actions of the defendants. The Court proceeds to examine the written materials of the case and considers the first two volumes. The prosecutor reads out memorandums on ORM, transcripts of recordings from the defendant's computer screen, transcripts of audio recordings of his telephone conversations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20230921","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two sons of Sergei Kosteev. They say that despite their different religious views, they have a warm family relationship with their father. They characterize the father on the positive side and express bewilderment at the accusations of extremism.\nFurther, the defendant Denis Sarazhakov testifies. He consistently refutes all counts of the indictment. In particular, he says: \"I do not agree with the prosecution that it considers the performance of songs and our prayers a crime ... the joint singing of songs by believers and their prayers to God is not a crime, but an integral part of the worship of God, which cannot be considered extremist activity... none of the songs and prayers of Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as extremist.\"\nSarazhakov gives an example showing that believing in Jehovah God after the closure of the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses does not mean continuing the activities of an extremist organization: \"If in the city of Irkutsk a legal entity was engaged in charity and provided assistance to homeless people or those who found themselves in difficult life circumstances, but for some reason were liquidated, this does not mean that all residents of Irkutsk, Those who do good deeds on their own behalf and provide assistance to those in need should be accused of continuing the activities of the liquidated organization, because their actions are outwardly similar to the goals and objectives of the liquidated organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20230920","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them was one of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2016. He notes that their goal is \"just to bring people together so that everyone lives in peace.\" At divine services, he did not hear statements inciting hatred and enmity from the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20230920","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense files a motion to declassify the secret witness, the court rejects it.\nThe secret witness Ivanov is being interrogated. He claims that Sona distributed banned literature, but did not see it personally. He adds that he has never heard from the defendant calls for the refusal of medical intervention or the severance of family ties. He expresses the opinion that \"believing in God is one thing, but listening to instruction [...] \"That means it's an organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olopova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti2/index.html#20230920","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of expert Irina Salnikova, who, on the instructions of the FSB, performed a linguistic analysis of several case materials. The defense asks questions in order to establish the scientific nature of the examination and draw attention to the conclusions that the defendants consider erroneous. Salnikova gives vague answers and refers to a memo developed by the FSB, which is not publicly available. Lawyers ask to familiarize themselves with it, but the judge rejects the petition.\nThe court removes most of the defense questions, among them: does the expert have scientific publications on the denomination of Jehovah's Witnesses? Does she know what the defendants are accused of? Is she familiar with the Supreme Court's decision in the case of the liquidation of Jehovah's Witnesses' legal entities?\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230920","regions":["tula"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"40 people who came to support the defendant are allowed to attend the hearing.\nOne of the prosecution witnesses is being questioned. Answering questions, he uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The other 10 witnesses do not appear in court and their testimony is read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2023-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20230919","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Gorchakov is being interrogated. He attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017. When asked by Polozov whether a witness understands the difference between a legal entity and an individual, he replies that for him it is one and the same. He did not hear any negative statements against the authorities from the defendants.\nGorchakov cannot name the dates of meetings with Polozov and Shevelev, he does not remember the topic of discussion. According to the witness, he did not receive any threats from the believers. Nevertheless, he refuses to answer many questions, arguing that his identity will be declassified.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20230919","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge proposes to interrogate the witness Shutenko at the request of the prosecution.\nThe investigator claims that the defendants familiarized themselves with the case materials twice - before the investigation and after, and the case materials were not embroidered, nothing was added or subtracted. He also claimed that he had familiarized all the defendants with the 17 volumes of the case, but they allegedly refused to sign the protocol of acquaintance.\nThe defense voices its disagreement with the testimony of the investigator and declares that it is going to file a petition for an examination of the previously photographed case materials, as well as for a handwriting examination of the familiarization protocol, which, in its opinion, was replaced.\nThe prosecutor and the judge believe that even if the case file was changed, this does not change the essence, but the lawyer argues that this deprived the defendants of the right to prepare for the trial.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2023-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20230919","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 19, 2023, the homes of at least nine families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in several districts of Moscow and in the Moscow Region (Solnechnogorsk, Fryazino, Dmitrov, and Chekhov). Aleksandr Serebryakov, who is serving a suspended sentence, was sent to a detention center based on a new charge.\nSix days earlier, Captain of Justice Roman Ivanov, Senior Investigator of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow, initiated a criminal case against Serebryakov and unidentified persons under an article for financing the activity of an extremist organization. Aleksandr is being charged for actions that took place in the period from 2018 to 2019, when he was already charged under another article.\nThe search of the home of the Serebryakov family began early in the morning and continued for about 3 hours. It was supervised by police major A. V. Tretyakov, senior officer of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Moscow. Seven people were with him and some of them were armed. After the search, Aleksandr was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. On September 20, 2023, Dmitriy Neudakhin, judge of the Savelovskiy District Court, imposed pretrial detention on the believer until November 13, 2023.\nIn Fryazino searches were conducted at the place of residence and at the address of registration of one family of Jehovah's Witnesses. The ruling for investigative actions was issued by the Timiryazevsky District Court. The searches were supervised by police lieutenant A.V. Bigishnin. A 60-year-old couple were offered money to give information about fellow believers; they refused. One of the testifying witnesses was drunk and threatened the couple. Due to the stress, the husband's blood pressure spiked. After the search, he was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee as a witness.\nOn September 19, in Dmitrov and the nearby village of Zverkovo, homes of two Jehovah's Witness families were searched. Armed police officers arrived at the home of a couple with two minor children (7 and 11 years old) at 6:30 in the morning. They threatened to kick down the front door. Then the apartment was searched for 3 hours, after which the family head was taken to Moscow for interrogation and later released. Law enforcement officers arrived to search the house of a believer in Zverkovo at 7:00 in the morning. Because of the anxiety, his blood pressure spiked, but despite this, he was taken to Moscow, where he was interrogated and later released.\nIn Moscow, armed and masked law enforcement officers broke into another home of believers at 7 a.m. filming everything with the phone. The family head was put face down on the floor and handcuffed. Later the handcuffs were removed because he did not resist and they found out that his 15-year-old daughter cannot cope with any stress due to a serious illness. The search lasted 3.5 hours. It was supervised by FSB Lieutenant Colonel Denis Kozlov. Then the family head was taken in a minibus with armed guards for interrogation to the Investigative Committee to Investigator Pavel Pavlov.\nUpdate. On September 26, another search took place in Solnechnogorsk. FSB officers detained a man right at his workplace and then took him home. He was taken for interrogation, and then released. During the searches, money, Bibles, bank cards, personal notes, electronic devices and other data storage were seized from the believers.\nIn Moscow and the Moscow Region, 19 Jehovah's Witnesses have already become defendants in criminal cases because of their religious views. Of these, nine people were sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony, and five, including an elderly woman, were given suspended sentences.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-09-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_d665666f0a5dd85a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_bd71719f669afc61.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_4aed7f4d320ebdad.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_67833fdad2999079.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/09/211445.html","regions":["moscow","moscow_obl"],"subtitle":"Aleksandr Serebryakov Who Was Earlier Convicted for His Faith Was Detained","tags":["search","ivs","sizo","new-case","interrogation","282.3-1"],"title":"New Searches and a Criminal Case in Moscow and Moscow Region.","type":"news"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Ivanov is being interrogated.\nPetitions for the disclosure and verification of Ivanov's identity are rejected by the court. He says that the defendants did not plan or commit any illegal actions. The witness states that there was no aggression towards him and other people on the part of the believers, and peaceful topics such as love and family were discussed at the services.\nWhen asked by Shevelev's lawyer why he began to attend services of Jehovah's Witnesses, Ivanov replies: \"To uncover a banned organization.\" The fact that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, Ivanov, according to him, was not aware. He also does not know whether the organization \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\" has been liquidated. Witness Ivanov deciphers the abbreviation LRO as \"international religious organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20230918","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned. One of them studied the Bible with Aram Danielyan via video link and secretly recorded their conversations. The witness describes him as a good speaker and a talented teacher. He knows Aram and the other defendants only online, and he has not heard any calls for illegal actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-09-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20230915","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning three witnesses for the prosecution. They use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nThe prosecution files a motion to adjourn the hearing, to forcibly bring one of the prosecution witnesses and to re-summon witnesses who have not previously appeared in court. The judge grants the petition.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20230911","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, four employees of the Investigative Committee conduct a search in the apartment of Galina Komissarova. Then the woman is interrogated at the local office of the Investigative Committee. Investigator Sysoeva wonders if Galina knows Aleksandr Chagan. The believer is given a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-09-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20230908","regions":["samara"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Court hearings begin. The prosecutor reads out the charge, the defendant expresses her attitude to it. Interrogation of a prosecution witness, the daughter of one of the believers. She knows Sona Olopova personally, but cannot confirm that she distributed banned literature.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olopova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-09-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti2/index.html#20230906","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Vladimirova's son. He says his mother is a hospitable and religious person.\nThe Court examines the first two volumes (out of 17) of the case file. The prosecutor draws the court's attention to the fact that the defendants participated in the discussion of biblical texts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2023-09-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20230905","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The conclusion of an expert linguist is investigated. Vladimir Balabkin asks the court to summon a specialist for questioning. Prosecutor Anton Raschupkin objects and draws attention to the fact that the expert's opinion clearly states: no signs of extremism were found.\nThe judge proceeds to interrogate Balabkin. He gives arguments in his defense, relying on regulations and case materials that were not examined in court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Balabkin in Belogorsk","date":"2023-09-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belogorsk/index.html#20230904","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","final-statement","elderly","courtroom","282.2-1","sentence","liberty-deprivation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Michael Moish testifies. He talks about his parents, who themselves lived according to God's standards and raised nine children in the spirit of Christian values: \"The upbringing that my parents gave me was to always strive for peace and respect for others, regardless of circumstances and skin color.\"\nMikhail emphasizes that the video conferences, which he is accused of organizing, recorded divine services, that is, meetings of a group of Christian believers who sang, prayed and discussed religious topics.\nMoish expresses regret that the investigation and the prosecutor's office did not understand the concept of \"elder\", considering him a position in a local religious organization, and not a canonical term: \"Because of this mistake, I am in the dock.\"\nNikolay Martynov testifies. \"When I met with my fellow believers at worship services, I just wanted to follow the commandment to be attentive to each other, encouraging to love and good deeds,\" says the believer.\nThe court is also questioning a witness who has known Yaroslav Kalin since childhood. She characterizes him exclusively on the positive side and says that, although she professes a different religion, relations between them are friendly.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-09-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20230904","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the witness Kharitonov, who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017. He replies that his conversations with the defendants were only about studying the Bible and \"were not of a propagandistic nature.\" The prosecutor asks the court to read out Kharitonov's initial testimony.\nAnother witness, Yeganyan, who has repeatedly spoken aggressively about Jehovah's Witnesses, says he only knows Denis Kuzyanin. After the interrogation, Yeganyan, addressing the defendants, threatens \"to imprison more believers in the near future.\"\nAt the same time, both witnesses confirm that they did not hear calls from the defendants to overthrow the constitutional order of the Russian Federation and did not see manifestations of extremism towards others.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-09-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20230901","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Potapov and Gobozev file a motion to summon several witnesses, who, according to them, were pressured by the investigators. The judge grants the petition of the believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-09-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230901","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"8 prosecution witnesses are interrogated, and their written testimony is read out from the case file. One of them says he does not know the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Petrenko in Gorno-Altaysk","date":"2023-09-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gorno-altaysk2/index.html#20230901","regions":["altai"],"tags":["retrial","first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The chairman of the homeowners' association is being questioned. She says that none of the neighbors complained about the family of Sergei Tyurin. She calls the Tyurins peaceful and calm. She also emphasizes that Sergey never agitated her to join the ranks of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mavrin and Others in Balakovo","date":"2023-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/balakovo/index.html#20230831","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a witness for the prosecution who is a religious scholar.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Barnaul","date":"2023-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul2/index.html#20230831","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Neighbor Nadezhda Korobochko is being re-interrogated. She partially confirms the testimony given during the preliminary investigation and states that the interrogation record contains allegations that she did not say, for example, that Korobochko made rounds of the apartments.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-08-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20230829","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Pavel Kosarev, an FSB officer, is being questioned at the hearing. He reports that there is a secret witness in the case who helped \"identify the accused and other members.\"\nWhen asked by Kutin whether the provision of Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation was taken into account when deciding to start the ORM, the operative answers: \"It is not forbidden to freely profess faith in our country, but the elders of the congregation continued the activities of an extremist organization.\" At the same time, the witness, although he claims that he got acquainted with the Charter of the LRO, mistakenly classifies the canonical term \"elders\" as a legal entity in which there have never been \"elders\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-08-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230828","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense presents the religious opinion of the specialist Ekaterina Elbakyan on the examination of Levinsky.\nAnalyzing the video, religious scholar Elbakyan pointed out that the purpose of the liturgical meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses is a collective confession of faith, and she found no reason to consider this service a meeting of a legal entity. The expert also found no signs of religious hatred, incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence, propaganda of exclusivity, superiority of a person on the basis of his religious affiliation in Voishchev's statements.\nElbakyan concluded: \"This conclusion of the expert [Levinsky] is not based on the provisions of generally accepted scientific data in the field of religious studies, the conclusions of the expert's conclusion seem to be unfounded.\"\nThe prosecutor asks for time to familiarize himself with the conclusion of the religious scholar, so the judge postpones the issue of attaching the document to the case file to the next meeting.\nThe interrogation of the defendant Nikolai Voishchev begins. He says that the accusation is groundless and notes that there are no victims in the case and no evidence of the distribution of extremist materials by him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voishchev in Maykop","date":"2023-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/adygeya/index.html#20230824","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. One of them replies that of those present she knows only Andrei Murych, does not feel hostility towards him, characterizes him as a calm and non-conflict person.\nDuring the interrogation, a relative of Vladimir Mavrin speaks positively of him.\nA witness is being interrogated - a disabled person of group II, who is registered in a neuropsychiatric dispensary. She gives contradictory testimony.\nFSB officer Ryabov, who participated in the search of Alexei Bogatov's home, reports that he used technical means for covert surveillance to collect information. When asked what signs of extremism were found in the actions of the defendants, he answers: \"I can't explain, a lot of time has passed, I have compiled many reports.\" And when asked what methods of conspiracy the defendants used, he answers: \"They drew the curtains.\"\nAt the request of the state prosecutor, E. M. Ivanov is interrogated as an expert. He says that Jehovah's Witnesses strictly adhere to the position of political neutrality, in their publications he did not meet calls for the disarmament of the Russian army or undermining the foundations of the state. Speaking about the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and the USSR, Ivanov notes that persecution of believers took place before and that there were no retaliatory actions on their part. According to him, Jehovah's Witnesses are consistent pacifists.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mavrin and Others in Balakovo","date":"2023-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/balakovo/index.html#20230824","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two law enforcement officers detain Mikhail Sveshnikov on the street near his house. They run up to him from behind and knock him to the ground. The believer is searched and his smartphone is seized. Senior Lieutenant of Justice A. O. Blokhin reads out the decision of the Kovrov City Court on the initiation of a criminal case and the conduct of a search. During the investigative actions, video is being filmed. Law enforcement officers seize electronic devices, bank cards, greeting cards. Mikhail and his son are taken for interrogation. Then Mikhail was escorted to the temporary detention center in Kameshkovo. The interrogation of his son continues until late in the evening.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sveshnikov in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov4/index.html#20230823","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At about 10 o'clock in the morning, 2 FSB officers come to work for Alexander Popov and take him to the Investigative Committee. On the way, his smartphone is seized. The believer refuses to be interrogated \"without a protocol\" and is taken home for a search. There, electronic devices and personal records are seized from him. Then Aleksandr is again taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, which takes place in the presence of a lawyer. He is charged and fingerprinted. After that, the believer is sent to a temporary detention center in Vladimir. On the same day, a search takes place at the home of Alexander's elderly parents.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov5/index.html#20230823","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Oleg Sakun's apartment is being searched, authorized by the judge of the Kovrov city court, Yuri Shestopalov.\nThe believer is charged and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sakun in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov6/index.html#20230823","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. The defendants testify.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Margarita Moiseyenko and Others in Zeya","date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya4/index.html#20230823","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 22, 2023, searches were carried out in at least two addresses in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and in the port city of Korsakov. Four people were detained for interrogation, after which law enforcement officers released them.\nEarly in the morning, law enforcement officers knocked on the door of Roman Gumenyuk, 39, and his wife. The believers opened the door, after which Sergey Nevidimov, senior investigator of the Korsakov Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Sakhalin Region, showed them the warrant for a search as part of a criminal case initiated under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC (participating in the activity of an extremist organization). The search took place in the presence of an armed law enforcement officer, a technical specialist and two attesting witnesses. Flash drives, laptops, tablets, as well as personal notes were seized from the believers. A search was also conducted in the car from which a phone was seized.\nThat same morning, law enforcement officers attended the home of the couple Yegor and Vera Bayevskiy. All electronic devices and storage media, a webcam, and a digital photo frame were seized. The search was led by senior investigator Marina Bykova. Law enforcement officers behaved respectfully, but they did not respond when Bayevskiy's wife complained of feeling ill and requested an ambulance be called.\nIn both cases, the searches lasted approximately 2 hours. Then the believers were taken to the Korsakov Investigative Department and interrogated.\nFive believers from the Sakhalin Region have already received suspended sentences for their beliefs.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-08-22T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/08/281526.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":"Believers Suspected for Discussing the Bible","tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2","health-risk"],"title":"New Criminal Case and Searches on Sakhalin.","type":"news"},{"body":"The judge announces the death of Sergei Ushakhin and invites the defendant's wife Natalia to participate in the criminal case. When asked by the judge about the possibility of terminating the criminal case against her husband, she replies that Sergey is not guilty of anything, and asks to continue the consideration of the case in order to achieve an acquittal of her husband's good name. The Court granted her request.\nThe prosecution is questioning witnesses. Most of them, answering questions, use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nThe judge interrogates Aleksandr Kruglyakov. The defendant uses quotations from the Bible in his testimony and receives a remark for this - according to the judge, there is no need for this. The defense objected, explaining that the Bible at one time helped Kruglyakov to change for the better.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kruglyakov and Others in Syktyvkar","date":"2023-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/syktyvkar/index.html#20230821","regions":["komi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The former deputy head of the Ministry of Justice of the Udmurt Republic, Olga Korobeynikova, is being interrogated. The witness states that the circumstances of the case are unknown to her, she has only information about the registration of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to her, even before registration, an examination was carried out, no violations of the law were revealed.\nThe next witness for the prosecution is Sergei Gobozev's stepson. He says that he had no conflicts with his stepfather.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-08-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230818","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense challenges the expert Rohatin in connection with his \"extremely negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses\" and incompetence. The judge rejects the motion and proceeds to question the expert.\nAs a witness for the defense, the court interrogates Gromov's employer. She speaks well of him and notes his honesty.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2023-08-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20230817","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case against Victor Ursu, the house of Mikhail and Lyubov Gozhan is searched again, then Mikhail is interrogated. For the first time, security forces came to them as part of the criminal case against Sergei Filatov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ursu in Dzhankoy","date":"2023-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy2/index.html#20230816","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tsikunov in Kaltan","date":"2023-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan2/index.html#20230816","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Zakharevich and Kopylets were placed under house arrest.\nSeveral other Jehovah's Witnesses are being searched.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2023-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20230816","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["house-arrest","search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four witnesses are being questioned.\nThe first of them learned that Fomashin's was a Jehovah's Witness only during interrogation by the FSB. Another witness has long known the defendant Bogatov and speaks positively of him.\nCounsel emphasizes that all the defendants served either in military service or in alternative civilian service. This indicates that they have never opposed the constitutional order.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mavrin and Others in Balakovo","date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/balakovo/index.html#20230814","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A man who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1990-2000 is being questioned as a witness for the prosecution. He says it helped him understand the Bible better. He characterizes the defendants as follows: \"I have not met a single person there who treated me badly. Please don't judge them, they are very good people.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230814","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In three cities of Crimea — Armyansk, Simferopol and Saki — searches are being conducted in 9 houses of believers.\nInvestigator Novikov involves Dmitry Zakharevich and Alexander Kopylets as defendants in the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20230814","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, law enforcement officer A. S. Zaitsev, who testified from secret witnesses, is being interrogated. He was unable to explain to the court why the texts of the protocols of interrogations of witnesses Sagitov and Sannikov (Mikhail Vasiliev, an FSB officer) sometimes copy the texts of the protocols from other cases.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20230810","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons the believer for interrogation and takes from him a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dvurechenskiy in Vyselki","date":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki7/index.html#20230810","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons the believer for interrogation and takes from her a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20230810","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Elena Rumyantseva is being re-interrogated, she is being asked to sign a not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rumyantseva in Vyselki","date":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki9/index.html#20230810","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. Someone uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, while others point to the falsification of the testimony given by them during the preliminary investigation.\nOne of the witnesses testifies that she never heard calls for violent actions from the defendants and did not feel any hostility on their part. On the contrary, she speaks of them as kind, peaceful, always ready to help people.\nDuring the hearing, the judge repeatedly states that the defendants are not accused of extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Margarita Moiseyenko and Others in Zeya","date":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya4/index.html#20230810","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecutor interrogates a woman who attended Jehovah's Witnesses worship services via video conferencing. She says that there were no calls for violence or disobedience to the state; There was communication, including on biblical topics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tsikunov in Kaltan","date":"2023-08-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan2/index.html#20230809","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 8, 2023, at least 6 addresses were searched in Kursk. Three Jehovah's Witnesses were detained. On August 10, the Leninskiy District Court of Kursk placed Nikolay Kupriyanskiy and Oksana Chausova, who needs surgical treatment, under house arrest, and her husband, Dmitriy, was sent to a detention center.\nThe search in the house of 55-year-old Nikolay Kupriyanskiy began at 6 a.m. and lasted about 9 hours. Apparently, a criminal case had been initiated against the believer on suspicion of organizing the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC).\nThe law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, personal photographs and cards, various translations of the Bible, as well as a large amount of money set aside for the purchase of a plot of land. After the search, Dmitriy was sent to a temporary detention facility, and his wife, was taken to the FSB office for interrogation as a witness, which was conducted by assistant investigator Aleksandr Gorlov.\nSearches also took place at the homes of the married couple Dmitriy and Oksana Chausov, and Oksana's mother. The couple is suspected of participating in the activity of a banned religious organization (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC).\nThe investigative actions were led by Maksim Zaitsev, FSB investigator for the Kursk Region. The search warrant presented to one of the believers indicated that the search was being carried out “in order to find and seize interactive devices with the help of which... persons who are among the target audience of the LRO of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Kursk)... participate in meetings with followers of the organization. Law enforcement officers also searched for religious literature in paper and electronic formats and certain “reports from members of the organization on the work done to improve themselves and disseminate the ideology of the religious teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the masses.”\nZaitsev had previously investigated a criminal case against Andrey Andreyev and four other believers from Kursk (the case was initiated in 2019 and the defendants have already served their sentences).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-08-08T18:10:41+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/08/111810/image_hu_6177356838740173.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/08/111810/image_hu_c857556a198bd47a.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/08/111810/image_hu_7034c7ce6c79c2c9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/08/111810/image_hu_b5318d3fd347f024.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/08/111810.html","regions":["kursk"],"subtitle":"One Believer Sent to a Detention Center, Two Others Under House Arrest","tags":["search","ivs","sizo","interrogation","families","health-risk"],"title":"Series of Searches in Kursk.","type":"news"},{"body":"Victor Ursu is released from the temporary detention facility, he is again detained and taken for interrogation to the local branch of the Investigative Committee. There, investigator A. V. Gerasimov reports that a criminal case has been opened against him under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization).\nUrs is charged. According to the ruling, the believer's guilt is that he and \"other unidentified persons ... called propaganda meetings ... to discuss the texts and religious provisions of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nAfter the interrogation, Viktor is again taken to the temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ursu in Dzhankoy","date":"2023-08-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy2/index.html#20230807","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses begins. Of the five invitees, only one comes. Answering the questions of the state prosecutor, he mainly enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his relatives.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2023-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20230804","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"5 prosecution witnesses are interrogated, after which, at the request of the prosecutor, the protocols of their interrogation are read out. Three women do not confirm their testimony. One of the witnesses states: \"There are many things written that I did not say, much not from my words.\" Another witness claims that he does not know Isakov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2023-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20230804","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor continues to mispronounce the name of God, explaining that \"the organization is banned and it does not matter how to read.\" The questioning of witnesses begins. One of them says that she talked to a man about God on the phone, and that's all she knows.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-08-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20230803","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Pechko, Revyakin and Petrov give their testimony.\nBefore that, the latter asks the court to attach documents confirming that in the 1990s the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in the USSR was recognized as illegal and unjustified by political repression. The court refuses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-08-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230802","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two secret witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-08-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230802","regions":["tula"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses do not appear at the hearing. The prosecutor shall file a motion to read out the testimony of witnesses from the case file. The defense objects. The application is denied.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-08-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20230801","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Khodukin is being interrogated. He collaborated with the FSB and conducted covert video filming of worship services of believers.\nKhodukin tells the court that he met Jehovah's Witnesses in 2019 through an acquaintance. According to him, he was looking for answers to the questions that tormented him, so he began to study the Bible.\nThe lawyer asks the witness if he saw anything forbidden from the point of view of the law at meetings of believers. The witness expresses the opinion that \"meetings of the congregation were already prohibited from the point of view of the law.\" The lawyer notes that the legislation of the Russian Federation does not prohibit peaceful worship of any religion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Balabkin in Belogorsk","date":"2023-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belogorsk/index.html#20230731","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the charges. Stepan Shevelev states that he does not understand what specific actions of believers threatened the constitutional order and security of the state.\nThe judge rejects the motion of the defense to return the case to the prosecutor, but notes that in the future it can be filed again.\nProsecution witnesses are being interrogated - employees of the Oganer camp site. Both women say that in the fall of 2019, the man rented one of the houses. They do not know what was happening in the room, who was there, whether the defendants were there at that moment. The staff member did not hear any speeches or appeals.\nThe defendants read out their attitude to the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2023-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20230731","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Yevgeny Kozyuchenko, accompanied by FSB officer Artyom Suslikov and two witnesses, searches the home of Valery Klokov. The investigator refuses to call Valery's lawyer. Electronic devices, flash drives, personal records, postcards and a passport are seized from the believer and his wife. The search lasts approximately 2 hours. Then the believer is taken for interrogation to the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Altai Territory. The investigator summons a lawyer by appointment. At Klokov's request, a lawyer also arrives under the agreement.\nAfter a personal search, the believer is detained and sent to a temporary detention facility, where a second personal search and fingerprinting are conducted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klokov in Barnaul","date":"2023-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul4/index.html#20230729","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, FSB operative N. A. Kulik, who participated in the search of the Polosenko family, is being interrogated.\nThe witness says that, in his opinion, the defendants took too long to familiarize themselves with the case file. To some of the lawyers' questions, Kulik answers \"I don't know\", \"I don't remember\", or says that the information is available in the case file.\nAram Danielyan, Denis Kuzyanin and Nikolay Vasilyev refuse the services of lawyers. Danielyan submits a petition for his wife's participation in the defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2023-07-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20230728","regions":["samara"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness from Izhevsk is being questioned via video link. He says he has an Islamic education, but admits that he is not an expert in religious studies. He is not familiar with the defendants, and he knows only a general idea of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In his opinion, Jehovah's Witnesses are extremists because they actively preach \"that God is one.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-07-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230728","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning an operative, V. S. Shabanov, who says that he did not personally carry out operational-search measures against Jehovah's Witnesses in Irkutsk.\nThe bailiff delivers to the court the prosecution witness E. N. Kiselev, who is in a state of alcoholic intoxication. The judge rejects the defense's motion to postpone the examination of the witness due to his alcohol intoxication.\nKiselev informs the judge that he attended a service in Irkutsk, but does not know who headed it. He says that Jehovah's Witnesses are not against higher education.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-07-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20230726","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Roman Zhukov rejects the petition of the prosecutor Vorokova to announce the testimony without summoning the 85-year-old witness to the court due to his advanced age and the presence of diseases.\nWith the use of video conferencing, the FSB operative Slivko is interrogated. He reports that he has not heard any disrespectful statements from the defendants towards the authorities, and adds that after the decision of the Supreme Court, Jehovah's Witnesses have the right to practice their religion. When asked by the judge for what purpose the defendants came to people's homes, he answers: \"As part of their religious activities, they shared their thoughts, faith, religious beliefs.\" However, according to Slivko, this means involving people in the activities of a religious association, but the witness cannot name specific actions of each defendant in terms of \"involvement\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20230725","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses are being questioned. Dmitry Yarchak's mother performs. She does not share her son's religious beliefs, but says that studying the Bible changed him for the better and helped him create a strong family.\nThe mother of the secret witness \"Habdrakhmanov\" is being interrogated. She says that her son was friends with Dmitry Yarchak as a child, they began to get acquainted with the Bible together, and now \"Habdrakhmanov\" dislikes all Jehovah's Witnesses and files lawsuits them, including her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2023-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20230725","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor, Melnikov interrogated four witnesses (Martynov's employees), and then the protocols of the interrogations of these witnesses are read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-07-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20230724","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, searches are carried out in the homes of the three suspects, during which law enforcement officers seize electronic devices. Then Valeriy Tolmazov, Oleksandr Kostyuk and Maksim Barbazyuk are taken to the local department of the Investigative Committee for interrogations, which continue until late, after which the believers are released.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tolmazov and Others in Tver","date":"2023-07-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tver/index.html#20230724","regions":["tver"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 24, 2023, searches were carried out in Tver in three houses of local residents who practise the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case under an article for extremism was initiated against 40-year-old Maksim Barbazyuk, 50-year-old Aleksandr Kostyuk and 68-year-old Valeriy Tolmazov.\nThe law enforcement officers began the raid at 6 a.m. Electronic devices were seized during the searches. According to the believers, the law enforcement officers behaved appropriately.\nBy 3 p.m., the three men were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Tver Region, where they were told that on June 29, 2023, a criminal case had been initiated against them. Investigator Maksim Prusakov questioned the believers about their religious views. The interrogations continued until 11 p.m.\nThe ruling to initiate a criminal case states: “Kostyuk, Barbazyuk and Tolmazov continue to carry out extremist activity by holding in-person and online meetings (videoconferences).” This is how the investigation interpreted the peaceful actions of the believers who discussed what they read in the Bible with their families and friends.\nThis is not the first case of prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Tver Region. In July 2021, a criminal case was initiated against Aleksandr Starikov and Sergey Naumenko.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-07-24T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_943a8332cba14e42.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_caffff98386a2f9a.jpg","webp":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_10d4e5329eff2378.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_543ff2e213e31665.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/07/270815.html","regions":["tver"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tver Searched and Criminal Case Initiated Because of Their Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"The believer is charged. He is interrogated in his new status, after which he is released on recognizance not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Spirichev in Vyselki","date":"2023-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki4/index.html#20230722","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Irina is summoned for questioning. Investigator Roman Latysh wonders if she knows Viktor Spirichev, a defendant in a similar criminal case. The believer was charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Irina Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2023-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki6/index.html#20230722","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court proceeds to the interrogation of Oksana Solntseva and Irina Khvostova. They testify on the basis of their written notes.\nAt the request of Asatryan and Solntseva, the court attaches to the case characterizing materials, including health certificates.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230721","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"12 people come to support the believers.\nSergey Gobozev's wife, Olga, is being interrogated. The prosecutor asks to read out the protocol of the interrogation of Gobozeva because of discrepancies in her testimony. After reading the document, Olga explains that the interrogation lasted several hours, at which time she was subjected to psychological pressure and was not allowed to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. She did not give the testimony recorded in the first part of the protocol.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230721","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses who attended Jehovah's Witnesses' services before 2013 are being questioned, which is not included in the period imputed to Menchikova. According to her, they have never been to the building where the services were held, and they cannot give its address. The defendant draws attention to the fact that the prosecution witnesses say \"everything is written.\" The third witness is lost while answering the prosecutor's question if he knows anyone in the courtroom.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2023-07-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20230720","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the lawyer, the witness with whom Irina talked about the Bible is re-interrogated. She says that there were no calls against the authorities from Perefilieva. The woman also states that she did not keep a record of Bible classes on the instructions of the FSB. At the same time, the defense believes that the opposite follows from the audio recordings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Perefileva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2023-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy2/index.html#20230719","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A neighbor of the defendant Vladislav Markova reports four conversations with him on religious topics, she confirms that she dislikes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAnother witness reports that Markov and Kononenko talked with her about the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses, offered brochures, and talked about the exclusivity of their faith. In her opinion, the phrase \"Jehovah is the only true God\" means the propaganda of exclusivity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20230719","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of detective A. A. Medvedev, who led the ORM in relation to the defendants. When asked what activities Galkevich and Vladimirova were engaged in, he answers: \"Some readings, hearings and explanations on all religious issues.\" When asked by the lawyer whether he had recorded any facts of distribution of extremist literature and recruitment of other persons, the witness answered in the negative. Medvedev says he did not know that, according to the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, the faith and worship of Jehovah's Witnesses are not prohibited. He also has no information about the involvement of women in the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses as a legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2023-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20230719","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness D. V. Novikov, Kosteev's employee at work, is being interrogated, who explains that the believer is a reliable employee, they did not talk about religion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2023-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20230717","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of six witnesses. One of them, answering the question whether she needs a legal entity to worship God with friends and relatives, answers in the negative.\nAll witnesses confirm that the defendants did not hear extremist statements, calls for the severance of family relations, statements containing a negative assessment of persons who do not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as calls to undermine the foundations of the constitutional order and state security. They also give the defendants a positive characteristic. For example, one of the witnesses says that the defendants are \"very kind, sympathetic, benevolent; Good family men will always help you when you feel bad.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230717","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Inna Kardakova, Viktor Revyakin and Mikhail Solntsev. The prosecutor asks all three about their financial situation.\nInna Kardakova explains that her actions were motivated by a desire to help everyone who wants to learn the Bible better, while respecting their freedom of choice.\nViktor Revyakin applies for a certificate of a veteran of labor, a diploma of graduation, documents for a disabled daughter, characteristics, certificates and other documents from work. Reading these documents, the judge is surprised at the active lifestyle of Victor in his 67 years.\nMikhail Solntsev submits a petition for the introduction of characteristics from his neighbor and a doctor's report confirming that he suffers from a serious chronic disease. Documents are read out and attached.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230717","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Counsel requests that the testimony of the two witnesses mentioned earlier be excluded from the case file. It turns out that one of them, due to her illnesses, had a confused consciousness and could not express her thoughts as they were recorded in the interrogation protocol. In addition, due to poor eyesight, she could not read, while investigator Zakharova stated during one of the previous interrogations that she had not noticed any difficulties in reading the protocol in this witness.\nThe court grants the defense motion and excludes the testimony of these two witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2023-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20230717","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of defendants. Sergey Agadzhanov talks about what \"Armageddon\" is and compares translations of the Bible.\nLyubov Asatryan refutes the accusation point by point. \"I try to live by God's commandments,\" she says.\nGalina Dergacheva explains that she tells others about her beliefs, as the Bible encourages them to do so. \"It was Jesus who sent me [to preach], not the people,\" the believer concludes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230714","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2023-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk3/index.html#20230714","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, the head of the department for interaction with public and religious organizations in the administration of Votkinsk, is being interrogated. She explains that on duty she had a chance to meet with Sergei Gobozev until 2017. After that, they did not see each other. The witness is not familiar with Mikhail Potapov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2023-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20230714","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the prosecution witness - ataman of the Cossack army. He says that the defendants did not offer him religious literature, and he did not hear statements against state power from them. At the same time, the witness speaks negatively about Jehovah's Witnesses. The judge repeatedly reprimands him and asks him to restrain his emotions.\nA witness for the prosecution, a woman with a disability, says she does not know any of the defendants. She says that when she was being treated in a neuropsychiatric dispensary, two young men came to her and drew up a protocol that she signed without reading.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20230712","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Spirichev is interrogated as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Spirichev in Vyselki","date":"2023-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki4/index.html#20230711","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator, senior lieutenant of justice Roman Latysh interrogates Penskaya and her husband.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Penskaya in Vyselki","date":"2023-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki5/index.html#20230711","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Maksim is interrogated as a suspect. The interrogation lasts 20 minutes. The investigator takes a recognizance not to leave the place and proper behavior from the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20230710","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Fyodor Sereda and Irina Khutova, who had already testified at the first hearing of the case, are being interrogated. Sereda again refutes his testimony given during the preliminary investigation.\nThe third prosecution witness, answering the judge's questions, is confused and says that he does not remember anything.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2023-07-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20230705","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lawyers file motions about the inadmissibility of evidence and their exclusion from material evidence. A motion to return the case to the prosecutor is also filed. The court attaches all petitions, but notes that they will be considered at the stage of additions.\nWitnesses in the case are being questioned. The first witness says that he knows Timoshkin, and characterizes him as an honest, decent and kind person. It distinguishes between the activities of legal entities and ordinary believers. The witness says that until 2017, the council of the LRO met once a year to resolve administrative and economic issues, but not to hold religious meetings. He tells how Jehovah's Witnesses conduct worship services: they sing religious songs, pray, read the Bible. The witness notes that there were no calls for extremism at their meetings.\nAlexander Sobyanin's daughter is being interrogated. She stresses that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited. They have a good relationship with their father. Characterizes him as a conscientious worker, family man and good friend.\nThe interrogation of the defendants begins.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2023-07-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20230704","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Zakharova is being re-interrogated. The defense is trying to understand why the testimonies of two women of different ages and education are similar, up to spelling errors. The investigator claims that when compiling the interrogation protocols, she did not write down verbatim the testimonies of witnesses, but conveyed in her own words the meaning of what they said.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2023-07-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20230703","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant's neighbor Nadezhda Korobochko is being interrogated. She says that the believer did not involve her in any organizations. The interrogation is interrupted because the witness becomes ill, an ambulance is called and she is hospitalized.\nThe judge shall order the forced attendance of witnesses who have not appeared.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20230629","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officer Ogienko is being questioned as a witness for the prosecution. He says that he does not know the difference between the concepts of denomination, legal entity and religious group, since he does not have a legal education. According to him, when drawing up the interrogation protocol, he copied these terms from the recommendations of higher authorities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2023-06-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20230628","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Dolzhikov is being interrogated. He pleads not guilty and states that he is being tried only for his faith in Jehovah God. \"I have never heard or read anywhere that a court imposed a ban on the practice of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses ... [or that they] were forbidden to worship God, to worship, to pray, to sing religious songs. There was no such ban and there is none,\" says Dmitry.\nHe states: \"The testimony of the witness O. V. Zaev outraged me, because this man, using unverified information and telling blatant lies, misleads the court. I know Jehovah's Witnesses... for 27 years. I have always seen happy families, joyful, law-abiding and peace-loving people who have excellent relations with neighbors and relatives, even if they do not share their faith.\nDolzhikov emphasizes that the criminal prosecution had a negative impact on his entire family. He and his wife have elderly parents whom he cannot help, and his wife herself has a serious illness exacerbated due to stress.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-06-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230627","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense interrogates the secret witness \"Natalia Ivanova\". Dmitriy asks questions about discrepancies in his testimony. Answering most of them, the witness refers to the fact that a lot of time has passed, and he does not remember or finds it difficult to answer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230626","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The search lasts more than two hours. Phone, postcards, letters and flash drives are seized from believers. Later, Yulia and her husband were interrogated in the investigation department.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Globa in Unecha","date":"2023-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/unecha/index.html#20230622","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses, two of Nikolai Saparov's colleagues, are being interrogated. Men describe Saparov as a responsible, competent employee, sociable, with a good sense of humor, always ready to help. They say that they enjoyed playing volleyball and football together.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Saparov in Maykop","date":"2023-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop2/index.html#20230620","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three secret witnesses are being interrogated - Olshevsky, Panin and Lisov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230620","regions":["tula"],"tags":["interrogation","secret-witness","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are being interrogated, who report that a lot of time has passed since the events discussed, and therefore they do not remember the details well.\nImmediately after the end of the hearing, the judge, turning to a lawyer, declares that he wants to complete the trial in August. During one session, Judge Marina Borzitskaya plans to examine 10 volumes of the case, interrogate the secret witness and the defendant, hear the arguments of the parties and the last word and pass a verdict.\nThe lawyer notes that such a procedure for holding a meeting violates the principle of adversarial parties.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleynik in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-06-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk6/index.html#20230619","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Lyudmila Timshina, who attended Jehovah's Witnesses' services several times 6 years ago, is being interrogated via video link. She informs the court that Dolzhikova does not know.\nThe protocols of Timshina's interrogations are announced. According to the woman, she was interrogated at night, after a search in her house, and she was under severe stress. She states that she does not agree with the dates, times and some of the wording of these protocols, and explains that during the interrogations the investigator sat next to her and corrected her statement. In addition, she did not name the names indicated in the protocols and learned them only during interrogation.\nTimshina describes her impressions of the services. According to her, they discussed \"family topics, different, but very interesting.\" She believes that Jehovah's Witnesses are \"engaged in enlightenment, acquaintance with God.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-06-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230619","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, detective Y. Gaifullin, is being interrogated. He interprets the divine services of Jehovah's Witnesses, secretly recorded during operational-search activities, as a continuation of the activities of a liquidated legal entity. At the same time, the witness cannot name specific facts that would indicate the guilt of the defendants. Nor did he hear believers speak out against family values or state authority during worship services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2023-06-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20230616","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Vasiltsov calls individual Bible studies in a café worship services, which is untrue and misleads the court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gerasimov in Kazan","date":"2023-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan4/index.html#20230608","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The state prosecutor reads out the case materials, including the protocols of interrogations of witnesses who did not appear in the courtroom.\nA prosecution witness who had previously attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses is being questioned. He reports that the religious group that existed in Solikamsk was never a structural unit of the LRO or the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The witness also says that the LRO existed only for administrative and economic needs, for example, to rent premises for worship.\nAudio recordings of telephone conversations of the defendants are reproduced in court. Alexander Sobyanin declares that the voice attributed to him does not really belong to him.\nFurther, many positive characteristics of the defendants from their employers, colleagues, neighbors and relatives are announced.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2023-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20230608","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","fabrications","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"34 people gather outside the courtroom to support Tatyana Sushilnikova.\nThe questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them does not appear in court, and the prosecutor offers to read out his testimony, but the defense asks to exclude the testimony of this witness from the case. The judge and prosecutor agree.\nThe following witness is being questioned. The prosecutor asks if people talking about God and the Bible have come to her and if they have offered anything. The Witness says that 10 years ago she was visited by two men who introduced themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses. They offered her religious literature, but she did not communicate with them, and immediately expelled them. The prosecutor reads out her affidavit and she confirms it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-06-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20230607","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are being questioned. One of them, an FSB officer, when asked by the defense whether the defendants called for incitement to hatred and whether they distributed banned literature, answers: \"We were simply guided by the fact that they are Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nThe second witness says that no one urged him to join an extremist organization and did not apply for material assistance.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-06-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230607","regions":["tula"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Reading out his testimony, Aleksey Kupriyanov draws the court's attention to the fact that the case file does not contain facts that would indicate that he incited enmity or hatred towards representatives of other religions.\nFSB officer Alexei Bordunov, who conducted operational-search activities, is being interrogated: wiretapping, secret audio recording with penetration into the dwelling, making inquiries, interviewing, examining objects and documents, examining buildings, structures, terrain, vehicles. He does not answer most of the questions, citing a bad memory.\nHe baselessly claims that the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses continues to operate in Kovrov, and Kupriyanov \"was identified as one of the elders, among other things, took part in organizing and conducting meetings.\" The defender asks Bordunov to say what he means by a religious organization and for what purpose, in his opinion, people gathered. The witness recommends referring to the Charter of the liquidated legal entity.\nKupriyanov asks: \"The charter of the LRO says that one of the goals of the activity is to do good deeds. After the ban on LROs, can I do good deeds or not? Or will I be charged with it? Over the past 5 years, I, as an accountant, have opened about 100 accounts for clients - this is also written in the charter of the LRO - I can no longer open accounts for anyone, neither for myself nor for clients?\" Bordunov finds it difficult to answer. Nor can he explain the difference between the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses and the worship services of believers.\nThe witness confirms that during the services the defendant Kupriyanov did not call for enmity or violence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2023-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20230606","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Odintsov's wife is being interrogated. The investigator informs her that her husband is on the federal wanted list, and asks to tell him to appear for interrogation, threatening otherwise to send Anatoly to the pre-trial detention center.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Odintsov in Snezhnogorsk","date":"2023-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhnogorsk2/index.html#20230605","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses. There are contradictions in the answers of one of them. For example, in the interrogation protocol, she names one date of acquaintance with Valentina Vladimirova, and answering the prosecutor's question, another.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2023-06-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20230602","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Kuznetsov interrogates Ivan Nikitin, asking him questions about faith, religions, and the army.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20230601","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. One of them says that the content of the record of his interrogation does not correspond to what he said to the investigator, and on some pages there is not his signature. Another witness uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vyaznikov in Luchegorsk","date":"2023-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk3/index.html#20230531","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses who attended worship meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses prior to 2017 continues.\nOne of them claims that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses is extremist because they are convinced of its truth. He also adds that the defendants posted anonymous letters in mailboxes, although there is no mention of this fact in the case file. The defense objected, calling this accusation false.\nAnother witness, A. G. Antoshin, states that the defendants \"discussed extremist books\" during the services. When asked by the defense how he defined it, he answers: \"Somehow I understood.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230531","regions":["tula"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"20 people come to the hearing.\nThe court examines prosecution witnesses. One of them, an employee of Poltoradnev, replies that he was \"not involved\" in anything. The defendant's former boss says of him: \"Excellent worker! There are no complaints about him.\"\nAnother witness speaks positively about Alexander Sobyanin, who works for him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2023-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20230530","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 29, 2023, at least two married couples professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the Tambov Region.\nAt about 11 a.m., the believer received a phone call, allegedly from a district police officer who said that he could not get into his dwelling for a \"door-to-door tour.\" Finding out that the man was at work, the officer asked him to call back when he was at home. About an hour later, the same person called the believer again and introduced himself as an officer of the Investigative Committee, saying that he had a search warrant.\nAround noon, Investigator P. V. Salnikov, accompanied by an officer of the FSB and two witnesses, began a search of the home of this married couple in the village of Krasnenkaya. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, storage media, notes, drawings, and postcards. Only the wife was at home. After the search, she was taken away for interrogation and then released. On May 30, the interrogation of her husband was scheduled in the investigative department of the Russian Investigative Committee for the Tambov region.\nEarlier, on April 11, 2023, another search took place in Tambov—at 6:30 a.m., believers were awakened by a loud knock on the door. FSB officers Nikolay Aparshev and Dmitriy Dutskiy, accompanied by two girls, presented the order and searched the residence. They seized electronic devices, storage media, and postcards.\nThe European Court called on Russian authorities to stop the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-05-29T10:13:07+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/06/021013/image_hu_152097f9a85f546c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/06/021013/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/06/021013/image_hu_c2cc19a692c92a7f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/06/021013/image_hu_e30c04d8c003bdba.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/06/021013.html","regions":["tambov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New Searches at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Tambov Region","type":"news"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. One woman says she knows the defendants but has not seen them for a long time. She speaks positively about them, saying, for example, that Derendyaev helped her assemble the closet.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230529","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At midnight, Marina Voitko's house is searched in the village of Molodezhnoye. Armed security forces in bulletproof vests and masks drive up to her house in a minibus and a car. The search lasts an hour and a half, electronic devices, notebooks and notebooks with personal notes are seized from the believer. She is also given a summons for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20230526","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of 25 May, 2023, searches were conducted at six addresses of residents who are Jehovah's Witnesses in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Presumably, a criminal case was initiated for their faith.\nThe searches started around 8 p.m. and lasted almost until midnight. The believers were communicating with each other via video conferencing at the time.\nIn Radion Shitov's apartment investigative actions were headed by Lieutenant of Justice A. Tereshchuk, investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region. FSB officer Aleksey Krupnov and testifying witnesses also participated in the search. Shitov's personal notes \"indicating membership in the Jehovah's Witnesses religion\", according to law enforcement officers, electronic devices, media storage, and medical books from Russian publishers on alternatives to blood transfusions were seized. The next day he was summoned for interrogation as a suspect to the local branch of the Investigative Committee. The summons was issued by investigator Leonid Kuznetsov.\nThirty Jehovah's Witnesses are already being prosecuted for their peaceful religious beliefs in the Khabarovsk Territory, four of them in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-05-25T17:14:57+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/06/021714/image_hu_ad585a5b234c5166.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/06/021714/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/06/021714/image_hu_9d933fc2dc47c94.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/06/021714/image_hu_76449ab99dcb6285.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/06/021714.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":"Searches Affected Several Families","tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Six More Searches Conducted at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Samus in Kostroma","date":"2023-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma3/index.html#20230525","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"10 people come to the court hearings to support Pavel Brilkov. On the part of the prosecution, FSB representative Karpov testifies against the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2023-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk3/index.html#20230525","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["to-court","interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Dmitry Dmitrienko is being interrogated. His testimony contradicts what he gave at the investigation stage - for example, he says that he was interrogated once, and the case file mentions two meetings with the investigator on different dates.\n\"Dmitrienko\" describes the defendant as a well-read and modest person who adheres to deep religious convictions. According to the witness, \"there was nothing aggressive [on the part of Voishchev],\" but the witness refuses to declassify himself, stating that \"it threatens his life and health.\"\nThe witness finds it difficult to answer some of the questions of Nikolai Voishchev and his lawyer or complains about the poor quality of communication.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voishchev in Maykop","date":"2023-05-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/adygeya/index.html#20230524","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"11 listeners are allowed into the courtroom, although many more people came to the courthouse to support the defendants.\nThe prosecution witnesses, employees of the Center \"E\", are being questioned. They give testimony that does not correspond to that recorded in the case file. Witnesses answer the defendants' questions evasively.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2023-05-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20230524","regions":["tula"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The witness Romanov, who has known Valery Rabota for about 20 years, is being interrogated. According to Romanov, the believer spoke to him about his beliefs several times before 2017. The witness considers Valeriy to be a man \"good, polite, hardworking.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20230523","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. The woman says that she stopped attending meetings of believers in 2003, after which she did not meet Alexei Kupriyanov. She describes the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses as follows: \"The main thing is to preach about the Bible.\" She says that she has never heard calls for violence or religious criticism from anyone at worship services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20230523","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym \"Natalia Ivanova\" is being interrogated. This witness explains that he had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, where she saw Dolzhikov several times. According to him, Dmitry and other believers discussed biblical topics and everyday issues at these meetings. The witness never heard Dolzhikov call for violence or the overthrow of the constitutional order. The Witness reported that he had no dislike for Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe court does not grant the defense's request to declassify the witness. He also objects to the declassification of his identity, although he admits that he has never received threats from Dolzhikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230523","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Daria Dulova submits a petition for a copy of Venera Dulova's disability certificate. Her hearing aid is broken, she can hardly hear anything and cannot participate in the meeting. The court, deliberating on the spot, decides to postpone the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2023-05-22T08:51:56+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20230522","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor shall request the disclosure of the testimony of the witness given during the preliminary investigation. She herself explains that she \"testified in a psychologically depressed state\" and that she was pressured during the interrogation. Another says: \"I don't remember, I didn't understand well then, I was in a serious condition, the questions were incomprehensible.\" Despite this, their testimonies are voiced. Women partially or completely do not confirm their words.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230522","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness is being questioned. He says that he does not know Gerasimov and speaks positively of Jehovah's Witnesses. A secret witness under the pseudonym Ogorodnikov says that he does not know what an LRO is and has never been a member of the LRO.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gerasimov in Kazan","date":"2023-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan4/index.html#20230522","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"One of the prosecution witnesses states that, on the instructions of the FSB, he introduced the informant Martyn to believers. According to him, he did this because of threats from an employee of the service Ogienko A.A. to his wife. The witness states that the record of the interrogation does not contain the testimony that he gave to the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2023-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20230522","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The apartment of Maksym and Karina Zinchenko is being searched with the participation of the armed forces. The spouses are interrogated separately. Maksim is asked questions about video recordings of worship services that were made in Sevastopol by secret FSB agents in 2019 and used in the case of Zhukov and others.\nThe believer is taken to the Investigative Committee of Sevastopol for interrogation. Here, Zinchenko is threatened that he will be placed under house arrest, and his wife will be sent to a pre-trial detention center.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zinchenko in Sevastopol","date":"2023-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol6/index.html#20230522","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor, Artyom Silvestrov, an Orthodox priest, head of the Information and Consulting Center for Sectarianism of the Novosibirsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, is being interrogated. He expresses his dislike of Jehovah's Witnesses in general. According to him, he got information about this confession from Internet blogs, the writings of an Orthodox activist and communication with former Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230516","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"18 people come to support the believers.\nProsecution witnesses, including operatives, are being questioned. They answer most questions evasively. Thus, one of them does not remember what means were used for surveillance and whether investigative measures were stopped against the defendants. Another witness does not know what beliefs the defendants hold, but he says he followed them on orders.\nThe last witness says that he is familiar with the defendant Vladimir Poltoradnev and speaks positively about him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20230516","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Tolyatti, searches are being conducted in four homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. Early in the morning, the security forces broke into the home of Alexander Dolganov, his wife and parents. Some of the law enforcement officers are armed. When the suspect's mother has high blood pressure against the background of what is happening, an ambulance is called for her. The security forces take Dolganov to the investigation department, and his wife and father come for interrogation on their own. After the interrogation, at about 20:00, Aleksandr was sent to the temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20230516","regions":["samara"],"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Grekov initiates searches of believers in Tolyatti, including Elena Yurenkova. Electronic devices, data carriers, the Bible and personal records with typewritten and handwritten text are seized from her. The believer is interrogated in the investigative department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yurenkova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti5/index.html#20230516","regions":["samara"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kupriyanov petitions for the Holy Scriptures to be provided to him during the interrogations, since, according to him, this is the only book referred to by the investigation. The court refuses, explaining that it is not in the case file.\nThe questioning of prosecution witnesses begins. The first woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives her the right not to testify against herself and her loved ones. The judge satisfies the prosecutor's request for the disclosure of the testimony of the witness given during the investigation.\nIn his testimony, another witness says that he is familiar with the defendant and has no personal hostility towards him, has no grounds for complaints. Also, he never heard calls for violence and religious intolerance from Kupriyanov. The man says that he attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses regularly until 2017, and did it without coercion, voluntarily.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2023-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20230511","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, a colleague of Andrei Gordeev, characterizes him as a responsible employee, a good driver, to whom there have never been any complaints.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2023-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20230511","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officer G. G. Lazarev is being interrogated. He says that Oleinik \"provided active assistance to Alexander Seredkin\", providing her housing for worship and was an \"informal leader.\" The witness finds it difficult to answer the clarifying questions of the defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleynik in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-05-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk6/index.html#20230510","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them, a seller of Orthodox paraphernalia, communicated with the defendant in 2018. She reports that Valentina discussed the Gospel with her and describes her as a positive person with whom she was pleased to communicate.\nAccording to the witness, Valentina did not allow insulting remarks about people who do not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, calls for incitement of hatred on religious or national grounds, as well as violence, overthrow of the constitutional order and disrespect for state authorities. Also, the witness did not hear from Samus any motivation to break off family relations, refuse to perform civil duties or refuse medical intervention. The witness learned that Valentina had a different religion only during interrogation by the investigator.\nThe prosecutor draws attention to the contradictions between the current testimony and those that the woman gave earlier during interrogation by the investigator. Commenting on a number of entries from the interrogation protocol, the witness replies that she \"did not say that.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Samus in Kostroma","date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma3/index.html#20230505","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A search is being conducted in the apartment of Alexander Protasov. He is then questioned as a witness. One of the law enforcement officers uses foul language, but after the remarks of the residents of the apartment, he stops being rude.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Protasov in Novocheboksarsk","date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocheboksarsk2/index.html#20230505","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"6 listeners are allowed to attend the meeting. About 30 more people remain on the street near the courthouse.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. The first of them reports that she does not know the defendant and has never seen her before. The second witness, an FSB officer, said he saw the defendant and her husband talking about something in the park with a married couple.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20230505","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"20 people come to the meeting, 10 people are allowed into the hall according to the number of seats.\nA secret witness under the pseudonym Ilya Sagitov (Alexander Komzolov) is interrogated. He claims that he met with the defendant at his apartment in the period up to 2021. The defense states that it has information according to which Sagitov __ last communicated with Gromov in 2014, and from 2016 to 2019 the witness lived in Finland. The court removes the lawyer's questions to the witness aimed at identifying contradictions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2023-05-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20230504","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In her testimony, the daughter of the Zalyayevs says that their family has a warm friendly atmosphere, they love to spend time together, go fishing, play and communicate. She explains that her parents are not against getting an education, they respect the state authorities.\nWhen asked if her parents forced her to adhere to certain religious views, Nina answers in the negative and explains: \"This is my own business. It's not the nature of parents to force.\" She adds: \"I don't understand how they could involve [me in illegal activities]. They themselves have never been involved in it.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2023-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20230428","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Instead of interrogating the secret witness \"Mironova\", her written testimony is read out. The prosecution provides a certificate stating that this witness cannot speak in court due to illness.\nAnastasia Pryanikova, Venera and Daria Dulov testify to the court. Svetlana and Ruslan Zalyaev ask to summon their daughter for questioning at the next hearing. The court grants the request.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2023-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20230427","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of four prosecution witnesses. Three of them do not know the defendant. Nothing can be explained on the merits of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Piskareva in Oryol","date":"2023-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel4/index.html#20230427","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, the owner of the apartment in which Dmitry and his wife lived for some time, is being interrogated. The woman saw him only once. Describing the defendant, she says: \"There have never been complaints, and there are simply no such wonderful people! Dmitry helped in the apartment, and always handed over the money on time.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-04-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230425","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. All of them, including a former Jehovah's Witness, consistently characterize the defendants only from a positive point of view.\nAccording to one of them, \"Derendyaev is honest, decent, law-abiding, pays taxes. Kutin is sensitive, attentive, and cares about others. Ashikhmin... ready to help, non-conflicting.\"\nAnother witness notes that the record of his interrogation contains many inaccuracies and loose wording, which were added by someone later.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-04-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230424","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A former employee of the Taiga city administration is being interrogated as a witness. At first, the woman says that she has never personally met Jehovah's Witnesses, has not received literature from them, and does not know the defendants. After the record of her preliminary interrogation was read, the witness claims that the believers gave her literature, but does not explain what kind of literature and how she understood it to be the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThen begins the interrogation of investigator Zakharova, who tells how she interrogated two female witnesses. When asked by the defense how it happened that their testimony was identical word for word, she replies that this is possible, since she \"translated them into legal language.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2023-04-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20230424","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of April 20, 2023, in Magnitogorsk, searches were conducted in at least seven homes of local believers. Fourteen people were interrogated. Among them were two women, ages 70 and 75, and two elderly disabled spouses. Aleksandr Salnikov, age 61, was detained. On April 22 he was released.\nThe searches began at about 6 a.m. and continued until noon. One of the believers offered the law enforcement officers some coffee, and they admitted to her that this was the first time in 12 years that they were treated so kindly by suspects.\nDuring the searches, electronic devices, Bibles in various translations, personal notes, and, in one case, quotes from Russian authors were seized. According to eyewitnesses, the security forces were looking for anything containing the name \"Jehovah.\"\nAfter the searches, the believers were taken to the local department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for interrogation. There they were asked questions about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the believers, the security forces were trying to persuade some of them to slander fellow believers.\nMagnitogorsk has been added to the list of cities in the Chelyabinsk region where government agents search the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses because of their religious views. Currently, 7 believers in this region have been given suspended sentences, and one, Ilya Olenin, has been ordered to pay a large fine.\nSix years ago, on April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation issued a decision to liquidate the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses. Although this decision did not restrict the right of believers to practice their religion, the authorities continue to unlawfully persecute civilians throughout the country. In the summer of 2022, the European Court of Human Rights fully acquitted Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-04-20T15:56:19+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/04/241556/image_hu_4716e0a1b5087ae2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/04/241556/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/04/241556/image_hu_e19b9dcc184e7488.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/04/241556/image_hu_c80702a9cb339389.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/04/241556.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"In Magnitogorsk, Security Forces Raided Jehovah's Witnesses.","type":"news"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing.\nThree of Gromov's neighbors describe him as a polite, kind, sociable person who shows sympathy and attention.\nThey also emphasize that the defendant is a good and responsible neighbor, regularly participates in the cleaning of the local area. One of the witnesses, who has known Sergey for more than 20 years, says that she adheres to other religious views, but this does not affect his good attitude towards her.\nWitness I. Z. Izmailov, an operative of the Center for Combating Extremism, reports that he is not aware of any facts of the defendant committing violent acts against the person, as well as attempts on the property of other citizens.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20230420","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is still held behind closed doors. The court rejects two motions to declare inadmissible evidence of expert research.\nThe defendant files a motion for the admission of written evidence (the decision of the ECHR in the case of \"LRO \"Taganrog\" and others v. the Russian Federation\"). The court satisfies him.\nInterrogation of 6 defense witnesses, including acquaintances and colleagues of Sazonov. All of them say that the defendant has good qualities, does not create conflicts, never called for the severance of family relations, did not oppose state authorities, local self-government bodies. According to witnesses, the believer and his family have a good reputation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20230420","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer is taken by plane from Vladikavkaz to Moscow, and from there by car to Yaroslavl. Only at the Moscow airport the handcuffs are removed from the believer.\nAt about 4 o'clock in the morning, upon arrival at the local investigation department of the Investigative Committee, the investigator for especially important cases Grigoriev begins interrogation. Then the woman is placed in the temporary detention center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Yaroslavl region. There she is subjected to a humiliating body search.\n","caseTitle":"Guseva's case in Yaroslavl","date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl4/index.html#20230420","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs","personal-inspection"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Izolda Guseva returns from leave to care for her sick mother. When crossing the border with Georgia, she is detained for 5 hours, so she finds out that she is on the Federal wanted list. According to the believer, at this time a provocateur is planted next to her, who pretends to be her co-religionist and tries to talk.\nFrom the border checkpoint, Izolda is taken to the Vladikavkaz police station, where her fingerprints are taken, and the duty officer takes pictures of her without permission. A woman who asks questions about God is placed in Guseva's cell. The believer does not answer her, which is why the woman begins to insult her and beat her with her hands. The police do not interfere in what is happening, despite Isolde's requests.\nGuseva spends the night in a cell. Only closer to the morning the woman is offered tea - before that she was not given any food or water.\n","caseTitle":"Guseva's case in Yaroslavl","date":"2023-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl4/index.html#20230418","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Friends who came to court give Alexei Gerasimov's wife a bouquet of flowers.\nThe prosecution witness admits that this is the first time she has seen Gerasimov. When asked if she knows anything about the local legal entity (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses, she replies that she no longer remembers everything.\nAnother prosecution witness, an operational officer, refuses to answer the question about how he carried out operational-search activities, referring to the law on the inadmissibility of disclosure of information about the implementation of operational-search activities. He gives a subjective negative assessment of Jehovah's Witnesses. Gerasimov states that the witness is not an expert in matters of religion and has no right to give his assessment.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gerasimov in Kazan","date":"2023-04-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan4/index.html#20230417","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aleksandr Sazhin's home and garage are being searched. Flash drives, mobile phones, photo CDs, several copies of the Bible and the Koran are seized from him. Alexander becomes a suspect in a criminal case. In the FSB department, he is interrogated in the presence of a lawyer and then released on his own recognizance.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazhin in Fokino","date":"2023-04-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/fokino/index.html#20230416","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court summons prosecution witnesses for questioning. One woman says that she does not know Valery Vyaznikov, while another characterizes him on the positive side. The testimonies of the three witnesses who did not appear were read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vyaznikov in Luchegorsk","date":"2023-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk3/index.html#20230413","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses testify to the court. None of them is personally acquainted with Lyubov Serebryakova. It turns out that they get information about Jehovah's Witnesses from the Internet and the materials of this criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk3/index.html#20230413","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 13, 2023, from 6 a.m., officers from the Internal Affairs Directorate and the FSB searched 10 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Almetyevsk and interrogated 16 people. A criminal case has been initiated on charges of extremism.\nDuring the searches, electronic devices were confiscated from believers, as well as Bibles in various translations and postcards with Bible quotations. In one case, bank cards were also taken from the family. The searches lasted for 6 hours and were conducted under the supervision of FSB officers from Kazan. In most cases, the law enforcement officers behaved correctly.\nIn the building of the Internal Affairs Directorate, some believers were kept until 10 p.m. Law enforcement officers tried to persuade the men and women to incriminate themselves and others. They used the Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows them not to testify against themselves and their close ones. After the interrogations, they were all released.\nSo far, it is not known against whom exactly the criminal case has been initiated under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Copies of the protocols of the search and interrogation were given only to some of the believers. One of them was interrogated in the FSB building.\nAnother 13 Jehovah's Witnesses are prosecuted in Tatarstan for their faith. One of them, Konstantin Sannikov, was sent to a penal colony in February 2023 for 6.5 years.\nThe head of the Center for Religion and Society Studies, Roman Lunkin, speaks about the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian Federation: \"The case of the Jehovah's Witnesses has for long years been the occasion for accusations against Russia of violation of freedom of conscience and of simple common sense\".\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-04-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/04/191041.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":"A Criminal Case for Faith Initiated, 16 People Interrogated","tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","282.2-2"],"title":"A New Wave of Searches in Tatarstan.","type":"news"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who attended religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses from 2009 to 2014 is being questioned. The man says that he has never heard calls for violence and hatred at worship services; He made donations on a voluntary basis, \"no one forced.\"\nThe court hears the testimony of the next prosecution witness, who also previously attended worship services. The man says that he does not know what Adestov was doing, and \"does not know him personally.\" He confirmed that he once broke the windows of the worship building \"to talk to Boris Symonenko.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Adestov in Kovrov","date":"2023-04-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov3/index.html#20230412","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The first witness, Valentina's wife, Ivan, is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Samus in Kostroma","date":"2023-04-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma3/index.html#20230411","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 11, 2023, the house of one of Jehovah's Witnesses Andrey Shiyan, 53, was searched again in Lesosibirsk. Because of the stress, the believer ended up in the hospital. He is suspected of organizing the activity of an extremist organization for reading the Bible with friends.\nEarly in the morning, an investigator accompanied by an FSB officer and two attesting witnesses came to Shiyan's home to conduct a search that lasted 4 hours. An ambulance was called twice for the believer. He could not sign any documents, as he was physically not able to do so. The search was carried out on the basis of the ruling of the Lesosibirsk City Court dated February 13, 2023.\nThe next day, Andrey Shiyan was summoned for interrogation, during which he again became ill, so the ambulance took him to the hospital. There, the investigator handed him several more subpoenas.\nEarlier, on November 25, 2021, as part of the criminal case against Valeriy Schitz, Andrey Shiyan had already been searched, during which electronic storage equipment were seized.\nAndrey Shiyan became the 30th Jehovah's Witness in the Krasnoyarsk Territory against whom the authorities opened a criminal case for his faith. The persecution of believers in Russia continues despite its condemnation by international and national human rights organizations.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-04-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_943a8332cba14e42.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_caffff98386a2f9a.jpg","webp":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_10d4e5329eff2378.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_543ff2e213e31665.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/04/181114.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":"A Criminal Case Was Initiated Against Him for His Faith","tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","health-risk","282.2-1"],"title":"In Lesosibirsk, a Repeated Search Took Place at the Home of One of Jehovah's Witnesses.","type":"news"},{"body":"Lyubov Asatryan petitions to leave the Magadan Region for treatment in Khabarovsk. She had already made a similar statement to the judge in December last year, but was refused. The believer explains that she has been observed by an ophthalmologist for a long time. Due to her visual impairment in 2022, Lyubov is on the waiting list for examination and follow-up surgery.\nThe court interrogates the head of the ophthalmology department of the Magadan Regional Hospital, who confirms that this is a progressive disease. The defense argues and provides the necessary documents in favor of urgent treatment under the quota and emphasizes that this is only a week-long break in the meetings.\nIn the first refusal of the court, it was stated that it was necessary to attach a referral and tickets to the petition. Asatryan provided all these documents, although the tickets are not cheap for her. According to one of the lawyers, a delay in treatment can lead to the fact that surgery will be impossible. The judge considers these arguments insufficient and refuses to leave.\nThe court continues to review the recordings of worship services with comments from informant Leskov. Lawyers note that the witness, instead of stating the facts, continues to put forward subjective assessments about the faith of the defendants: \"Why do we listen to such conclusions? No one can be convicted on the grounds that some witness somehow understood that.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230410","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"42 people gather outside the courthouse. No one is allowed into the hall.\nThe court interrogates FSB investigator Safronov. He says that Tatyana Sushilnikova became a defendant in the criminal case, \"because she is Sergey's wife, took an active part in meetings, was engaged in rounds and conducting conversations with the population.\" At the same time, the witness acknowledges that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\nAn Orthodox clergyman is being interrogated. He says that he does not know the defendant, he learned about the denomination of Jehovah's Witnesses from open sources. He says that his \"religion is true and the rest is heresy.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-04-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20230407","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court re-examines the attitude of the defendant to the prosecution and concludes that it contains arguments in favor of returning the criminal case to the prosecutor. The document states that there are no specific dates, circumstances and ways in which the defendant promoted superiority or called for non-recognition of state authorities and the severance of family relations.\nThe court asks Zhelavskaya whether she is requesting that the case be returned to the prosecutor. The believer agrees, the prosecutor objects. After that, the court interrogates the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20230405","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. In their testimonies, they say that they have a negative attitude towards the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe first secret witness had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses and was acquainted with Nikolai Saparov. According to him, the defendant did not call for violence, did not show any signs of aggression and did not extol his religion. The witness did not hear any threats against him, and he was not forced to become a member of any organization.\nThe witness under the pseudonym \"Semyonov\" says in his testimony that he has known Nikolai Saparov since 2020 at work and has seen him dozens of times. However, he could not name the exact company of which the defendant represented, despite the fact that they had entered into and signed a number of sales contracts. At the same time, the witness remembers for sure that Saparov belonged to an \"extremist organization\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Saparov in Maykop","date":"2023-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop2/index.html#20230404","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A man who attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2007 is being interrogated. He explains that their services were exclusively peaceful and took place in the same way in different cities. But he knows nothing about their activities after 2007.\nThe witness explains the difference between a legal entity and a congregation of believers. Along with previously questioned witnesses, he explains that he does not know Dolzhikov personally and has never seen him before.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230404","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of April 4, 2023, nine Jehovah's Witnesses in St. Petersburg were subjected to searches, six of them, men and women aged 40 to 68, were interrogated by the Investigative Committee throughout the night.\nAround 8 p.m., groups of OMON officers broke into the apartments of believers at several addresses in the south of the city. At that time, the hosts had guests. In one of the apartments, armed law enforcement officers in balaclavas broke down the door and shouted “everyone on the floor”.\nAccording to eyewitnesses, some searches were accompanied by caustic comments and obscene language from law enforcement officers. They were interested in items with the words \"God\", \"Jesus\", \"faith\" and \"Holy Scriptures\". Books, notebooks and notepads with personal notes, hard drives, electronic devices, and in one case, Bibles of various editions and a video cassette with a wedding recording were confiscated from believers. At about 1 a.m., the hosts and guests were taken for interrogation. They returned home only at 4 a.m.\nIn another apartment, where an elderly couple lives (the husband is a blind man, 82), law enforcement officers tried to behave respectfully. The security forces took one of the guests to his home to conduct a search there as well.\nIn February 2023, law enforcement agencies of the Leningrad Region initiated a case against believers from Kingisepp and Slantsy. During the interrogations, the investigators were interested in whether believers from St. Petersburg knew their fellow believers from Kingisepp.\nSt. Petersburg has become the 74th region in which Russian law enforcement officers persecute Jehovah's Witnesses for their peaceful religious practice.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-04-04T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/04/110844.html","regions":["stpetersburg"],"subtitle":"The Security Forces Searched for Everything With the Words \"God\", \"Jesus\" and \"Faith\"","tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","disability"],"title":"Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses in St. Petersburg.","type":"news"},{"body":"Witnesses whose homes were searched are being interrogated.\nOne of them says about the defendants: \"When I had difficulties, they helped me, provided support, like true friends.\"\nAnother witness emphasizes the kindness and responsiveness of the defendants, describes them as calm and adequate people. He says that he has not heard any negative statements about persons who do not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses from the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230403","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them claims that she has not heard any extremist appeals from Boris Symonenko, and does not ascribe leadership to him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20230403","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Vladimir Gusev, Head of the Department for Non-Profit Organizations of the Department of the Ministry of Justice in the Republic of Karelia. He explains that after the liquidation of the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, citizens can still practice the doctrine of this denomination.\nThe next witness for the prosecution is a young woman who had previously been one of Jehovah's Witnesses but then voluntarily stopped attending their meetings. She says that she was \"not forced to leave or stay, everything was respectful.\" She also explains that Jehovah's Witnesses are \"peaceful people, they act out of love, they treat this way not only to people of their religion, but to everyone in general.\" According to her, she had never heard extremist statements from the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20230403","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"State prosecutor Paronov reads out the indictment. Sergey Petrenko expresses disagreement and does not admit his guilt. Judge Dmitry Gorbachev does not allow Petrenko to announce his attitude to the charges.\nThe prosecutor summons five witnesses for questioning, two of whom do not confirm their written statements given during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Petrenko in Gorno-Altaysk","date":"2023-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gorno-altaysk2/index.html#20230401","regions":["altai"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"40 people come to support a fellow believer, 10 of them are allowed into the courtroom at the request of the defense.\nA prosecution witness is being questioned. The woman characterizes Sergey positively. Her testimony does not fully coincide with those given by her at the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2023-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20230330","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness is being interrogated, who in this case acts under the pseudonym \"Khabdrakhmanov Nail Minsagitovich\". According to the defense, the prosecutor's office repeatedly invited him under various pseudonyms to hearings on the case of other believers in Tatarstan.\nAfter interrogating the witness, the defendant Dmitry Yarchak makes a statement about the perjury of \"Khabdrakhmanov\" against the believers.\nJudge Sergei Kamenov removes most of the questions of the defense. The lawyer objects to the actions of the judge.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2023-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20230330","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. The prosecutor asks how he met Jehovah's Witnesses. The man replies that they came to his house about three years ago, but he does not know the defendant and has never seen her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20230330","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, operational officers say that in 2019 they organized the installation of recording equipment in the FSB office for the secret collection of voice samples of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2023-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20230328","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three elderly witnesses are being questioned. According to witnesses, the defendants did not treat anyone with hatred and did not call for discrimination on any grounds. Witnesses speak of them as good family men, exemplary workers, and kind people.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230327","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, the chairman of the homeowners' association of the house where Nikolai Leshchenko lives, is being interrogated. The woman says that she worked with him in the HOA. She says: \"Nikolai Grigorievich is characterized positively, often responded to requests, provided assistance. He never made any negative statements about anyone.\"\nAnother prosecution witness, whose close relatives are Jehovah's Witnesses, describes Leshchenko as a good person, always ready to help. The man claims that the investigator pressured him during the interrogation, threatening to take the children away and send them to an orphanage if he did not testify.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2023-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20230327","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Security forces are detaining 43-year-old Yuriy Gerashchenko. He spends three days in the Dzhankoy temporary detention facility in connection with administrative arrest, after which he is taken away for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. One of the employees takes pictures of what is happening on a smartphone, and the other in the car, according to the believer, hits him in the side.\nGerashchenko's interrogation ends at about 2 a.m., after which he is taken to the Simferopol temporary detention facility. He is charged with Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Parfenovich and Gerashchenko in Krasnogvardeyskoye","date":"2023-03-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnogvardeyskoe/index.html#20230322","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs","siloviks-violence","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A married couple is being interrogated. In response to a number of questions, the woman used Article 51 of the Constitution, emphasizing that she did not refuse to testify. She speaks of the defendants as kind and law-abiding people. She is not familiar with the legal wording concerning legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe man says that he saw the defendants for the first time at the previous hearing, so he cannot say anything about their attitude to other faiths.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230320","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses, one of whom attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, and the second is not personally acquainted with Andrei Sazonov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2023-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20230320","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Kazimova rejects the motion of the defense to challenge the specialist Galyamov, who again does not appear at the hearing in connection with a business trip. The testimony of a specialist and the materials of the last two volumes of the case - the 4th and 5th - are read out.\nWitness Borisenko, a neighbor of Elena Nesterova, is being interrogated. The witness says that guests came to the defendant, but only before the ban on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tatyana Svoboda and others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur/index.html#20230317","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Pavel Brilkov is required to sign a pledge not to leave the place and proper behavior. The believer is charged with participating in extremist activities. This is how the investigation interprets the fact that Paul \"repeatedly spoke out and explained the meaning and essence of excerpts from the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) and supplemented the answers of adherents of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses at a religious meeting.\"\nDuring interrogation, Brilkov enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2023-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk3/index.html#20230316","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the secret witness \"Titov\", who claims that Andrei Okhapkin led \"the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Kineshma.\" When the prosecutor asks for clarification of the name of the organization, he calls \"the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\" At the same time, witness Titov cannot explain why he decided that he was present at the meetings of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses, which was located in the Leningrad Region before its liquidation.\nAnswering the lawyer's questions about what happened at such meetings, the witness tells the court that the believers studied the Bible, prayed and sang songs. The witness confirms that Okhapkin has never heard negative statements against other religions, as well as calls for the overthrow of the constitutional order or for the humiliation of human dignity: \"He has never made any threats against anyone.\" Nevertheless, the secret witness refuses to declassify.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2023-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20230315","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court proceeds to the interrogation of Sergey Ananin. \"I am a believer,\" he says in his defense, \"and my conscience, trained in the Bible, does not allow me even to have evil thoughts against others, so as not to harm people and society as a whole. I respect the existing authorities, because according to my beliefs, respect for authority is the same as respect for God, because the Bible says that God allows this authority.\nThe believer draws attention to the fact that according to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, the letter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, participation in peaceful worship after the liquidation of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses is not a crime.\nAnanin also reminds listeners that the Supreme Court \"did not assess the legality of the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and the ways in which they were expressed,\" including the conduct of joint worship based on the Holy Scriptures (the Bible). He says that Jehovah's Witnesses use different translations of the Bible, for example, the translation of Pavsky, Kuznetsova, Archimandrite Macarius, the Synodal translation, the Modern Translation, and that the name of God, Jehovah, is found in them.\nThe defendant quotes an excerpt from the Orthodox Encyclopedia of 1891: \"Under the name of Jehovah you will find the following words: 'Jehovah is one of the names of God, great and holy, meaning the originality, eternity and immutability of God's being.'\" Sergey concludes: \"On these grounds, I do not fully understand what my criminal activity is.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2023-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20230314","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution testifies that she has never heard calls for violence from Jehovah's Witnesses. The next witness did not hear such calls either. He states that he attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2007 and now has a general dislike for them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2023-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20230314","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"20 listeners are allowed to attend the meeting. Sergey Malyanov and Oleg Konshin are being interrogated. The prosecutor asks them about the structure of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia (liquidated by the court in 2017). The state prosecutor is also interested in whether Verkhoturov and Manushakyan are familiar to Sergey. Next, the defendants read out their written notes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyanov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2023-03-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod2/index.html#20230313","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Bordunov, a former FSB operative in the Vladimir region, who for three years conducted operational search measures against Jehovah's Witnesses from Kovrov, including Adestov, is being interrogated. Wiretapping, surveillance, and secret audio recording were carried out.\nWhen asked by a lawyer what was the illegal activity of Roman Adestov, Bordunov answers: \"I don't remember - a lot of time has passed.\" To other questions posed by the defendant, the witness cannot say anything on the merits. At the same time, he claims that on the part of the defendant \"no facts of struggle or calls for violence were recorded.\"\nProsecution witness Astanin, who previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kovrov, is being questioned. He does not know the defendant and has not heard any calls for violence at worship services. The written testimony of the witness is read out in court, although the defense objects.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Adestov in Kovrov","date":"2023-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov3/index.html#20230306","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Security forces are conducting searches in the homes of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yuriy Byche, Sergey Novoselov, Yegor Pogrebnyak, as well as several women, are taken away for interrogation: Anastasia Dyldina, Elena Romanova, Marina Roslova, Alina Tkachenko and Tatyana Kazakova. Subsequently, women are released on recognizance agreement, while men are detained and sent to a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2023-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20230305","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Ekaterina Menkova comes on a summons for interrogation to investigator Dmitry Menkenov. According to the believer, he is trying to put pressure on her, preventing her from using Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives her the right not to testify against herself and her loved ones. The interrogation lasts about 3 hours.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista","date":"2023-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/elista/index.html#20230302","regions":["kalmykia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Listeners are not allowed into the meeting room, 58 people are waiting outside.\nInterrogation of the prosecution witness. She says that Jehovah's Witnesses have come to her several times, but this is the first time she has seen the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2023-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk3/index.html#20230301","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Law enforcement officers conduct searches in the homes of Kishta Tutinova, Tsagan Khalgaeva and Ekaterina Menkova. The latter becomes ill. FSB officers call an ambulance. Due to her poor health, the believer is not interrogated, but she is given a summons to appear before the investigator on another day.\nKishta Tutinova and Tsagan Khalgaeva are taken for interrogation. Tsagan indicates in the interrogation protocol that her words are distorted. A sample of her voice and handwriting is taken from her.\nAfter interrogation, Kishta Tutinova is taken to the temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista","date":"2023-02-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/elista/index.html#20230228","regions":["kalmykia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","fabrications","ivs","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Elista, on February 28, 2023, searches were conducted in at least three places. Kalmykia security officials suspect local residents of extremism because they profess the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses. After being searched and interrogated, Kishta Tutinova was placed in a temporary detention center for two days.\nThe FSB Directorate for the Republic of Kalmykia is responsible for the raid. On February 16, Investigator D. V. Menkenov initiated a criminal case against Kishta Tutinova for organizing the activity of an extremist organization, as well as against unidentified persons for participating in this activity (parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The investigation believes that Tutinova, from her home, \"conducts religious meetings and directly participates in them by means of online videoconferencing and also involves the residents of the region in the activities of this organization for the purpose of propaganda.\"\nUpdate. The search in Kishta Tutinova’s house began early in the morning and lasted almost three hours. It was conducted by five law enforcement officers. According to the believer, the security forces did not provide documents authorizing the search. They seized a Bible, three mobile phones, personal letters and notes. Despite the believer's requests, she was not given copies of the search protocol or the interrogation protocol.\nBy 5 p.m., Kishta Tutinova was taken to the detention center. One of the FSB officers handed her five liters of water and a cupcake to take with her. The believer, who is 62 years old, spent two days in the temporary detention facility, after which, on March 1, the court placed her under house arrest.\nThe believer was taken to the apartment of one of her sons, where a search was conducted but nothing was seized. As part of this criminal case, searches were conducted at the homes of two other women. Electronic devices, personal correspondence and notes were seized from both of these homes. One believer was immediately brought in for interrogation. An ambulance had to be called for the second woman during the investigative actions.\nAccording to human rights activists, in 2023, repressions against Jehovah's Witnesses are gaining momentum, despite the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, which completely exonerated them.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-02-28T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_943a8332cba14e42.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_caffff98386a2f9a.jpg","webp":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_10d4e5329eff2378.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_543ff2e213e31665.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/03/021129.html","regions":["kalmykia"],"subtitle":"Searches and Interrogations Took Place in Elista","tags":["new-case","interrogation","search","ivs","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"Security Forces in Yet Another Region of the Russian Federation Initiated a Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses.","type":"news"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. Nikolay Leshchenko's neighbor, who has known the believer for about 5 years, cannot say anything bad about him. The witness is not sure that the voice on the audio recording provided to him belongs to Nikolai.\nA former colleague of Dmitry Ravnushkin says that the relationship with the defendant was respectful, there were no conflicts.\nThe testimonies of witnesses who did not appear are also read out. A woman who attended Jehovah's Witnesses' worship services before 2017 says they have no ranks of any kind and that she does not know any of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2023-02-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20230227","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"*Text updated April 20, 2023\nOn February 19, 2023, in Kingisepp and Slantsy, five believers were detained as a result of seven searches conducted by the Investigative Committee. Igor Zhmyrev, age 52; Kirill Khabrik, age 33; Andrey Morozov, age 47; Yevgeniy Poveshchenko, age 54; and Sergey Ryabokon, age 33, ended up in a temporary detention facility in the city of Slantsy.\nOn February 21, 2023, Judge Yekaterina Ivanova of the Kingisepp City Court of the Leningrad Region ruled to detain Sergey Ryabokon and Andrey Morozov for two months. Kirill Khabrik and Igor Zhmyrev also ended up in the pre-trial detention center.\nUpdate. On March 23, 2023, security forces conducted six new searches in Kingisepp. Eleven believers were interrogated. Five were placed in a temporary detention center in Saint Petersburg; the others were released. Igor Shevlyuga, age 36; Miroslav Sabodash, age 43; Konstantsiya Vovk, age 48; Tatyana Stepanova, age 48; and Aleksandr Vaganov were put behind bars.\nLater, the court released everyone, except for Igor Shevlyuga, and imposed on them a ban on certain actions; it also extended the preventive measure imposed on Yevgeniy Poveshchenko—a recognizance agreement. On April 19, 2023, Shevlyuga was also released from custody under a ban on certain actions.\nOn February 19, 2023, a criminal case was initiated against several believers under parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Searches were conducted in their homes. Aleksey Romanov, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Committee, leads the investigative team in this criminal case. The team also includes Investigators K. A. Dmitriyev; D. A. Shevtsova; K. A. Podolyanets; K. A. Vasilyeva; and Deputy Head of the Investigative Department I. A. Podkurkov.\nThe searches lasted up to five hours. At least two women required emergency medical attention. In one case, the persons under investigation were not at home. However, their elderly mother, who was evacuated from a war zone, was in their apartment. She is missing one eye, has glaucoma in the other, and recently had a heart attack. She felt ill. The security forces seized her medical documents along with telephones, SIM cards and personal items belonging to the persons under investigation.\nFriends who were visiting believers at the time of the search were brought in for interrogation and later released. During the investigative measures, printed publications, computer equipment, documents and money were seized.\nAccording to a statement from the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Leningrad Region, one of the believers is suspected of \"organizing propaganda meetings with the participation of adherents via videoconference and at their places of residence.\" The investigation equates conducting peaceful worship services with organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). What exactly the other detainees are suspected of is still unknown.\nThe Leningrad Region has become the 72nd region of Russia where criminal cases have been initiated against peaceful and law-abiding Christians—Jehovah's Witnesses. As Aleksander Verkhovskiy, director of the information and analytical center SOVA, said (original in English): “The scale and cruelty of pressure [on believers] is growing. Last year we harbored some hope that the repressive campaign could at least slow down, but we were wrong.”\nIn June 2022, the European Court of Human Rights emphasized that the actions of the Russian authorities \"disclosed indications of a policy of intolerance . . . designed to cause Jehovah’s Witnesses to abandon their faith and to prevent others from joining it” (§·254). Despite demands by human rights organizations and the world community to stop the persecution, believers in dozens of regions of the Russian Federation are being prosecuted merely for their peaceful beliefs.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-02-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/02/211543.html","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"subtitle":"Five People Are Behind Bar","tags":["search","sizo","ivs","new-case","interrogation","282.2-1","282.2-2","health-risk"],"title":"For the First Time Since 2017, a Criminal Case Has Been Initiated Against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Leningrad Region for Their Faith.","type":"news"},{"body":"The court is questioning the last unclassified witness for the prosecution, a woman who attended Jehovah's Witnesses services before 2012. She talks about the canonical structure of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and says that it is based on the Bible. She also confirms that she has never experienced any psychological pressure or humiliation from believers, and has stopped attending services of her own free will. The witness also says that the investigator fraudulently brought her in for preliminary interrogation and obtained testimony from her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2023-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20230218","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Kunko interrogates Anna Matveeva as a suspect and takes a written undertaking not to leave her place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2023-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20230217","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses are being interrogated - the son and husband of Venera Dulova, who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as a psychologist who made an expert opinion on the Zalyayev family and Alexander Pryanikov.\nVenera Dulova's son, Alexei, says that he was never pressured to choose his religion or beliefs. The different religious views of the family members did not prevent them from maintaining warm relations. Alexei also says that for Jehovah's Witnesses, the Bible is the authority in all spheres of life, and it was thanks to the biblical principles that his mother instilled in him in childhood that he grew up to be a calm, non-confrontational person.\nVenera Dulova's husband, Igor, informs the court that he professes Orthodoxy, and is proud that in his family there is an Orthodox priest who was shot in 1933 by the Soviet authorities. According to the witness, different beliefs in his family have never prevented him from loving and respecting his wife, to whom he always turns for advice, as he considers her wise.\nThe prosecutor asks how Igor reacted to the fact that his wife began to study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, Dulov replies that he saw how \"the wife stopped being nervous because of some troubles, and the family became calmer.\"\nWhen asked by the defendant Anastasia Pryanikova, Igor Dulov replies that they never tried to \"draw\" him into the activities of a religious organization and did not read him sermons. On the contrary, it was \"easy and simple\" to communicate with the Pryanikov family, since they \"breathe kindness\".\nThe court proceeds to the interrogation of psychologist Alexander Lozhkin. The expert came to the following conclusions: neither open nor hidden forms of psychological pressure of the Zalyaevs on their children were revealed; parents do not have antisocial or criminal tendencies; there are no deviations in the style of upbringing, children behave freely and correspond to their age in intelligence; the upbringing of parents did not harm the psychological state of the children, but an increased level of anxiety was revealed in connection with the persecution of the family by law enforcement agencies; the method of authoritative suppression of the will of children on the part of Pryanikov has not been revealed, and the emotional and volitional qualities of Pryanikov are expressed in a benevolent attitude; The reaction of children to society, if not ideal, is close to ideal.\nThe judge satisfies the petition for inclusion in the case file of the study of a specialist.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2023-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20230215","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning of February 14, 2023, law enforcement officers in the city of Saransk conducted at least 10 searches in the homes of believers who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Mikhail Shevchuk, Artem Velichko, and Ivan Neverov were sent to Detention Center No. 1 in the Republic of Mordovia.\nOn January 11, 2023, V. A. Makeyeva, an investigator for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, initiated a criminal case against three local residents. She saw the friendly meetings of believers as a crime—\"organizing the activity of an extremist organization\" (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Investigator K. I. Frantsuzov is handling the case. On February 3, he received permission from the court to conduct searches in the region.\nLaw enforcement officers arrived at the home of one of the families in Saransk at 5:40 in the morning. Security forces led by Investigator Roman Obraztsov seized electronic devices, notebooks with recipes and Bible quotes, and three passports for travel abroad. After a five-hour search, the OMON officers took the woman and one of her daughters to the center for combating extremism, where the security forces ascertained how the religious meetings were conducted. According to the believers, the officers threatened that if the woman would not incriminate herself and fellow believers, \"it would be bad for her daughters.\"\nInvestigative measures were also conducted in the house of a believer from the village of Zvezdnyi, located two kilometers from the city of Saransk. The search began at 6:00 a.m. and lasted three hours; Lieutenant Colonel P. P. Soldatkin participated in it. When security forces rushed onto the property, they fired powder from a fire extinguisher at the owner's dog (veterinary care was required). Police officers searched the entire two-story house with an attic and a garage and seized video cassettes, notebooks with poems, two passports for travel abroad, CDs with photographs, and a recording of a children's performance. During the interrogation, the woman was threatened with being sent to a pre-trial detention center if she did not testify against herself and her relatives. The interrogation was carried out by three investigators at once, two of which were I. S. Markelov and K. I. Frantsuzov.\nIn Saransk, six believers, including a woman, have already been sentenced to a penal colony. One of the convicts is Aleksandr, the younger brother of Mikhail Shevchuk.\nThe European Court of Human Rights stated in its decision: “That broad definition of 'extremism' ... [led] to arbitrary prosecutions but also prevented individuals or organisations from being able to anticipate that their conduct, however peaceful and devoid of hatred or animosity it was, could be categorized as ‘extremist’ and censured with restrictive measures.” (§ 158)\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-02-14T09:43:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/02/241011/image_hu_53008b2391e56dce.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/02/241011/image_hu_229bf01407e50de3.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/02/241011/image_hu_bc139fa94e3150cb.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/02/241011/image_hu_b1602e6c7ea13af1.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/02/241011.html","regions":["mordovia"],"subtitle":"Three Believers Were Arrested","tags":["search","sizo","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"A New Wave of Searches in Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the City of Saransk.","type":"news"},{"body":"At the court session, a defense witness, another former colleague of the defendant, is interrogated. She informs the court that she has never heard from Irina calls for any religious activity, refusals of medical care or extremist statements. On the contrary, women of two different faiths have been united by friendly ties since 1988. The witness says that in the 1990s, Mikhailenko gave her religious literature that \"contained quotations from the Bible and interpretation, stories about nature.\" However, she never encouraged her to change her religion or invited her to any religious meetings.\nThe defendant reads out her written notes. Irina says that the room where she is now being tried was previously her office. For many years she worked in the field of jurisprudence, communicating with colleagues with similar professional interests. However, this did not bring her satisfaction from life, she did not feel truly happy. And when Irina began to study the Bible, she gained valuable knowledge, which helped her improve her character and establish relationships with people.\nThe defendant reads excerpts from articles that tell about the times of Hitler's Germany. At that time, Jehovah's Witnesses were slandered and wanted to be destroyed. The defendant draws an analogy with the present criminal case and shows the absurdity of the accusations against her. Therefore, Irina considers criminal prosecution to be nothing more than persecution for faith.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20230213","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Liliya Ruzayeva is briefly interrogated via video link, and her written testimony from similar criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses from Chelyabinsk is read out. Olga Zhelavskaya draws the court's attention to the existing contradictions in Ruzayeva's testimony, as well as to the fact that some of them are her assumptions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20230213","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning three prosecution witnesses. They cannot say anything on the merits of Irina Perefilieva's case.\nThe next witness is FSB officer Ilya Klimenko, who participated in the search of the home of another believer from Mednogorsky, Aleksey Pasynkov. He talks about what was found during the searches, about wiretapping and about examinations. When asked by Irina if there is evidence that she involved a woman interested in the Bible in the activities of the organization with the help of materials sent for examination, she does not receive a clear answer. The judge makes a remark to Irina not to ask such questions.\nIn turn, the above-mentioned woman says that she herself asked Irina to study the Bible with her, because she wanted to get rid of psychological problems.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Perefileva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2023-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy2/index.html#20230213","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two other prosecution witnesses, a 70-year-old man and an 85-year-old woman, are being questioned. Both say that they do not know Dmitry Dolzhikov and the investigator has never interrogated them in the framework of this criminal case.\nThe prosecutor and the judge ask the witnesses questions about Yuriy Savelyev and Vitaliy Popov. In addition, the man is being interrogated about the circumstances of the search, which took place at his home in 2019.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230213","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 13, 2023, in the village of Dormidontovka, Khabarovsk Territory, police conducted at least two searches and interrogations of persons suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A day earlier, a criminal case was initiated against 76-year-old Liliya Dolinina.\nAt 6:00 am, officers broke into the homes of elderly believers to conduct searches that lasted 4 hours. Electronic devices, computer storage media and personal records were confiscated from Liliya Dolinina and a man. After the searches, the believers were taken to the investigative committee for interrogation, where they were questioned to find out who else in the village professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and organizes meetings for worship.\nThe raids and interrogations were authorized by the Vyazemskiy Interdistrict Investigative Department and the Jewish Autonomous Region and, in particular, the investigator for especially important cases, Yuliya Vasetskaya, who also ruled that Liliya Dolinina be charged with a crime under part 1.1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe village of Dormidontovka is one more on the list of settlements in the Khabarovsk Territory, where already 29 of Jehovah's Witnesses have been severely persecuted for their faith. Four of them have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-02-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/02/160909.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":"Criminal Case Initiated Against a 76-Year-Old Believer ","tags":["search","new-case","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"New Raids in the Khabarovsk Territory.","type":"news"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. The woman claims that she saw two of the defendants somewhere, the rest are completely strangers to her. The defendants also do not recognize the witness. She did not hear derogatory remarks about other religions from them.\nThe written testimony of the witness shall be read. The woman notes that some words in them were added by someone, since she does not use them.\nThe material evidence seized from Ivan Puida and Konstantin Petrov is being examined. No extremist materials intended for mass distribution were found in them.\nThe defense once again emphasizes that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, and its plenum explained that joint religion is a permissible norm even for members of those organizations that were liquidated by the court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2023-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20230210","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, one of the prosecution witnesses explains to the court that she has poor eyesight, and therefore she signed the interrogation protocol twice without reading. She informs the court that she did not give or write the information entered in the interrogation record with her own hand. The lawyer asks to appoint a handwriting examination to confirm this. The judge refuses, and declares that the differences in handwriting and ink color are obvious without it.\nAlthough falsifications were found in the document, the judge postpones the issue of excluding this evidence from the case.\nThe second witness reports that she does not know Okhapkin, she considers Jehovah's Witnesses to be good people: \"They don't smoke, they don't litter, they will always help.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2023-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20230207","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Zhelavskaya makes an attitude to the charges, the court attaches it to the case file.\nAn employee of the Center for Countering Extremism, D. A. Myzgin, who gave tasks to Lilia Ruzayeva, who portrayed an interest in the Bible, is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20230206","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines prosecution witnesses. One of them, an operative, cannot cite facts proving that Sergey Kuznetsov distributed extremist literature. The witness also acknowledges that the worship meetings were not conducted by the LRO, but by a group of believers. According to the operative, the investigation did not aim to delve into the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. From his words, it becomes known that the investigation uses the testimony of a classified witness.\nThe second witness for the prosecution, a woman who had attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the past, is being questioned. She speaks positively about believers. The prosecutor requests the disclosure of the record of her previous interrogation, which repeatedly mentions the LRO. The defense explains to the witness the difference between the LRO and religion, after which the woman declares that she did not testify about the legal entity.\nThe defense draws the court's attention to the distortions that were made by the investigator in the record of the interrogation of the witness. The judge refuses to take this into account.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2023-02-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20230203","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another close relative of the defendant is being interrogated. She also decides to testify. The court asks her to tell the details of the search that took place at her home. She informs the court that the event was led by Major Roman Drozdov. According to the witness, at first the security forces tried to open the door with their own key. But after unsuccessful attempts, they rang the doorbell, introducing themselves as Okhapkin's colleagues. \"They flew in, Andrei fell, 8 people, two with machine guns,\" she says. She characterizes the defendant as a reliable head of the family. Students speak of him respectfully, consider him an excellent teacher.\nThe second witness is Tagarlanov, a law enforcement officer who participated in the search of Okhapkin's apartment. He claims that he was a casually invited witness and has no relationship with other members of the task force. He does not remember the details, it is difficult to answer many questions exactly. The prosecutor reminds him that during the interrogation of the investigator, he gave detailed answers to the same questions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2023-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20230202","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two defense witnesses. The first witness, co-founder of the law firm, has known Irina Mikhailenko since 1989. She gives her a positive characterization and notes that Irina always respects other people, she has many friends, excellent relationships with all relatives and colleagues. Everyone who knows Irina speaks of her as a simple kind woman who never called for a break in family relations or refusal of medical care.\nThe Witness says that many of her acquaintances are Jehovah's Witnesses, and none of them behaves arrogantly towards representatives of other religions, does not teach them or persuade them to study the Bible. She also never heard the defendant or other Jehovah's Witnesses acquaintances speak negatively about the authorities or try to persuade her or others to engage in extremist activities.\nThe witness also informs the court that she has not seen the defendant give anyone any religious literature for more than 8 years. She recalls that sometimes someone asked Irina to give them something to read, and she brought them magazines with stories about animals and nature, with stories about the lives of different people. In these magazines, according to the witness, there was \"absolutely nothing calling for extremism.\"\nThe second witness for the defense, a former colleague of Irina, gives the defendant an extremely positive characteristic: \"A good person, a very fair leader, never brushed off her subordinates, took care of them, helped at work. A caring mother, a good wife, a good housewife, her family priorities were and are in the first place, she pays great attention to her children, their upbringing, spiritual and physical development.\nThe witness notes that Irina has no bad habits, and during their long acquaintance she did not utter a single abusive word. The witness did not delve into what exactly Irina believed, but she knew that she did not celebrate some holidays. Also, the defendant never talked about the LRO, her position there or dignity.\nFurther, the witness tells a story from his personal life: a few years ago she had such a difficult relationship with her husband that they decided to divorce. When she told Irina about this, she advised her to save the 15-year marriage, and not destroy it, try to talk to her husband and resolve the conflict. Thanks to this, the woman was able to save the family, and she is very grateful to Mikhailenko for this.\nThe witness also says that Irina was the first person who strongly advised her to go to the doctors when she was diagnosed with serious health problems. Later, she was diagnosed with diabetes, and she was able to get qualified help in time.\nThere were no appeals for power from Irina. As the witness notes, \"Irina is generally out of politics.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20230201","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them characterizes the defendant as a positive, kind and always ready to help person.\nAnother witness is offered by the judge to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, since she is a close relative of the defendant. However, she decides to testify and positively characterizes Okhapkin. \"Accusing him of extremism is a big mistake, even a crime against the person,\" the witness said.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2023-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20230201","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court begins to examine the materials of the case. The prosecutor voices only the pages and names of the documents contained on these pages. The court rejects the defense's request for a full investigation of the transcripts of worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses dated June and September 2018. The lawyer draws attention to the fact that the materials that are important for the proceedings have not been examined, which means that it is impossible to refer to them when making a decision.\nProsecution witness Sergei Kozlyuk is being questioned. In his testimony to the court, the man says that he is not familiar with Dolzhikov and has not previously been interrogated in this case. Kozlyuk's testimony, which he gave in the cases of Yuri Savelyev and Vitaly Popov, is read out. Answering the prosecutor's questions, the witness uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230130","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, searches are carried out in the homes of four Jehovah's Witnesses in Biysk: two women and two men. At the home of a 60-year-old believer, security forces are searching several rooms at once, scattering things on the floor. Then she was interrogated in the FSB building, threatening to open a case under an extremist article, and then taken to the local department of the Investigative Committee.\nAfter a search in the apartment of 51-year-old Sergey Lukin, he was taken to the investigative committee for questioning. Senior investigator I. V. Lobada chooses Lukin a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior. Then the believer is taken to his place of work, where his office is searched in the presence of FSB officers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Biysk","date":"2023-01-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/biysk/index.html#20230125","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Five witnesses for the prosecution are speaking. The court first interrogated a woman who had attended several Jehovah's Witnesses services. She says that her statement was not recorded correctly, and she signed the protocol without reading, as she did not have suitable glasses with her. The woman says she does not know who Vladimir Baikalov is.\nThe employee at work characterizes the believer extremely positively. According to her, he conscientiously performed his duties, was distinguished by benevolence and willingness to help. The woman did not hear any negative statements or appeals of an extremist nature from him. She learned that Baikalov was a Jehovah's Witness from an investigator.\nSimilar testimony is given by another colleague of Vladimir. In addition, he notes that he never offered him religious literature or encouraged him to join any organization.\nThe head of the information and apologetic center in the Kemerovo diocese, Dmitry Petrakov, is being interrogated. He gives a negative assessment of the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, but at the same time admits that he himself is not familiar with this organization, its activities, or personally with the defendant. Petrakov declares that he considers his religion to be true. In addition, he says that during his tenure, none of the residents of the Kemerovo region filed complaints against Jehovah's Witnesses, and he is not aware of the continuation of the organization's activities.\nA woman who has known the Baikalov family for more than 20 years is being interrogated. It characterizes the defendant as a peaceful, tactful and delicate person.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baykalov in Kemerovo","date":"2023-01-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo2/index.html#20230125","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 25, 2023, searches were carried out in four homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Biysk.\nThe searches began at 6 in the morning, they were carried out by officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB. Electronic devices were confiscated from believers. After the searches, a man and a woman were taken away for interrogation and released only in the evening. Two more believers were warned that they would be called in for interrogation later. It became known that the allegation against the believers was filed by a man who had previously feigned interest in studying the Bible.\nUpdate. According to updated information, the Investigative Department for the city of Biysk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory initiated a criminal case against Sergey Lukin. He is suspected of participating in the activity of an extremist organization (part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Investigator I.V. Lobada took a recognizance agreement from the believer. Searches and interrogations of the believers lasted anywhere from 5 to 13 hours. Armed law enforcement officers in masks took part in the investigative actions. The security forces said they were looking for “weapons, drugs and extremist literature,” however, they seized electronic devices, personal notes and Bibles, including in the Synodal translation. In one instance, the law enforcement officers did not show any documents before the search. This is the second raid against Jehovah's Witnesses in the region. The previous operation, code-named \"Armageddon\", jump-started the criminal prosecution of six Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-01-25T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search1_hu_702c9b9704ae758a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_7c3d49c9fecf8054.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search1_hu_9a6e0a4c091b8ea3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_4ae7e68fe9772eb5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/02/011408.html","regions":["altaisky"],"subtitle":"Security Forces Raided Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Biysk","tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New Searches in the Altai Territory.","type":"news"},{"body":"The lawyer requests the return of the criminal case to the prosecutor in connection with the violations of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. The prosecutor objects, as he considers these violations to be \"insignificant\" and \"the petition is unfounded.\" The judge agrees with the position of the prosecutor: attaches the petition to the case file, but refuses to satisfy it.\nAn elderly woman is being interrogated. She repeatedly states that at the time of her testimony she was in a state of stress and was under pressure from the investigators. Describing the defendants, she says: \"Good boys. No one smokes, no one drinks, good families.\" The woman did not hear any calls for extremism from them.\nThe court grants the prosecutor's request to read out the record of the woman's interrogation. The defense objects, arguing that she is in the courtroom and can explain the difference in testimony herself. The witness states: \"I did not understand what I was saying there, I was in a state of stress. I want my [today's] answers to be recorded.\"\nMaksim Derendyaev's wife is being interrogated. Answering some of the questions, a woman enjoys the constitutional right not to testify against herself and her loved ones. About her husband, she says: \"Maxim is soft, never raises his voice, with a good sense of humor, caring.\" She also talks about her and her husband's chronic illnesses and the fact that Maxim's father needs his constant help.\nThe woman claims that the defendants did not call for the refusal of medical intervention, the severance of family relations or the failure to fulfill civil duties.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230123","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who participated in the ORM against Symonenko testifies. He definitely cannot answer many questions over the years. What was the result of the defendant's prohibited activities and on what basis he was recognized as an extremist, the witness cannot say.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2023-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20230123","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Natalia Popova, Vitaly's wife, as well as a man born in 1947, is being interrogated. Both use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, in connection with which the prosecutor reads out their testimony given at the investigation stage. The man says that he testified to the investigator in severe stress, since shortly before that he learned about his wife's cancer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2023-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20230123","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeny Stefanidin is being interrogated. Answering most questions, he uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows him not to testify against himself and his loved ones. He does not corroborate his testimony during the preliminary investigation and states that he was intimidated by the initiation of criminal proceedings and dismissal from his job. (In December 2022, a criminal case was opened against him). Stefanidin says that the defendants respect people and he has not heard any extremist statements from them.\nThe next witness says that he knows Derendyaev, Kutin and Ashikhmin \"as serious people without bad habits who value life and the society in which they live\" and adds that they \"do not swear, hardworking, law-abiding.\"\nFurther, a man who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2013 is interrogated. He cannot answer many questions and does not confirm some of the testimonies recorded in the protocol.\nDespite the objection of the defense, the testimony is given by a representative of the Jewish community. According to counsel, he is not a specialist or expert in religious studies, is not competent to give explanations about the denomination of Jehovah's Witnesses and is biased because of his religious beliefs. At the same time, the witness admits that he does not know the defendants personally, he did not see any manifestations of aggression on their part.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2023-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20230116","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of two prosecution witnesses. The first man attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to him, he was interested there, he felt peace in his soul. He says that at those meetings they discussed the influence of man on nature, relationships between people, and the upbringing of children. The witness confirms that they talked with the defendant on biblical topics and that the last time they saw each other was about three years ago. He never heard calls for violence or the overthrow of power from Boris and his wife. According to him, not a single rude word from Symonenko ever came.\nFurther, a neighbor of the Symonenko spouses is interrogated. She says that Boris did not discuss religious topics with her. When asked if she was afraid of the defendant and his wife, she answered in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2023-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20230113","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The meeting begins with the interrogation of investigator Y. V. Prannichuk. Her lawyer asks her questions about the indictment. It turns out that violations were committed during the investigation. For example, the lawyer's petition to terminate the criminal case was not attached to the case file. When asked how Prannichuk determined that Yakovlev was a member of the LRO, she replies: \"He used the means of conspiracy and continued to preach.\" Answering some questions, the investigator is confused, cannot answer and often asks to repeat the question.\nYuri Yakovlev asks the investigator why he was not shown the things that were seized from him. Investigator Prannichuk replies that there are witnesses for this. To which Yakovlev notes that the witnesses stood at the door and could not see everything that was happening: \"They could throw me something that I did not have. That's why I refused to sign the protocol.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2023-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20230113","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Detective Y. N. Gaifullin is being interrogated. He expresses his opinion that the worship services recorded in the course of operational-search activities are a continuation of the activities of liquidated legal entities, and he regards the preaching activities of Jehovah's Witnesses as recruiting new members to a banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2023-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20230113","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Of the six witnesses to the court, only Vladimir's wife, Irina, is present. Describing her husband, she says: \"The court will not find a single person in the city who would accuse Volodya of something criminal. He has an excellent reputation and peaceful relationships with others. The accusations of extremism are simply absurd.\" She says that she and her husband have a warm relationship through the application of Bible principles. Irina states that she has never heard from Vladimir negative statements about followers of other religions, government officials or anyone else.\nThe prosecutor reads out the testimony of two witnesses who were present during the search of the Baikalovs. The judge then orders the compulsory attendance of three witnesses at the next hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baykalov in Kemerovo","date":"2023-01-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo2/index.html#20230111","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During interrogation, one witness has the right not to testify against himself or herself or his relatives. However, he informs the court that there was a search in his apartment, during which the witnesses \"rummaged through things, handed over what they found to the investigator, and not just watched.\"\nAnother witness claims that he never heard extremist statements or appeals from Okhapkin.\nThe defendant gives consent to the court to familiarize himself with transcripts and audio recordings in open hearings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2023-01-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20230111","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At this and the previous hearing, Yuriy Chernyshev, Vitaliy Komarov and Sergey Shatalov are interrogated. The judge grants the request for the examination of material evidence, but refuses to appoint new forensic examinations, which the defense requested.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20221229","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The director of the organization in which Maxim Amosov works is being interrogated. He says of the believer: \"Excellent employee, executive, without bad habits. You can rely on it one hundred percent. I've never seen a better employee than him.\"\nThe court is also questioning a woman who last attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in 2006. According to her, she communicates on religious topics only with her husband. The testimony of 12 other prosecution witnesses is then read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2022-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20221229","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness is being questioned in court. The man now lives in another region, so the interrogation takes place via video conferencing. He says he attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses long before 2017. The witness says that at the meetings the believers studied the Bible. He did not make monetary donations, recruit new members or call for the condemnation of other religions. After the announcement of his preliminary testimony for 2019, he clarifies that he was talking about Jehovah's Witnesses in general, and not about a specific religious group in Chelyabinsk. He refutes some testimonies. For example, he says that he did not donate money, although the protocol states the opposite.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20221227","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret prosecution witness Kharchenko, whose identity is first declassified, is being interrogated via video link. It turns out to be Kirill Vasiliev, who is currently serving an 8-year sentence in a strict regime colony. He says that for some time he was in jail together with Ivan Puida and Konstantin Petrov. There were no conflicts, sometimes they discussed religious topics with their cellmates, for example, they talked about Jesus Christ. Kharchenko admits that there were no violent or degrading actions on the part of the defendants, calls for violence against representatives of another religion or nationality.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-12-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221226","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vitaliy Popov, a Jehovah's Witness who had previously been sentenced for his faith, is being interrogated. He says he does not know the defendant and has never testified against him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-12-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20221226","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense files a motion for the immediate release of the defendants from custody in view of the decision of the ECHR in the case of LRO Taganrog and Others v. the Russian Federation, which assesses the illegality of the liquidation of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The court retires to the deliberation room and soon announces the decision to reject this petition. However, the court attaches two decisions of the ECHR in the case of \"Community of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow\" and \"LRO \"Taganrog\", as well as the Opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.\nThe court invites for questioning an expert religious scholar Larisa Astakhova, who performed an examination in this criminal case. The defense challenges her on the grounds of incompetence. The court dismisses the challenge. The defense then files a motion to postpone the interrogation due to the need for preparation, but the court also rejects it.\nDuring the interrogation of Astakhova, it turns out that she had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses and knew how the Bible study was conducted. She recognizes that it is important for these believers to adhere to the commandment to \"love one's neighbor.\" Astakhova agrees that \"involvement\" is a legal term, so she has no right as an expert to give her assessment of the actions of the defendants. Nevertheless, Astakhova assures that the activities of the defendants are a continuation of the activities of the liquidated local religious organization, since \"Jehovah's Witnesses participate in both of them.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2022-12-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20221222","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"14 people come to the courthouse to support the defendants, 11 are allowed to attend the hearing.\nThe court interrogates a witness for the prosecution - FSB operative Grigory Lazarev. The witness finds it difficult to answer the defendant's questions, including when, where, from whom and how much money Maletskov collected.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20221219","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A man who attended worship meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2013 is being interrogated via video link. He says that in 2020 he resumed his participation in worship services and, on the instructions of the Center for Countering Extremism, began to take notes of these meetings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2022-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20221219","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Despite the objections of lawyers and defendants, the judge decides to read out the record of the interrogation of a witness who does not appear at the hearing, and also refuses to disclose her whereabouts and does not open the door to the authorities.\nThe defendant Yevgeny Bitusov submits a written request to attach written evidence to the case file (ECHR decision in the case of \"MRO Taganrog and Others v. Russia\" dated 07.06.2022) and to return the case to the prosecutor's office to stop the criminal prosecution of the defendants. The judge satisfies the petition regarding the inclusion of the ECHR decision in the materials of the criminal case.\nThen the defendant asks to attach to the case file the characteristics of the customers to whom he and Leonid Druzhinin made repairs in the apartments, as well as the conclusion of the medical and pedagogical commission on the state of health of his daughter. The judge attaches these documents to the case.\nTestifying, Yevgeniy Bitusov says that he began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses in 1994 with his mother, although at first he was against anyone coming to their house.\nHe goes on to explain that a legal entity has become necessary for Jehovah's Witnesses in order to rent premises for worship meetings and business activities. However, after the ban on this person by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in 2017, \"the economic activity [of believers] ceased.\" Yevgeniy notes that \"the law did not prescribe that [believers] are not allowed to meet ... This is not a violation of the law regarding religious activity.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Druzhinin and Bitusov in Zeya","date":"2022-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya3/index.html#20221219","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Ekaterina Petrova, who feigned an interest in the Bible and collected data on believers. She gives the names and addresses of known residents of Vladivostok who profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. She answers in the negative to the question whether she heard calls for violence against other people or for the overthrow of the constitutional order at religious meetings or personally from the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2022-12-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20221216","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another neighbor of the defendant is summoned to court for questioning. According to him, before the arrival of law enforcement officers, he did not know that Mikhailenko professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. He characterizes the defendant positively, he has never heard calls for the overthrow of the constitutional order or for the rupture of family relations from her. After the announcement of his preliminary testimony from 2019, he states that he could not provide such information, since he did not have it. He says that he could not read the interrogation protocol himself, the investigator read the text to him. The witness partially confirms the testimony from 2022.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20221214","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, law enforcement officers conduct searches in the houses of Alexander Votyakov and Yevgeniy Stefanidin, after which the men are taken away for interrogation.\nInvestigator Artyom Kholmogorov prosecutes men as defendants under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believers \"agreed in advance on the joint commission of a crime,\" which consists in conversations on biblical topics with local residents, joint reading of the Bible and communication of fellow believers about spiritual things. The investigator alleges that at peaceful religious meetings propaganda activities were conducted, \"with calls and inducements to actions of an extremist nature aimed at inciting religious discord, attracting new members, propaganda and superiority of religion by humiliating other religions, destruction of the family, marriage and kinship ties ... to encourage refusal to participate in the activities of state structures and bodies, refusal to participate in elections, refusal to venerate state symbols.\"\nAfter interrogation and indictment, Aleksandr Votyakov is sent to a temporary detention facility, and Yevgeniy Stefanidin is ordered not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20221214","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a prosecution witness from Tyumen via video link. He declares that he does not know any of the defendants. They also say they are unfamiliar with him.\nThe witness explains that he had previously communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses several times, but there was no pressure on him: \"There were no misunderstandings during the conversation, I did not feel any trick, and I did not hear a controversial interpretation of the Bible [from Jehovah's Witnesses].\"\nThe witness also claims that there were no calls for non-compliance with the laws, hatred towards other faiths on the part of believers.\nAt the request of the prosecutor, the further testimony of the witness shall be announced. He confirms what he read, but says that he signed the protocol without reading, because he does not see well.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221214","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness who had previously feigned an interest in the Bible and secretly recorded conversations with believers taking place in Pavel Romashov's car. The court listens to these recordings. At them, believers talk with a witness about the importance of respecting parents and resolving conflicts, as well as what is the source of happiness.\nAlso on the recording it is heard that the witness shares with believers personal problems and experiences and asks for advice in connection with alcoholism and foul language. The defense asks the witness the question: \"Did you really use all the advice of believers to overcome alcoholism?\"\nWhen asked by the lawyer how he understands the word \"recruitment\", the witness explains that by recruitment he means an invitation to study the Bible. At the same time, he says that for such conversations, he and Pavel Romashov met by mutual consent.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2022-12-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20221213","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness shall be questioned at the next closed session. The man says that until 2017 he was at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses 3-4 times, and there he met the defendant and other believers. After 2017, he attended several more worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, which he recorded on video on behalf of the police. The fact that the defendant organized worship services was, according to the witness, only his impression.\nThe man describes the defendant as a friendly, sympathetic person and a good family man. The witness did not hear any calls for religious hatred, discrimination, enmity or violence from Sazonov. According to him, the believer did not promote the exclusivity and superiority of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In addition, he did not hear from the believer calls to undermine the constitutional order, non-observance of the laws of the state, refusal to pay taxes and education. He adds that there were no such statements at the services either, on the contrary, they quoted and discussed biblical texts, encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2022-12-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20221213","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who was not previously declared by the prosecutor, FSB operative Ivan Tsybulkin, is being interrogated. Audio and video materials of the case are being examined.\nWitness Tsybulkin explains that he does not personally know the accused, but knows all of them, as he carried out operational-search work on their case. He never saw the defendants show disrespect to the authorities or hurt the feelings of other believers by their behavior.\nThe witness believes that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221212","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness refutes the testimony recorded by the investigator and states that he was pressured during the interrogation.\nHe says that he did not delve into the investigator's questions and answered everything in the affirmative because of stress - FSB officers unexpectedly detained him on the street and took him away for interrogation, which was carried out by several people at the same time.\nThe witness says that he was present at the services, but does not remember in what years. I have never heard calls to violate the law of the country. He confirms that at the services there were calls to help people, to love them, and also spoke about family values. No one was forced to come or humiliated by representatives of other religions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-12-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221209","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Grigory Illarionov, a religious scholar and teacher of political science at the Siberian Federal University, is being interrogated via video link. He notes that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia and that believers can gather together for worship. Illarionov adds that \"Jehovah's Witnesses are united throughout the world.\"\nHe also says that Yakovlev did not call for violence and the overthrow of the constitutional order.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-12-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20221209","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman is being interrogated in court, who says that she is on friendly terms with the defendants. She also briefly mentions her religious views: \"When I began to study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, I saw what a useful book it was. Before that, I wanted to get a divorce, but thanks to the Bible, I saved my marriage. My husband always encouraged me to attend worship services because he saw how I began to change for the better because of the Bible.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20221208","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Crimea, mass searches are taking place at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the family of Viktor Mani, as well as Saleh Mammadov and his wife.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Mani and Others in Simferopol","date":"2022-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol2/index.html#20221208","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, a young man under the pseudonym Maria, who previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, is being questioned. He says that he has never heard calls for extremist actions from Anatoly Senin. The witness finds it difficult to answer most of the questions, he speaks confusedly and is confused in his testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Senin in Kyzyl","date":"2022-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl/index.html#20221207","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The last, 66th volume of the case is announced in court. A prosecution witness is being questioned. She knew only two defendants who came to her to talk about the Bible. According to the witness, the communication took place in a friendly atmosphere, they talked only about God. \"I did not find anything extremist in their conversations,\" the witness notes. \"They did not call for going against the authorities and the president.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221207","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a prosecution witness who states: \"I slandered an honest, good man. When the interrogation was conducted, the investigator Vyushin strained me greatly. He put pressure on me, saying that they would put me in jail, that they would take away the apartment, that the children would suffer. They even called my daughter several times and wanted her to influence me. She was also told that she would suffer, and that her grandson would suffer. According to the witness, she experienced severe stress and still has to undergo treatment. She apologizes to the defendant for her testimony against him, given under duress, which she signed without reading.\nThe state prosecutor continues to interrogate the witness, who uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation when answering.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2022-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20221205","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, a woman who had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, is being questioned. It is not oriented in many issues, for example, concerning the concepts of \"local religious organization\" and \"legal entity\". The witness confirms that she has never heard that any of the defendants called for illegal or violent acts, and some of them she does not know at all. The woman says that Jehovah's Witnesses strive to love people. She does not remember the facts of the use of forbidden literature at worship services. The Witness says that she had previously preached with other Jehovah's Witnesses, but that she did not have the goal of being involved in religion. She explains, \"People walked on their own.\"\nThe prosecutor requests the announcement of the record of the interrogation of the witness in connection with the presence of contradictions in the testimony. The lawyer opposes the disclosure of the entire record of the interrogation, and the judge grants the prosecutor's request in part, deciding to read out only those passages in which there are contradictions.\nThe witness confirms the testimony, but says that he remembers the circumstances of the case now better than 2 years ago when interrogated by the investigator. However, she cannot explain why in her 2020 testimony she indicated that religious groups (congregations) did not just belong to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, but were part of the Local Religious Organization in Surgut. As a result, the woman refers to a bad memory.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2022-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20221201","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, the question arises about the extension of the defendants' preventive measures: Tolokonnikov and Mareev - detention, and Marunov - house arrest. After hearing the arguments of the defense, the court extends the measure of restraint for each of the defendants until March 7, 2023.\nThen the prosecution witness, the husband of a female Jehovah's Witness, is interrogated. At the very beginning of the interrogation, he states that \"there are good and decent people behind bars, and the criminal prosecution itself is illegal.\" To the questions of the prosecutor and the court, which are aimed at obtaining information of an accusatory nature against the defendants, the witness answers: \"Unanswered.\" Then he explains: \"You first explained to me the right to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I want to use it.\"\nAnswering questions from the defense, the prosecution witness reports that he suffered COVID-19 at the time of the search of his house and subsequent interrogation, which greatly affected his memory and ability to think clearly at that time. When the prosecutor reads out the record of the interrogation of this witness during the investigation, the latter acknowledges the fact that he signed each answer, but reports the following: \"I did not read the protocol, they put \"ticks\" on me where to sign, and I blindly put signatures there. Now I regret it.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2022-11-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20221130","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another neighbor of the defendant is being questioned in court. She has known her since 1995 - when she moved into the house where Irina lives. The Witness says that until about 2018 she saw the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses in the mailbox, but never took it or read it. When asked by the defendant how the witness understood that these were the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses, she says that this was evident from the fact that they were about God.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20221128","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation, the witness reports that Inna Kardakova regularly talked with her about the Bible, and all this time they \"had a wonderful relationship.\"\nWhen asked by the judge whether Kardakova forbade her to go to the Orthodox Church, the witness replies that she never said such a thing, never humiliated, or called for any extremist actions. There was also no incentive to refuse medical care.\nYevgeny Zyablov emphasizes that Jehovah's Witnesses value life, including the unborn child. He says: \"The doctors told my wife and me that our child would be born disabled, and therefore advised us to have an abortion. However, it never occurred to us to make such a decision. We insisted that the child undergo heart surgery. Our baby survived, now he is almost 3 years old.\nKonstantin Petrov explains to the court that the New World Translation Bible he kept was purchased by him for personal use even before it was included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. According to the believer, the mere fact of having a translation does not mean that he planned to distribute it, and, therefore, he did not violate the laws of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221125","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Mikhail Seleznev, Ph.D. in Philology and biblical scholar, is being interrogated. This specialist gives a scientific assessment of the decision to ban the Bible \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation\".\nSeleznev claims that he and his colleagues were perplexed by the examination, according to the results of which in 2017 this translation of the Bible was recognized as extremist. \"For a biblical scholar, the statement that 'New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures' is not a Bible sounds the same as for an astronomer the phrase 'The moon is just a pancake hanging in the sky,'\" Seleznev says. According to the expert, the authors of this examination did not have the necessary qualifications. He also gives a number of arguments to prove that this translation is in fact the Bible.\nMikhail Seleznev is one of 27 specialists who wrote a review of the above-mentioned examination. Among other things, the authors stated in it: \"The examination, incompetent and unprofessional, led to the fact that a number of people were sentenced to imprisonment for a real term. Court decisions made on the basis of unprofessional and incompetent examinations discredit Russian justice.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20221125","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant is being interrogated. He declares his innocence, referring to the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, as well as the decision of the ECHR, which recognized the liquidation of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and the ban on their activities illegal.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-11-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20221124","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. The woman says that she and her son gave preliminary testimony to the investigator at home, although the protocol indicates the office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Also, the time of interrogation does not coincide. The lawyer submits a petition that this protocol was drawn up in violation and asks to exclude it from the evidence.\nThe prosecutor declares the announcement of the protocol of the deceased son of the witness, to which the defense objects, since violations were revealed in the document. However, the judge grants the prosecutor's request.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-11-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20221124","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. All three use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nThe judge shall grant the prosecutor's request for the disclosure of the testimony of witnesses given by them during the preliminary investigation. Two explain to the court that they were interrogated by the investigator in a stressful state. In addition, one of the witnesses says that pressure was put on her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2022-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20221122","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four witnesses are being questioned, including an FSB officer, on the basis of whose testimony criminal cases were initiated.\nThe first woman reports that the defendants are her fellow believers, with whom she read the Bible together. She also says that she has never heard calls for violence or for racial, national or religious hatred from them. The prosecutor reads out the protocol of the preliminary interrogation of the woman, which contains testimony against Bitusov and Druzhinin. The witness states that she did not give such testimony. She says that she was without glasses during the interrogation, so the investigator offered to read the protocol aloud for her, after which she signed it.\nAnother woman is summoned for questioning. She says that she attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the worship building until 2017, when it was confiscated. She also says that all believers are equal and no one is in charge. Such services were not meetings of a legal entity.\nThe next witness echoes the testimony of the previous ones: at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, believers sing songs, pray and study the Bible using various translations, including Pavsky, Archimandrite Macarius, Synodal and Modern. The defendants, like the others present, worshipped God on an equal footing with everyone else. The woman also never heard extremist statements from the defendants.\nFurther, they interrogate an FSB officer who carried out operational-search measures against the defendants in 2018-2020. He says that audio and video recordings were made in the house of one of the believers, and criminal cases were opened on the basis of these recordings. The witness does not remember the details and repeatedly asks to read out his testimony. When answering the questions of the defendants, it turns out that the witness does not see the difference between the activities of a legal entity and the services of individual believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Druzhinin and Bitusov in Zeya","date":"2022-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya3/index.html#20221121","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Viktor Chernov comes on a summons to the Investigative Committee in the village of Volno-Nadezhdinskoye. He was detained and taken to the temporary detention center in the city of Artyom. Victor's son is also being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Chernov in Tavrichanka","date":"2022-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tavrichanka2/index.html#20221119","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 18, 2022, in the village of Tavrichanka, a search was carried out in the house of 59-year-old Viktor Chernov. The next day he was interrogated and placed in a temporary detention center for a day. As it became known, the reason for the detention of the believer was the testimony of a secret agent who collected information about Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe search took place in the absence of the owner under the leadership of A. A. Tolkunov, investigator of the Investigative Committee, with the participation of employees of the center for counteracting extremism. According to eyewitnesses, the investigator explained what was happening by saying that \"there is information about holding prohibited meetings via the Internet.\"\nThe security forces searched the house, garage and sauna for four hours. At that time, only Viktor's daughter-in-law, who does not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, was at home. After the search, she was taken to the investigation department for interrogation. The Chernovs' electronic devices were seized, along with a camera, a Synodal translation of the Bible, a calendar and a summary of a Bible talk on the topic “An Honest Marriage Before God.”\nThe next day, Viktor Chernov appeared for interrogation on a summons and learned that a criminal case had been initiated against him under an article for extremism (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The day before, it was separated from the case of Oleg Lonshakov.\nOn November 20, the court placed Chernov under house arrest and released him from custody.\nMore than 45 Jehovah's Witnesses have faced persecution for their faith in Primorye, more than in any other region of Russia. In the summer of 2022, the European Court of Human Rights declared the accusations of extremism against Jehovah's Witnesses as groundless.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-11-18T16:53:33+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/11/211653/image_hu_ec82a4749ff4ce0c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/11/211653/image_hu_9af3bca59e3b419.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/11/211653/image_hu_17e670da830413b9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/11/211653/image_hu_c3f692ebe8e7e943.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/11/211653.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":"A New Criminal Case Against one of Jehovah's Witnesses in Primorye","tags":["house-arrest","secret-witness","ivs","interrogation","search","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"After a Day in Detention, a 59-year-old Believer is Placed Under House Arrest.","type":"news"},{"body":"A witness who had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses is being questioned. The lawyer asks the prosecutor not to ask questions that contain the answer he wants. The interrogated person reports that he saw the defendants at worship services. He adds that the donations were voluntary, and he never heard calls for violence or refusal of medical care. He ceased to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses and to attend religious services also voluntarily, but did not meet with any resistance.\nThe witness says that although he does not agree with the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, he has no animosity towards the defendants.\nFurther, the issues of blood transfusions, eating meat and other topics that are not related to the essence of the accusation are discussed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221118","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines prosecution witnesses. A neighbor of the defendant says that she did not see her offer any literature and that Mikhailenko did not communicate with her on religious topics. The witness did not hear any extremist statements from the defendant. Only \"a couple of times I saw her in the entrance with a woman and with a sweet roll in her hands.\" In general, she characterizes Irina Mikhailenko positively. After the prosecutor read out her preliminary testimony, the woman reports that she did not give such testimony, she signed some pages without reading, and some are not her signature.\nAn operative is being interrogated, who says that the defendant provided her apartment for meetings with fellow believers and reading the Bible. Although the preliminary testimony of the witness was detailed, now he cannot answer most of the questions, citing a poor memory.\nThe judge and prosecutor deny the next witness the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones, after which he says that he attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, where video recordings of reports on spiritual topics were played. He saw the defendant at the meetings, but does not remember when it happened.\nThe fourth prosecution witness is being questioned via videoconference. She says that she attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses twice and saw the defendant at them. The woman says that she has never heard from Irina calls for breaking off family relations or undermining the constitutional order and security of the state.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20221117","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense files a motion to declassify the secret witness. The witness agrees and enters the courtroom. Almost immediately, he declares that he wants to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The testimonies given by him during the investigation are checked. He will not recognize his testimony and signatures.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20221116","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who had previously attended Jehovah's Witnesses' services and secretly made audio and video recordings that he passed on to the investigation is being questioned. According to him, Sazonov did not make statements inciting enmity, hatred and violence, did not encourage participation in political and military conflicts, and did not call for refusing to receive education or forcing any of Jehovah's Witnesses to attend services and give donations.\nDuring the interrogation, the witness gives contradictory answers to the same questions of the prosecution and the defense. During the two hours of interrogation, the witness did not say anything specific about the defendant's activities in relation to the charges.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2022-11-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20221115","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The operative of the FSB of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory A. Mukhlynin is being interrogated. The lawyer asks the prosecutor not to whisper or suggest answers to the witness. To the questions of the defense, he answers \"I don't remember\", \"I can't say\", or simply keeps silent.\nThen another prosecution witness is being questioned. It uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-11-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20221114","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning another prosecution witness, an operative who has been feigning interest in the Bible for six months.\nWitnesses for the prosecution tell the court that they have not heard negative statements from the defendants about people of other nationalities and other religions. Also, believers never encouraged them to stop communicating with work colleagues or stop celebrating holidays.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20221111","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 6 o'clock in the morning, the family of Sergei Solovyov is searched at his place of residence, and then at the place of registration. During the search, electronic devices, two Bibles in the Synodal translation, books by religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko, personal notes and souvenirs from the Bible Museum were seized.\nSolovyov is interrogated as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Solovyov and Others in Ivanovo","date":"2022-11-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ivanovo/index.html#20221109","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 9, 2022, security forces raided the homes of 3 Jehovah's Witnesses in Ivanovo. The believers were interrogated, and a criminal case was initiated under an article for extremism against two of them.\nThe searches began around 6:00 a.m. According to the 60-year-old believer, law enforcement officers threw him to the floor and handcuffed him, which they later removed. During the investigation, personal notes, a telephone, a memory card and a large amount of money received from the sale of property were seized.\nIvanovo has become the fifth city in the Ivanovo Region where law enforcement officers persecute Jehovah's Witnesses for their religious beliefs.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-11-09T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_d47978800fa5e21b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut.jpg","webp":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_e7e36e7e158e908a.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_28a0fe43c2e78d82.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/11/171320.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","282.2-2"],"title":"In Ivanovo, the First Criminal Case Was Opened Against Jehovah's Witnesses. Their Homes Were Searched","type":"news"},{"body":"\"Everything that has to do with the name 'Jehovah's Witnesses' is forbidden,\" Detective Shcherbakov expresses this opinion in his testimony. He also believes that the 2017 Supreme Court decision banned followers of this religion from believing, preaching, and gathering for worship. When asked what is the difference between the legal terms \"religious organization\", \"religious group\" and \"international organization of Jehovah's Witnesses\", he says that for him there is no difference.\nIn his testimony, the next witness refutes the prosecutor's arguments regarding extremism on the part of the defendants. She points out that in the record of her interrogation, the investigator arbitrarily wrote words that she did not pronounce.\n10 people are allowed to attend the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-11-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20221108","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Lilia Ruzayeva, an informant for the special services, is being interrogated online. The woman repeats her testimony given earlier and states that at the services the defendant turned on video recordings and prepared speeches based on the Bible.\nWhen asked by the defendant whether she had heard from him calls for the severance of family ties or any violent acts, she replied in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20221107","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"\"My son is a believer, reads the Bible, lives according to the laws of God, talks about God, respects people, he is being judged for this,\" the defendant's mother says during interrogation. The witness adds that her son treats representatives of other faiths well, she has never heard from him negative statements about anyone, calls for genocide and repression.\nPrior to this, the court refused to discuss the petition for publicity of the trial and admission of listeners to the hall. Because of this, more than 50 people were left waiting for news from the courtroom on the street.\nAt the previous hearing, the defendant was not allowed to express his attitude to the charges. In this regard, the lawyer asks to provide this opportunity again. After the recess, the judge grants the request.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danil Suvorov in Sochi","date":"2022-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi3/index.html#20221107","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness Ivanova is being interrogated. She recounts her preliminary testimony and reports that the defendants are unknown to her.\nDuring the interrogation of the defendants, Zoya Pavlova confirms her written testimony only partially. She informs the court that the investigator put pressure on her and added some phrases to the protocol.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Martynov and Others in Alatyr","date":"2022-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alatyr/index.html#20221102","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. Some of the wording indicated by the investigator in the record of the preliminary interrogation cannot be confirmed by witnesses during interrogation in court. The defendants and their lawyers assume that the preliminary testimonies of these witnesses were written by the investigator.\nMikhail Solntsev declares that Jehovah's Witnesses do not use the concept of \"breaking bread,\" but it is constantly heard in the testimony of witnesses.\nThe first witness reports that, together with a neighbor, she became interested in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and communicated about them with the defendant Inna Kardakova. She says: \"We looked through the Bible, prayed, talked, drank tea. [Inna] showed in the Bible that paradise would be on earth. [...] The desire to meet was mutual. My husband and I made the decision not to become Jehovah's Witnesses. They didn't press.\"\nThe woman confirms that Jehovah's Witnesses did not harm her and her husband in any way, did not humiliate people professing other religions, did not call for violence or genocide, change the constitutional order or oppose state power.\nThe witness's husband echoes his wife's testimony and says that Jehovah's Witnesses were not talking about an organization, but about the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-11-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221101","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a witness. Answering questions from the prosecutor and the judge, he uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nFurther, the materials of the case are announced - 6 volumes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2022-11-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20221101","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"16 people come to support the defendants.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. \"Marina is a very sympathetic person, decent. My mother was bedridden, sick. She [Marina] has always supported me,\" says one of them.\nAnother witness does not personally remember the defendants. Four witnesses who have known the defendants for several years describe them as respectable, open and friendly people. They confirm that believers have never shown any hostility towards people of other religions, nationalities, cultures.\nA witness who has attended worship meetings of believers informs the court that they do not have a mandatory collection of funds, and those present treat each other with love.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-10-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20221031","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness who collaborated with the FSB, under the pseudonym Sidorov A.N., is being interrogated.\nAccording to Sidorov, Sergey Kuznetsov talked with him on biblical topics, in particular, he shared with him a printed article on the topic of family happiness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2022-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20221025","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the defendant. He tells us that the Christian congregation existed in the first century and that the modern congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is fully consistent with his model.\n","caseTitle":"Gevorkyan case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2022-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod8/index.html#20221025","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman who attended religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2014 is being interrogated. She characterizes this creed as peaceful, \"directed against conflict\", \"calling for goodness and non-violence\". According to her, the views of Jehovah's Witnesses are based on the teachings of the Bible.\nThe prosecutor asks the witness whether the believers had the opportunity to voluntarily leave the religious group. She answers in the affirmative: \"If a person does not want, he may not come. That is his right. No one is forcing anyone.\" It also affirms that Jehovah's Witnesses respect people of other faiths and are obedient to the authorities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221021","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Believers are escorted to the court session accompanied by a dog handler and a German shepherd, which is located in the middle of a small hall. The defense raises before the court the question \"whether the presence of the dog in the courtroom is an act of intimidation of the defendants and their relatives\" and submits a motion for its removal, but the court does not satisfy it.\nA witness who uses Article 51 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is being interrogated, explaining it this way: \"Jehovah's Witnesses are tried and kept behind bars here. I myself profess this religion. Therefore, I believe that any answer I have to the question about this case will be used against me.\" In this regard, the protocol of the interrogation of the witness is announced, which, however, does not contain any significant information about the defendants and the criminal case itself.\nThe prosecutor announces all 9 volumes of the criminal case, reading out only the titles, but not delving into the essence of the documents, with the exception of the conclusions of experts regarding the examinations carried out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2022-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20221021","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses Elena Tsorn, Nina Astvatsaturova and Ekaterina Treguba are being interrogated. All of them use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. At the previous hearing, witness Ludwig Katanaeva did the same.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2022-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20221021","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On 20 October 2022 searches were again carried out in Maykop at least three addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses. Nikolay Voishchev, 67, was arrested and a criminal case was opened against him.\nEarly in the morning employees of the Investigative Committee and FSB, witnesses and IT-specialist came to the believers with a search. They seized cell phones, electronic devices, and hard drives with personal photos and documents. The law enforcers behaved correctly.\nThree believers were taken to the investigative committee of Maikop for questioning, after which two were released and Nikolai Voishchev was placed in temporary detention isolation ward. Soon, the court will choose a measure of restraint for him.\nUpdate. The next day, October 21, the court placed the believer in a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. You can write letters to him, with the following address on an envelope: «Voishchev Nikolay Pavlovich, born 1955, SIZO No. 2 in the Republic of Adygeya, ul. Lenina, 28, p. Tlyustenkhabl , Teuchezhskiy district, Republic of Adygeya, Russia, 385228». Letters of support can be sent by regular mail. They should not discuss topics related to criminal prosecution; letters in languages other than Russian are not allowed. In Maykop, three more Jehovah's Witnesses are charged with practicing their religion. Two of them, Nikolai Saparov and Inver Siyukhov,, are already defending their beliefs in court. They are being held in pre-trial detention.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-10-20T16:52:11+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/10/211652/image_hu_e9b971f86e7649f9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/10/211652/image_hu_f994328032669b74.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/10/211652/image_hu_e09d17a4c71b8418.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/10/211652/image_hu_58a4c473fc7aaaa.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/10/211652.html","regions":["adygea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","282.2-1","interrogation","search","new-case","ivs"],"title":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses, 67, detained in Maykop","type":"news"},{"body":"The last witness for the prosecution, religious scholar Vadim Schiller, is being interrogated. In his opinion, there was no propaganda inciting hostility between people in the actions of Sergei Ananin, and the \"extremism\" of the believer consisted in the fact that he quoted \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation.\" The religious scholar expresses the opinion that \"all Jehovah's Witnesses . . . are good, God-fearing people.\"\nShiller acknowledges that the October 28, 2021 Supreme Court ruling emphasizes the right of Jehovah's Witnesses to practice their religion—including worship—individually or in community with others. However, the witness interprets this as follows: \"If Sergey Viktorovich held meetings in a narrow circle, with his wife, with his daughter and some relatives, 1-2 people came and prayed, this would be their legal right.\"\nOn this day, about 20 people come to the courthouse to support the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20221019","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"15 people come to support Bitusov and Druzhinin, but only one listener is allowed to attend the meeting. Prosecutor Olga Chursina enters the case. Prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\nA woman who attended worship services and kept hidden video recordings gives contradictory testimony. She is not sure if she knows the defendants. Answering questions, he often uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and claims that he does not remember much, since 4 years have passed. The court shall read out the records of her interrogations conducted during the preliminary investigation. The defense reminds the witness that the record of her interrogation states that she is a member of the LRO (legal entity). In response, the woman exclaims: \"LRO? I don't even know these abbreviations!\"\nAnother witness has known Bitusov for a long time. She argues that the defendant did not speak of the superiority of his religion. The witness was not familiar with the legal formalities of the LRO, she did not see the charter: \"There was not one leader, I had not heard about the local religious organization, they just gathered and everyone read the Bible, discussed its contents.\" Despite the objections of the defense and the defendants, the court reads out her written testimony given earlier. The woman claims that she was \"slipped another protocol.\"\nBitusov's wife, testifying, recalls that on the basis of the law, the Bible, its content and quotations from it cannot be recognized as extremist materials.\nAfter the break, the court reads out the materials from the second volume of the criminal case (there are at least 18 volumes in total).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Druzhinin and Bitusov in Zeya","date":"2022-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya3/index.html#20221019","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The third witness for the prosecution tells his conclusions, which became the basis for operational measures against Kuznetsov. According to him, the defendant \"organized a cell\" for the study of the Bible: \"conducted individual training,\" as well as religious meetings \"according to standard plans.\" He explains that \"the meeting began with a prayer, an introductory speech, watching a series of videos, asking questions.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2022-10-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20221018","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness from the prosecution, who previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, is being questioned. The man tells how they went and what topics were discussed - about compassion for people, love and forgiveness. The lawyer clarifies whether any organizational decisions were made at such meetings? The witness denies. He says that the Bible was discussed at the meetings, there were no calls for violence, and monetary donations were voluntary. The witness also admits that no one forced him to study the Bible, everything was done exclusively voluntarily. In the videos of Jehovah's Witnesses, he did not encounter any calls against state power.\nHe confirms that the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses are not prohibited in Russia - the activities of a legal entity are prohibited.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-10-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20221017","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman who is familiar with Venera Dulova at work is being interrogated. She claims that Venus did not come to her house, did not offer anything, and they did not talk about biblical topics. The witness does not corroborate his affidavit. She states that some of the statements were attributed by the investigator and that \"I did not read the protocol, I signed and that's it.\"\nThe defense objected to the disclosure of the written testimonies of the witnesses who did not appear, since they were taken from the materials of another case in which the court had already made a decision. In addition, their interrogations took place in 2018, and a criminal case was initiated in 2020. The court does not accept the arguments of the defense.\nOne of the defenders expresses a remark on the actions of the presiding judge: in his opinion, he does not ensure the adversarial nature of the parties.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-10-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20221015","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. The woman refuses the testimony she gave at the investigation stage. She states that she was intimidated by the interrogators and was immediately offered ready-made answers to the questions posed. After reading the interrogation protocol, the witness explains that she could not have said that. In her opinion, some of the testimony was taken from the testimony of her husband, who was a former Jehovah's Witness.\nThe second witness consistently, both at the stage of pre-trial investigation and at trial, uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20221013","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Valery Maletskov's boss. The witness has known Valeriy as his subordinate for 9 years. She says: \"He has proven himself to be a responsible, reliable and hardworking worker. We had no complaints about him.\" She also notes that although she herself belongs to another religious denomination, Maletskov never showed arrogance either towards her or towards others, and never exerted moral pressure on anyone.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20221013","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert Fyodor Dorofeev is being interrogated. It answers questions about the beliefs, lifestyle, behavior, and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe Court shall consider all volumes of the case. The prosecutor briefly voices some documents from the case materials, including the characteristics of Gevorg Gevorgyan from his place of work and from his neighbors.\n","caseTitle":"Gevorkyan case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2022-10-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod8/index.html#20221010","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court shall consider the materials of volumes 2-4 of the case. Lawyers draw attention to the discrepancy in one of the documents and ask not to consider protocols and certificates that are not directly related to the case or drawn up with violations of the Code of Criminal Procedure.\n11 people come to support the believers, but due to the epidemiological situation, only six are allowed into the hall.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2022-10-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20221006","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 30 people come to the courthouse to support the believer.\nA secret witness under the pseudonym Pyotr Petrov is interrogated. He informs the court that Zinaida Minenko told him about the Bible teachings followed by Jehovah's Witnesses, interpreting this as an offer to join a religious organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minenko in Zheleznovodsk","date":"2022-10-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zheleznovodsk/index.html#20221006","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant is being interrogated. When answering some of the judge's questions, the believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. When asked what his role in the congregation is, the believer replies that his role is \"to worship God and listen to the sermon.\" Regarding the local religious organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in Krasnoyarsk, Igor Gusev says that in fact, such legal entities are needed by the state, and not by the believers themselves. \"We existed both under the tsar and under the USSR and did without LRO,\" he explains.\n","caseTitle":"Gusev's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2022-10-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk9/index.html#20221005","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses. The first witness admits that he acted on the orders of the FSB. All the literature that was brought to him for personal study, the witness handed over to the authorities. He says that he does not know whether this literature was recognized as extremist, what kind of publications they were, or what year of release, because \"he did not delve into the contents.\"\nAnother witness tells the court that she never heard the defendant call for violence, because \"no violence is acceptable for Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2022-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20221004","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, a police major, is being questioned. He is personally acquainted with the defendant. In his opinion, the believer's fault lies in the fact that he set up the equipment and helped in organizing the services that took place in the homes of believers. When asked by the lawyer where the witness got this information, he replies that it is a state secret.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-10-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20221003","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Panichkin is being interrogated. He says that he does not know the accused and he does not know anything about this case. He met with Jehovah's Witnesses in 1990-1991: \"They gave free lectures at the enterprise where I worked.\" Panichkin did not hear any statements about violence or incitement to violence from these people. He affirms that the Bible is the foundation of Jehovah's Witnesses' creeds. He says that he attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses several times, in 1990 and 2016. He was not forced to do this. During the search, his computer and magazines were seized.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-09-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220923","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 21, 2022, searches were carried out in the homes of two believers, Vladimir Zubkov and Aleksandr Chagan, in Tolyatti (Samara Region). The latter spent two days in the TDF and was released on bail.\nAt around 7:30 p. m., when Vladimir Zubkov, 71, was talking to friends via video conference, 12 people burst in, some of them armed. The believer's son, 33, was forced to lie on the floor. Electronic devices, bank cards and various translations of the Bible were confiscated from the family. Then the Zubkovs were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee and released home after midnight.\nAleksandr Chagan, 51, saw a capture group at the same time, squeezing out the window. They ordered everyone to lie on the floor and handcuffed the head of the family. The security forces did not show any documents. While one insulted the believers, the others behaved more correctly. Electronic devices, storage media, bank cards and cash (about 28,000 rubles) were confiscated from the family. After the search, the believers were taken away for interrogation, having been warned that Aleksandr would never return home.\nDuring interrogation at the Investigative Committee, according to the believer, one of the officers threatened to torture him and kept him face down on the floor for about an hour and a half. After 2 a. m., Chagan was interrogated by investigator Ruslan Mgoyan. Then, already in the morning, the believer was placed in a temporary detention facility. On September 23, the court released him on bail.\nThis is the second criminal case against believers in the Samara region. Four of them—Sergey Polosenko, Denis Kuzyanin, Nikolay Vasiliyev and Aram Danielyan—are in the detention centre.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-09-21T16:18:10+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/09/261617/image_hu_b89b495e8c179799.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/09/261617/image_hu_8814633217c5fa36.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/09/261617/image_hu_82dbe54349c5d074.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/09/261617/image_hu_b7bd113af79f7db.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/09/261617.html","regions":["samara"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","siloviks-violence","ivs","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"Searches in Tolyatti: Armed Security Forces Entered Believers Through a Window","type":"news"},{"body":"The last witness is being questioned. Answering the judge's question, he says that he does not personally know the defendants. The state prosecutor asks the witness questions about whether he attended meetings, whether he knows how donations were collected, and other questions about the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe prosecutor files a motion for the disclosure of the preliminary testimony of the witness, since the testimony given in court contradicts them. The judge grants the request and the testimony is read.\nThe judge announces that he is moving to the stage of studying the materials of the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2022-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20220921","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Before the start of the trial, the lawyer discovers that all the seats for listeners are already occupied by strangers. Soon they leave the hall, but some return. The vacant seats are occupied by friends of the defendants.\nA prosecution witness is invited to the courtroom for interrogation. This person testifies in an attempt to present the defendants' religion in a bad light and slander them, but is often confused or simply reports his assumptions rather than factual data. For example, he says that he communicated with the defendants from 2009 to 2020 and states that it was unpleasant for him. However, the question of what prevented him from stopping communication, it is difficult to answer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2022-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20220921","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a witness for the prosecution, who admits that she does not know Sazonov. The second witness for the prosecution stopped attending Jehovah's Witnesses' services back in 2016 before their legal entities were banned. She reports that she has never heard from Sazonov or at the services themselves any calls to overthrow the constitutional order, to incite hatred on the basis of religious hatred and enmity. He characterizes the defendant as a decent person and an exemplary family man. The witness claims that the investigation distorted her testimony given during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2022-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20220921","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness under the pseudonym Elena Romanova is being interrogated. She says that she herself came to the defendant for Bible studies. The woman admits that Zinaida never encouraged her to hate, but, on the contrary, taught her to treat other people with love.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minenko in Zheleznovodsk","date":"2022-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zheleznovodsk/index.html#20220920","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness \"Makarov\" is being interrogated. He says that he is personally acquainted with the defendants Zakaryan and Chernyshev. Despite the fact that no threats were made against him or his relatives, the witness refuses to be openly questioned \"for security reasons\".\n\"Makarov\" says that it was introduced by the operative Podbornov in order to identify the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. The means to record the information were provided to him, and he used them from the very first meeting with Zakaryan. When asked what harm Jehovah's Witnesses have done to any people, he replies: \"I am not aware of such a thing.\"\n\"Makarov\" confirms that Zakaryan did not show hatred and superiority towards representatives of other religions and did not incite genocide and mass repressions. During the meetings, they studied the Bible.\nThe lawyer asks to read out the testimony given by \"Makarov\" during the preliminary investigation, as they contain contradictions with the testimony given in court. The court agrees.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220919","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 16, 2022, security forces detained two civilians on the street in Velsk, a small town in the Arkhangelsk region. They were taken for interrogation, and then searches were carried out in their home, accompanied by a pickup.\nAt approximately 3:00 pm, a woman, 60, and her son, 28, were met by 8 officials in civilian clothes outside a grocery store. Only one of them flashed his ID. The man and woman were taken to the police station.\nThe police did not explain the purpose of the arrest. The detainees were questioned about their religion, attitude to military operations in Ukraine and to the authorities. The woman was subjected to a personal search.\nAfter interrogation, she was brought home, where they also searched. It was attended by 9 people, including 2 witnesses. Electronic devices, data carriers, the Bible and religious literature were confiscated. The security forces, according to the woman, threw leaflets similar to business cards to these things, on which it was indicated that her son allegedly provides services in setting up access to a site banned in Russia.\nThe woman was then taken to the home of her mother, 88. Law enforcement officers took into account the poor health of the elderly woman and searched only the veranda, shed and bathhouse. After that, her daughter was again taken to the department. According to her, one of the police officers mentioned the case of Eugene Yakku. Mother and son left the police station at one in the morning.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-09-16T18:09:56+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/09/221809/image_hu_4e48eeace5281c2c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/09/221809/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/09/221809/image_hu_2006cb736fb1e290.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/09/221809/image_hu_9c500e805e5fc9ea.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/09/221809.html","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","families","personal-inspection","plant"],"title":"In the Arkhangelsk Region, the Security Forces Searched and Interrogated Mother and Son. They Are Suspected of Practicing the Religion of Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"},{"body":"The employer Anatoly Senin is being interrogated. She characterizes him as a calm, kind, sociable, responsible worker, honest and decent person.\nAt the request of the lawyer, the court attaches the characteristics of the defendant at the place of residence, from work, a certificate stating that he is not registered in narcological and psychiatric dispensaries, as well as a certificate stating that during the period of house arrest Senin did not commit violations and appeared to the investigator in a timely manner.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Senin in Kyzyl","date":"2022-09-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl/index.html#20220916","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"17 people come to the court session to support the believers.\nA prosecution witness who attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses before 2017 is being questioned. He describes Maletskov as a respectable family man and a highly moral, reliable person who can be relied upon. The witness also notes that both Maletskov and Chaplykina respect the laws of the country, and he has never heard from them calls to undermine the constitutional order or security of the state, negative statements towards people of other religions, nationalities and cultures.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-09-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20220913","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the beginning of the hearing, the court interrogates the owner of the hotel where the meetings of believers took place. He says that he always had good relations with Jehovah's Witnesses, and that there were no problems or conflicts. He also explains that he signed all the lease agreements with Yerkin as an individual, and he did not represent any religious organization.\nIrina Khvostova explains that the charges are at odds with the explanation of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, which states that a religious event in itself is not an illegal activity. She also points out that there is not even an indirect mention of her in the disclosed part of the case file and, as she relates to her, she does not understand.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-09-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20220912","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Elena Mironova is interrogated and released.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mironova in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-09-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk12/index.html#20220909","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Malyutin is interrogated as a witness in the case of Yevgeniy Bushev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyutin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-09-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk13/index.html#20220909","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 8, 2022, a raid on 13 houses of Jehovah's Witnesses in Chelyabinsk took place — the security forces broke out the windows and doors of the apartments. One of the believers, Dmitriy Dolzhikov, was detained and taken 1,500 kilometers away to Novosibirsk, where he was taken into custody.\nThe searches in the houses of the believers began in the evening and continued until midnight, and video footage was taken. Some were detained and taken away for interrogation to the Investigative Committee, while others were given summons for the next morning. These events affected about 34 people in total.\nElectronic devices, storage media, bank cards, passports, religious literature and personal records were confiscated from believers. A large amount of personal savings was taken from one family.\nTwo of the families affected live in the same apartment block on the 3rd and 7th floors. The security forces broke in their flats through the windows. To do this, they descended on ropes from the roof of the house and knocked out the windows of the balcony doors. One of the believers was handcuffed and laid on the floor, he has been kept in this position in the cold for about half an hour.\nIn another dwelling, where a woman lives with her daughter, the security forces broke down the iron door without waiting for it to be opened voluntary. One of the women was in bed with a high temperature due to illness.\nOperational activities were held with the participation of employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation A. Sivulko and E. Kozlov. According to believers, investigator of the Investigative Committee Aleksandr Chepenko, who initiated a wave of persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Chelyabinsk Region, was also present at the interrogation.\nTwo days later, on September 10, the court arrested Dmitriy Dolzhikov. He was placed in SIZO No. 1 in Novosibirsk.\nIn the Chelyabinsk Region, 11 11 people are already being persecuted for their faith in Jehovah God. Six of them received unjust convictions.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-09-08T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/09/140838/image_hu_6cb010ce65fb992e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/09/140838/image_hu_a6f4e1557df98c20.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/09/140838/image_hu_3caada376d82628f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/09/140838/image_hu_cbf118b6babd44f2.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/09/140838.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","violent-raid","interrogation","ivs","sizo"],"title":"In Chelyabinsk, Special Forces Stormed the Apartments of Jehovah's Witnesses. Believer Arrested","type":"news"},{"body":"The hearing is being held behind closed doors. 7 witnesses are summoned to the court for questioning. Some of them claim that their testimony obtained during the preliminary investigation was falsified.\nThe neighbor of the defendant's relatives is interrogated first. She is familiar with him and speaks positively about both her neighbors and Sazonov. The woman reports that she has never heard that the defendant called for violence, the overthrow of the constitutional order, hatred or enmity.\nDetective Chugunov, a law enforcement officer who in 2017-2018 was collecting information about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Urai, is being interrogated. He formed his idea of the believers, including the defendant, on the basis of the words of two men who stated that they had once attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nFurther, the court interrogates a woman who until 2021 worked in the city administration with non-profit religious organizations. From 2011 to 2017, she attended annual services of Jehovah's Witnesses. She says that families with children came there, and life issues were discussed there. She had never seen any documents about who organized such services. No one has ever called upon her to make monetary donations or join any religious organization.\nThe next witness - a woman - reports that she sees Andrei Sazonov for the second time in his life (the first time was at the last court hearing) and does not know him. She says that she once attended a service of Jehovah's Witnesses, this was until 2017. There were no calls for hatred or violence, she said: \"People read the Bible, sang songs, prayed.\" The witness confirms that no one asked her to donate money at the service. She did not see the defendant there. When the state prosecutor reads out her opposite preliminary testimony, the woman declares that she does not confirm them: \"I did not say these words to the investigator. I did not get acquainted with the protocol, the investigator read it to me. I signed it because I trusted the investigator.\"\nFurther, two more people are summoned for interrogation. The man says that he is not familiar with the defendant, he saw him only at the last court hearing and on TV in connection with Sazonov's speech by the nature of his professional activity. The woman also does not know Sazonov, she only saw him on the street several times. She confirms that she has not heard any calls from him to overthrow the government, disobey the laws of the state or break family ties. Sazonov did not offer her to make monetary donations. She also says that Sazonova learned about her religion from an investigator. She did not have this information before the interrogation.\nThe last witness for the prosecution says that he knows a religious group of Jehovah's Witnesses in a neighboring town, and heard about believers in Urai only from his acquaintance. The witness himself was never present at the services in Urai, and he cannot say anything about Sazonov's role. The man confirms that believers can worship God without a legal entity. He did not know whether there had ever been a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Urai. He says that he has not heard from the defendant negative statements about representatives of other religions or the state.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2022-09-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20220907","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During two regular interrogations, the believer is protected by Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nInvestigator Grigorieva chooses a measure of restraint against Natalia Voropaeva in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voropaeva in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2022-09-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk10/index.html#20220906","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A petition has been filed to involve religious scholar, Doctor of Philosophy Sergey Ivanenko in the criminal case. The defense asks to investigate and attach Ivanenko's conclusions of July 22, 2022 to the case file. The defense also asks to interrogate Ivanenko via video conferencing with the Moscow District Court.\nIn addition, the lawyers request that the legal positions of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of June 7, 2022 be taken into account when resolving issues in this criminal case. The court attaches the decision of the ECHR to the case file.\nThe defendant Tatyana Obizhestvit is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2022-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20220831","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 60 of Sergey's fellow believers are outside the courthouse during the hearing.\nSushilnikov is being interrogated. The believer categorically disagrees with the accusation and refutes it on all counts. He states that law enforcement agencies are essentially accusing Jehovah's Witnesses of simply continuing to worship God as they see fit. He also notes that the Supreme Court, when deciding on the liquidation of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, did not evaluate liturgical rites, and the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees everyone the right to freedom of religion. In addition, the indictment does not contain specific dates and places where the \"crime\" was committed, as well as the victims.\nAt the request of the lawyer, written evidence from the case file is read out, including information about the rehabilitation of Jehovah's Witnesses who were repressed in the Soviet Union. Also, the defense recalls the position of Russian President V. Putin, who said: \"Jehovah's Witnesses are also Christians, for which they are persecuted, I also do not really understand.\"\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20220831","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being interrogated, who uses Article 51 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, answering all questions on the merits.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-08-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220826","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the investigation department for the Nakhimovsky district of the city of Sevastopol, M. E. Ukrainsky, initiates separate criminal cases against 51-year-old Sergey Zhigalov and 53-year-old Viktor Kudinov on suspicion of violating part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The two cases are subsequently merged into one.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhigalov and Kudinov in Sevastopol","date":"2022-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol5/index.html#20220824","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 24, 2022, the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Sevastopol. Viktor Kudinov, 53, and Sergey Zhigalov, 51, were arrested, and a criminal case was initiated against them.\nThe believers were accused of organizing the activities of a banned organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), they were placed in a temporary detention facility. It is expected that on August 26 the court will choose a measure of restraint for them.\nAlso on August 24, another married couple was searched. All electronic devices were confiscated from them and taken to the FSB for interrogation.\nIn total, criminal cases have been opened in Crimea against 16 Jehovah's Witnesses, 4 of whom are serving sentences in a penal colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-08-24T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_943a8332cba14e42.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_caffff98386a2f9a.jpg","webp":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_10d4e5329eff2378.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_543ff2e213e31665.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/08/251352.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"The Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sevastopol Searched Again. Two Believers Arrested","type":"news"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. Judge Maxim Sirotkin gives Gevorg Gevorgyan the opportunity to express his attitude to the charges. Gevorgyan declares that all the accusations against him are far-fetched and he never had malicious intent and extremist motives. The believer says: \"I believed that my faith, words and actions were protected by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\"\nTwo witnesses are being questioned to answer questions about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017.\n","caseTitle":"Gevorkyan case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2022-08-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod8/index.html#20220818","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned. One of them uses Article 51 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and the other explains to the court under what circumstances she met the defendant. According to her, about 7-8 years ago, a woman came to her, left her religious literature and invited her to meetings, to which the witness, however, did not go. When asked by the state prosecutor whether the witness can determine which of the two women is Irina Buglak, the answer is negative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-08-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220817","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Only two listeners are allowed to enter the hall, 28 people remain in the corridor who came to support Irina Buglak.\nA witness is being questioned. When asked if she knows about the religious direction of Jehovah's Witnesses, the witness replies that she cannot say anything bad about Irina, only good that she is a good friend.\nWhen asked by the lawyer if she read the protocol before signing, the witness replies: \"How can I read it, I don't understand someone else's handwriting ... There's so much written, I haven't said that much.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220816","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning five witnesses for the prosecution. The former director of the defendant characterizes Sazonov only on the good side, notes that he has an exceptionally positive reputation among other employees. According to the prosecution witness, Sazonov regularly took part in subbotniks, he was repeatedly encouraged by diplomas and letters of thanks from the head of the city and from the City Duma.\nThanks to a responsible and qualified attitude to work, the director appointed Sazonov as his deputy. He notes that he knew from the very beginning that Sazonov was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but he never heard or saw from the defendant calls and actions aimed at inciting violence, hatred, enmity on religious grounds, as well as calls for the overthrow of the constitutional order and the rupture of family relations.\nThe former chief reports that two investigators from Khanty-Mansiysk came to him with a demand that he change his testimony and denigrate Sazonov. But he refused to do so.\nThe second witness for the prosecution characterizes Sazonov as a positive person. He says that he does not consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremists, since they, on the contrary, reject violence and advocate the maintenance of family values. The witness also reports that the investigation pressured him, threatening that his mother, who was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, would be imprisoned if he did not give the necessary testimony to the investigation.\nThe rest of the prosecution witnesses report that they do not know Sazonov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2022-08-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20220815","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Novocherkassk, investigator of the Investigative Committee V.V. Bardakov initiates a criminal case against believers Gevorg Yeritsyan, Garegin Khachaturian and Lyubov Galitsyna. Immediately after that, at 6:00 a.m., the armed security forces conducted searches at 10 addresses, including the village of Hrushevskaya. They confiscate Bibles, electronic devices, money, and bank cards from believers. Then everyone is taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee for the city of Novocherkassk.\nDuring a search in one of the houses, the hostess experiences a fainting state, she is offered several times to call an ambulance. Her husband, who does not share her religious views, is exerted psychological pressure by law enforcement officers. In another case, the investigator refuses to issue the interrogation protocol, arguing that the interrogated can post it on the Internet.\nTwo men, Gevorg Yeritsyan and Garegin Khachaturyan, are taken into custody after search and interrogation. The court chooses a measure of restraint for them in the form of detention in pre-trial detention center No. 3 in Novocherkassk for 2 months.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yeritsyan and Others in Novocherkassk","date":"2022-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocherkassk/index.html#20220811","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of August 11, 2022, in Novocherkassk (Rostov region), security forces conducted searches at 10 addresses, after which local believers were interrogated. The court placed two men, Garegin Khachaturyan, 55, and Gevorg Yeritsyan, 35, in pre-trial detention center No. 3 in Novocherkassk for 2 months.\nThis is already the 11th criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Rostov Region. The news is being added.\nUpdate. It became known that Lyubov Galitsyna, 66, was detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center. Returning from vacation, she found out that she had been summoned for interrogation. Anticipating a possible arrest, the believer took essentials and medicines with her. Senior investigator R. A. Bakhramov charged her under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and detained.\nThe Novocherkassk city court decided to send Galitsyna to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. The woman was led to the courtroom and later to the paddy wagon to the applause of 30 fellow believers who came to support her.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-08-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/08/161428.html","regions":["rostov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"title":"Searches Were Carried Out at the Homes of Local Jehovah's Witnesses in Novocherkassk. Two Believers Were Placed in a Detention Center","type":"news"},{"body":"On August 11, 2022, in Trubchevsk and Unecha, two cities in the Bryansk Region, searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some of them were already invaded by the security forces in 2019.\nThe raid, conducted by officers Center for Combating Extremism (CPE) and the Investigative Committee, took place at least at four addresses. Electronic devices, personal records and friendly letters were confiscated from believers. During subsequent interrogation in the Investigative Committee, citizens used the 51st article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nUpdate. According to updated information, on August 11, not four, but two searches took place, in the city of Unecha and the village of Vorobyovka, Unechsky district. According to available information, the investigative measures took place within the framework of a criminal case under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Yelena Yashina. According to the investigation, the believer “being in public places and living quarters of residents of the city of Unecha and other settlements in the region, promoted the activities of the organization [Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia], distributing relevant literature and making attempts to involve new members in the banned organization” (from the press release of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Bryansk Region).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-08-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/08/161430.html","regions":["bryansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","282.2-2","interrogation","new-case"],"title":"Three Years After the Mass Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses, Searches Were Again Held in the Bryansk Region. Criminal Case Was Initiated","type":"news"},{"body":"The court proceeds to the examination of prosecution witnesses. The first witness says that she is friends with Zinaida and is interested in the Bible. She says that on her own initiative she came to the believer to discuss the Bible. The woman is sure that Minenko did not commit anything illegal.\nThree other witnesses say they learned in 2007 that Zinaida was one of Jehovah's Witnesses. They state that all other testimonies during the investigation were given on the basis of rumors and assumptions. At the same time, witnesses admit that Minenko did not impose anything on them and did not offer religious literature.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minenko in Zheleznovodsk","date":"2022-08-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zheleznovodsk/index.html#20220808","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned at the hearing. One of them does not know anything on the merits of the case.\nFurther, the expert Elizaveta Shchetinina, associate professor at Chelyabinsk State University, who conducted a comprehensive religious study of the records of worship, is interrogated. She states: \"[On the materials presented] we see a gathering of believers who realize a spiritual need in the context of prayer, the study of the Holy Scriptures. There were no calls for violence, overthrow of the state system in these materials.\" The expert concludes that the goals of Jehovah's Witnesses' worship services are \"joint confession of religion, satisfaction of spiritual needs, service to God on the basis of the Holy Scriptures, teaching religion, including in the format of meetings, cult and prayer practice, analysis of the Holy Scriptures.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Perminov in Asha","date":"2022-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/asha/index.html#20220805","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","expert-conclusions","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The wife of the deceased witness Viktor Zemlyakov is being interrogated. She says that \"Jehovah's Witnesses are good people: they don't smoke, they don't drink, they don't swear. They're just studying the Bible.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220804","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 95 people come to the courthouse to support Sergey Sushilnikov.\nProsecution witness Sergei Beresnev, an FSB officer, is being questioned. On his behalf, the security forces monitored Sushilnikov and made covert photo and video filming in order to identify his social circle and establish \"the defendant's affiliation with the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" Beresnev says that he received such an assignment from his superiors.\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-08-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20220803","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses in the case continues. The first witness tells how in November 2020 representatives of law enforcement agencies broke into his home. They began to break down the door, hit him with a rifle butt, then took him away and interrogated him. He says that he professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and knows the defendants, but after 2017 he did not personally meet with them and did not call them. He describes Vitaliy Komarov as a kind, cheerful and executive person. The witness confirms that he did not hear from the defendants calls for violence, deprivation of civic duties, and so on. He talks about how to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses: one must study the Bible, adhere to its commandments; No statements are needed for this. The man also notes that Jehovah's Witnesses treat representatives of other religions well.\nVitaliy Komarov's wife is being interrogated. She describes her husband as a kind, caring person and a wonderful family man. She says that she shares her husband's religious views. Answering other questions, she mainly uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows her not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-08-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220801","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the owner of the housing that Senin rented. She describes Anatoliy and his wife as peace-loving citizens: \"Payment was always brought on time, even it was early. And he and his wife have a very peaceful and strong relationship. Animals are loved.\" She did not hear any calls for disrespect for authority or hate speech from the spouses.\nAnother prosecution witness is Ulyana Bicheldey, head of the religious studies sector of the Tuva Institute for Humanitarian Studies under the Government of the Republic of Tuva. It reveals general information about world religions and their differences. He reports that she has not yet studied the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, so she cannot say anything about it, but sees the defendant for the first time.\nThe court proceeds to the interrogation of FSB operative Vladimir Vasiliev. He does not know the defendant personally, but he knows him as part of his official activities, as he carried out operational-search measures against believers. The witness refers to the decision of the Supreme Court of 2017, which, according to Vasiliev, \"banned the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses,\" but to delve into the essence of this decision, in his words, \"is not part of his duties.\"\nThe next witness, a colleague of Senin's wife, says she has never heard from the defendant extremist, divisive statements, propaganda of exclusivity, inducements to refuse medical care or obscene language. The prosecutor reads out part of the preliminary testimony of the witness, where she said that she heard how Senin's wife communicated with her husband via video link and suggested that these conversations were worship services. In court, the woman claims that this was only one of the assumptions that the investigator insisted on during the interrogation. It could be an ordinary conversation between husband and wife.\nThe prosecutor asks for the testimony of a minor witness to be read out. Despite the objections of the lawyer, the court allows.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Senin in Kyzyl","date":"2022-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl/index.html#20220729","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another of the prosecution witnesses testifies in court. They relate to the period before 2017, when the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation was made. He explains to the court that he gave untrue written statements under pressure and threats from the security forces who were present during his interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-07-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20220727","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Gizatulin and his lawyer are completing their acquaintance with the materials of the criminal case.\nGizatulin's accusation is based on the testimony of Lilia Ruzayeva, who attended religious services and made hidden audio and video recordings on the instructions of Center \"E\" Myzgin. In the course of operational-search activities, it was established that Vadim Gizatulin \"helped to conduct religious services, was responsible for computer equipment, read out religious texts.\" A detailed description of the telephone conversations of the believers revealed that at a certain time they were at a specific address from which the service was conducted. The investigation interprets this as holding a \"meeting of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Chelyabinsk\", which was liquidated by the court in April 2017 and then ended its activities.\nInvestigator Chepenko believes that if at a meeting of believers \"we are talking about a joint confession of faith ... worship in the form of prayers to Jehovah, acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures\", then this \"is a continuation of the activities of the banned extremist organization \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\".\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20220725","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman who is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses is being interrogated. She describes Vardan Zakaryan as a good master and a caring, sympathetic and selfless person with whom they discussed biblical teachings. She speaks of Jehovah's Witnesses as peaceful and law-abiding people who are ready to help. \"They are kind-hearted people,\" says the witness, adding that \"they did not incite violence, they did not ask for money.\"\nProsecutor Matusevich asks to extend the defendants' preventive measure for another three months. The judge grants the petition and extends the house arrest until November 10, 2022.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220725","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"25 people come to support the believer, all of them are near the courtroom. The prosecutor changes again in the case.\nA witness for the prosecution, a pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is being questioned. The witness does not confirm the testimony that he previously gave to the investigator, says that he signed the interrogation protocol without reading, does not know the defendant personally, and knows about Jehovah's Witnesses only from the media.\nThe judge extends Sergey Ananin's detention under house arrest until October 25, 2022.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20220722","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness who works as an accountant in the same hotel is being questioned. Due to the statute of limitations of the case, she remembers almost nothing.\nThe prosecutor reads out the 15th volume of the materials of the criminal case. The defendants repeatedly draw attention to the fact that there are no specific actions or statements of an extremist nature, as well as references to legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in the case materials.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20220722","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Popov is being interrogated. He does not know the defendants personally. He reports that in 2018, the introduction of an agent was organized, who was given special equipment for audio and video recording of Jehovah's Witnesses services. He began to communicate with Zakaryan and attended several liturgical meetings. After that, the materials were transferred to an expert institution for review and analysis of the content.\nThe following witness positively characterizes the defendants. She says she was not asked to join a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. Otherwise, the witness uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows her not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220722","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lyubov Serebryakova is being prosecuted as a defendant in violation of Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). The woman is accused of attending services of Jehovah's Witnesses and telling other people about her faith.\nThe believer is again interrogated and a preventive measure is chosen for her in the form of a recognizance not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk3/index.html#20220722","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","282.2-2","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, the administrator of the hotel, the conference room of which was privately rented by believers, is being interrogated. The woman states that she has not heard that any of the defendants called for the overthrow of the constitutional order or spoke negatively about adherents of other religions. She explains to the court that she signed her testimony with the investigator without reading it, and cannot confirm her words, since a lot of time has passed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2022-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20220721","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness is interrogated, who reports that he is unfamiliar with the defendants and does not feel hostile feelings towards them. He expresses his personal opinion on the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. When asked whether the witness at the meeting of believers, which the interrogated attended several years ago, heard calls for violence, racial discrimination, etc., he replies that he does not remember such a thing. At the request of the prosecutor, the testimony of a witness shall be read. He cannot explain why his testimony at the preliminary investigation and his testimony in court contradict each other.\nAnother witness is being questioned. According to him, he saw the defendant Kazakov only once, but he does not know him personally, he does not have any negative feelings towards him. He says that her co-religionists came to his mother, sang songs, praised God, they did nothing bad or forbidden.\nA witness who lives near Olga Mirgorodskaya is being interrogated. The witness says that she has never heard speeches from the defendants insulting people of other religious views, dissatisfaction with the government or calls for violence. The witness described the defendant Mirgorodskaya as a calm, family-friendly, kind woman.\nFSB officer K.V. Fomin, who participated in the operational-search activities in this criminal case, is being interrogated. During the ORM, Fomin revealed that the defendant Mirgorodskaya invited fellow believers to her home, where they watched videos and used the Zoom program to communicate with Kazakov. The Witness confirms that the Supreme Court did not prohibit Jehovah's Witnesses from holding worship services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2022-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20220719","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. The man claims that during the search, he was laid face down on the floor, and then kept for about 13 hours in the Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to him, due to the stress experienced, he signed the interrogation protocol without reading. The witness comments on the written testimony: \"I hear half of them for the first time and I don't even know the words of some of them that are written there.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20220719","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing, the protocols of Vladimir Atryakhin's interrogations are announced. After that, the believer declares that he does not agree with the entry in the protocol that he allegedly partially admits guilt.\nInvestigator Makeev, who conducted interrogations of believers, is being interrogated. The prosecutor asks him about how the interrogations were conducted, whether he exerted pressure on the defendants. The prosecutor is also interested in whether lawyers were present during the interrogations and how the texts of the protocols were drawn up.\nThe characteristics of the defendants are announced. Despite the fact that they are read out at the request of the prosecutor, the believers are given a positive assessment.\nThe court completes the examination of the evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shevchuk and Others in Saransk","date":"2022-07-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk/index.html#20220718","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 8, 2022, security forces took a resident of Severobaikalsk to the police station, suspecting her of professing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses. After a four-hour interrogation, her apartment was searched.\nThe interrogation of the woman was carried out by two law enforcement officers. They asked questions about the believer's personal correspondence and the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, and also asked if her family provided any assistance to those around her.\nThen the believer was taken to the place of residence for a search. During special events, her husband was also interrogated. A computer, laptop and other electronic devices were seized from the family. The security forces chose not to detain the couple.\nIt is not yet known on what criminal case the investigative actions were based.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-07-15T17:09:07+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/07/151709/image_hu_ee80051713b013d5.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/07/151709/image_hu_7ae9915df0023392.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/07/151709/image_hu_5c3d22fbbdc5d376.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/07/151709/image_hu_be56baacf0288aec.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/07/151709.html","regions":["buryatia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"The Security Forces of Buryatia Joined the Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses. A Search Took Place in Severobaikalsk","type":"news"},{"body":"37 people come to support Irina Buglak.\nDuring three sessions on July 12-14, the court continues to question witnesses. One of them was a witness during the search of Buglak's house. The witness cannot accurately confirm her signature in the protocol. The defense draws attention to the fact that entire paragraphs of the texts of the witnesses' testimonies coincide word for word and contain the same errors. Despite this, the judge in writing refuses to examine the handwriting of the witness.\nAnother witness states that during the interrogation, which lasted until the morning, the investigator put pressure on her, demanding that she sign the protocol with the wording he added.\nWhen asked by Irina Buglak, the witnesses answer that the believer did not force them to talk about the Bible. They also state that they have not heard negative statements from Buglak about representatives of other religions or propaganda of religious superiority. The facts of undermining the foundations of the constitutional order by the believer are also not known to them. One of the witnesses describes Irina as a kind and sincere person.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220714","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"S. A. Zavorin, Senior Investigator for Internal Affairs of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Altai Territory, hands Andrey Danielyan a decision to bring him as a defendant in committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Thus, the investigator reclassifies the charge from part 2 (participation) to part 1 (organization).\nThe document states that \"A. E. Danielyan propagated the ideology on behalf of a group of people calling themselves \"Jehovah's Witnesses\", in particular the idea of the primary and immutable authority of Jehovah, the opposition of Jehovah and Satan, the \"spirit of God\" and the \"spirit of the world\", the need to live in accordance with the moral laws established by Jehovah's norms, which is manifested in respect for the authority (divine), in the preference of the spiritual to the material, which is propaganda of the exclusivity and superiority of persons on the basis of belonging to the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nAlso, according to the investigation, \"A.E. Danielyan carried out preaching activities, and in addition conducted a prayer for all those gathered and discussed the holding of subsequent meetings, which testifies to the leading role of A.E. Danielyan in this meeting of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nA senior investigator interrogates Danielyan.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danielyan in Rubtsovsk","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rubtsovsk/index.html#20220713","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning in Rybinsk, with the participation of officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard and the FSB, searches are carried out at 16 addresses where Jehovah's Witnesses live. Several believers are taken to the building of the local lyceum for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Samoilova and Others in Rybinsk","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rybinsk/index.html#20220713","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of July 13, 2022, searches were carried out in Rybinsk at 16 addresses where Jehovah's Witnesses live; three families were also searched at their country-house. There were no arrests. Criminal cases have been initiated.\nThe raid was initiated by the Russian Investigative Committee for the Yaroslavl region. Special events were held with the participation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard officers, as well as detectives of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Yaroslavl Region A. Ivanenko, V. Moskalev and D. Kovalenko. The basis was the decision of the Rybinsk City Court of July 12, 2022.\nCommunication equipment, electronic devices, data carriers, a digital camera, audio cassettes with music files, several copies of the Bible in different translations, and a book by a religious scholar about Jehovah's Witnesses were seized from the believers.\nOne of the believers said that 7 people came to her with a search. They did not show their official identification, but showed a search warrant. One of the officers was armed. The woman recalls: “It was very scary. Violence was not used, but for me the interrogation was real torture, since my health is very poor, I fell into faint. The interrogation of the believer lasted about 4 hours.\nUpdate. The woman's son and his wife were also searched. First, the security forces invaded their dacha. The search was attended by an investigator of the Investigative Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Bruders, a representative of the FSB and two witnesses, who, according to the victims, were police officers and assisted in conducting the search. The believer's wife was taken away for interrogation to the investigative committee, and he himself was taken to the apartment in the city to continue the search. There he found that the door to the dwelling had been broken down. Later, he was taken for interrogation to the building of the local lyceum, where other believers from Rybinsk were also interrogated. The man was told that he was a witness in the case against Yevgenia Samoilova and Olga Golovacheva (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), which would be conducted by Dmitry Kolesnikov, an investigator for especially important cases.\nThe security forces also came with a search to the family of 60-year-old believers, where the wife is disabled since childhood. One police officer introduced himself as a neighbor and asked to open the door, another, entering, began to record what was happening on video, but at the request of the owner of the house, he stopped filming. The couple's bank cards, on which pensions and salaries were accrued, were confiscated. They were later interrogated separately from each other.\nDuring a search in the apartment of Alexander Belyakov, the security forces demanded him to explain for what purpose he installed a program for video conferencing. According to the believer, the law enforcement officers behaved rudely: “They ordered me to stand up facing the interior door, raise my hands up, turning them palms out, and at the same time spread my legs as wide as possible. They said that I would stand like that until I told the password from the mail. There were threats of physical force.\" After the search, the believer was interrogated at the FSB department, and then taken to the Investigative Committee. All these events lasted about 15 hours. A criminal case has been initiated against the man.\nDuring a search in the apartment of Alexander Belyakov, the security forces demanded him to explain for what purpose he installed a program for video conferencing. According to the believer, the law enforcement officers behaved rudely: “They ordered me to stand up facing the interior door, raise my hands up, turning them palms out, and at the same time spread my legs as wide as possible. They said that I would stand like that until I told the password from the mail. There were threats of physical force.\" After the search, the believer was interrogated at the FSB department, and then taken to the Investigative Committee. All these events lasted about 15 hours. A criminal case has been initiated against the man.\nThe day after the raid, on July 14, one of the believers, 45-year-old Dmitriy Lebedev, was summoned for interrogation, where he was told that a criminal case had also been opened against him. The believer was threatened with 6 years in prison.\nOn July 27, Dmitriy Lebedev's house was searched again. Earlier, during the first raid in Rybinsk, an unknown man called Dmitriy from his mother's phone and said from the name of ambulance doctors that he needed to come to her. When he arrived at the house, he was met by police officers and taken away for interrogation. It also became known that on July 27, another believer, Yuriy Gusev, was taken to the Investigative Committee. Information regarding him is being specified.\nIn April 2021, mass searches were already taking place in Yaroslavl and Rybinsk. Criminal cases were initiated against 4 peaceful believers, now they are under a ban on certain actions.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/UAZ_Police_hu_947dc7e0f5f68c90.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/UAZ_Police_hu_73c0f0de456d043.jpg","webp":"/news/common/UAZ_Police_hu_8aa4f932f69f3d33.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/UAZ_Police_hu_f0775ec321e7e27e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/07/250918.html","regions":["yaroslavl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["interrogation","new-case","search","282.2-2","disability"],"title":"Mass Searches and Interrogations of Believers Took Place in the Yaroslavl Region","type":"news"},{"body":"An expert, psychologist Mark Itskovich, is being interrogated. He believes that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses was promoted to the Zalyayevs' minor child, as he was offered to paint drawings depicting the creation of the world by God. According to the expert, \"any fine art is education, and any education is the promotion of values and cultures.\"\nThe lawyer states that the expert's testimony in court differs significantly from the testimony given to the investigator and questions the impartiality of the expert. The court, at the request of the defense, examines the website of the Orthodox organization, which contains information about Itskovich.\nThe defendant Alexander Pryanikov turns to the expert: \"You say that it does not matter to you what terms to use in the text of the examination and what meaning to put into them ... Do you realize that by using different terms ['confession', 'doctrine', 'organization'], without giving it meaning, you can ruin someone's life?\"\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20220712","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning of July 7, 2022, searches were carried out in Surgut in at least 5 dwellings of believers. The security forces again came to the apartments of Kirill Severinchk and Yevgeniy Kayryak, who were tortured by the security forces in 2019.\nThe new raid was carried out by the officers of the 4th investigative department of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia with the participation of agents of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service for the Tyumen region and the OMON of the Department of the Russian Guard for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. According to eyewitnesses, law enforcement officers behaved respectfully towards the believers. The security forces seized Bibles, personal photographs, electronic devices, storage media, bank cards, and a board game.\nOne of those to whom law enforcement officers came was the family of Kirill Severinchik, 24. After the search, the young man was taken to the department for interrogation, after which he was released. During mass raids in February 2019, Kirill and his father, Artur Severinchik, along with other believers, were severely beaten by security forces, forcing them to incriminate themselves. Kirill was not detained then, but his father was sent to a pre-trial detention center, where he was kept for almost a month. Now the believer is on trial for extremism and is under house arrest.\nIn order to conduct a similar search, law enforcement officers came to the apartment of Yevgeniy Kayryak, who was also tortured in the winter of 2019. At the moment he is under house arrest, being a defendant in the same criminal case as Artur Severinchik.\nIt is noteworthy that the previous searches of Kayryak and another believer in the same year were declared illegal. After meeting with relatives of the victims, Mikhail Fedotov, head of the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, said:: “Torture is absolutely unacceptable, and allegations of torture must be verified as fully and comprehensively as possible. We cannot allow such evil to exist in our land.”\n“None of the security forces who grossly violated the law have yet been punished. Impunity leads to the fact that unjustified criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses for their faith continues not only in Surgut, but throughout Russia,” Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, commented on the situation.\nCurrently, 5 criminal cases have been initiated in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area against 23 civilians in the region, 19 of whom live in Surgut.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-07-07T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search1_hu_702c9b9704ae758a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_7c3d49c9fecf8054.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search1_hu_9a6e0a4c091b8ea3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_4ae7e68fe9772eb5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/07/111435.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"In Surgut, Jehovah's Witnesses Have Been Searched Again, Including Those Who Were Tortured by Security Forces","type":"news"},{"body":"Experts Nadezhda Oleshkevich, Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy, and Maria Serdyuk, Doctor of Historical Sciences, are being interrogated via video link.\nThe prosecutor shall provide the court with all written evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2022-07-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20220704","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"To support the believer, 40 people come to the courthouse.\nA secret witness under the pseudonym Tajiev Murat, who did not appear at the meeting for a long time, is being interrogated. He confuses the concepts of a legal entity and religion itself.\nThe defense file a motion to include the interrogation of the secret witness Shigapov in the case of A. Bochkarev, where Murat Tadzhiev gives the same testimony word for word. The lawyer also petitions to summon investigators for questioning and to attach the protocol to the case. The court refuses to do so, but leaves the petition in the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-07-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220701","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 30 people come to support the believers, 12 of them are allowed to attend the hearing.\nA prosecution witness, an FSB investigator, is being questioned. He denies exerting pressure on a witness during interrogation at the preliminary investigation stage.\nThe prosecutor shall request the disclosure of the testimony of the witness. The defense objects. The court decides to read out her testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-07-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20220701","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two other witnesses are being questioned. The assistant prosecutor again asks provocative questions: \"Could you ever betray the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, renounce Jehovah and not talk about it?\"; Have you betrayed the faith? What is your opinion based on? On what postulates?\"\nBoth witnesses use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows them not to testify against themselves and their loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-06-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220624","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A support group of 10 people gathers in the corridor of the court.\nProsecution witnesses who are personally acquainted with the defendant are questioned. One of them attended worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017. Some of her testimony in court does not match the testimony she gave during the interrogation.\nThe second witness does not share the defendant's religious beliefs. He characterizes Irina as a kind person. The witness says that Irina communicated with his wife at their home. The Witness affirms that Irina did not undermine the foundations of the constitutional order, did not encourage the severance of family relations, and did not speak negatively about people, including those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220622","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"There is a support group of 12 people outside the courthouse.\nThe court continues to prevent the entry of a lawyer into the case under the agreement for Stanislav Klyuchnikov.\nProsecution witnesses are being interrogated, one of whom states that during the search he \"was led at gunpoint, he testified while in a state of severe stress, and I don't remember what he was talking about.\" The man uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The court shall hear his affidavit.\nJudge Sergei Kamenov satisfies the defense's motion for the publicity of subsequent hearings and the admission of listeners. At the request of the defendants, he also gives explanations regarding their measure of restraint: believers can move freely within the Nizhnekamsk district, and travel to other territories with the permission of the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2022-06-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20220621","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Ivan\" who says he has never heard from the defendant extremist statements, negative assessments of people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as calls for the severance of family or family relations. It affirms that it is acceptable for Jehovah's Witnesses to repay their debt to the state in a non-military manner, such as civilian alternative service.\nThe judge does not satisfy the believer's request to declassify the identity of the secret witness.\nThe defendant draws the court's attention to the fact that the secret witness makes assumptions instead of facts and is mistaken in the dates.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seredkin in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-06-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk7/index.html#20220621","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the defendant. The believer reads out his written testimony, which the judge attaches to the case. Kirill Gushchin refuses to answer additional questions from the judge and prosecutor, using Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2022-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20220620","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning on June 16, 2022, Andrey Bolotov, 38, was detained on the street of Kopeysk and taken to his home for a search.\nAt the door of Bolotov's apartment, 8 more people were met, three of whom were armed. Law enforcement officers seized a laptop, CDs, flash drives, smartphones. After the search, Andrey Bolotov and his wife were taken to the building of the Investigative Committee for the Chelyabinsk Region for interrogation, and then released, with an obligation to appear.\nThe event was led by investigator Aleksandr Chepenko, who had previously initiated criminal prosecution of other believers in the region. On June 8, 2022, he opened another criminal case under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization), under which the Bolotovs were searched.\nThis is the tenth criminal case against believers in the Chelyabinsk region.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-06-16T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_a3b2ced771142e34.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_ec173bd2c80c730f.jpg","webp":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_613284c7a1a776c5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/23218813626_a65dd88831_o_hu_7959300de005eb5f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/06/221426.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","summon","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"In the Chelyabinsk Region, Security Forces Searched the Home of a Family of Jehovah’s Witnesses","type":"news"},{"body":"About 25 people come to the courthouse to support the believers. 12 listeners are allowed into the hall.\nThe court summons for questioning a witness for the prosecution, which uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. She also states that during the preliminary investigation she testified under pressure during the interrogation.\nThe judge grants the prosecutor's request to summon the FSB investigator who conducted the interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20220615","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Balabkin is being interrogated as a suspect. He is charged with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. A measure of restraint is chosen for the believer in the form of an obligation to appear.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Balabkin in Belogorsk","date":"2022-06-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belogorsk/index.html#20220614","regions":["amur"],"tags":["summon","interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A relative and acquaintance of Valery Krieger is being interrogated. They characterize it positively.\nSergei Shulyarenko reads out a motion for an open hearing. The prosecutor objected, referring to similar motions that had been previously rejected. Judge Yana Vladimirova agrees with the prosecutor's opinion.\nThe court does not satisfy Aliyev's petition to include in the case file the decision of the ECHR, in which the liquidation of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was declared illegal.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2022-06-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20220614","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Popov partially voices his testimony, after which the court attaches his written notes to the case file. Alexei Dyadkin also testifies, after which the prosecutor interrogates him.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2022-06-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20220610","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court shall hear the testimony of the prosecution witness. The woman does not know the defendants and has never heard calls for violence, hatred and refusal of medical care from them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-06-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220610","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the defendant's request, the court is reviewing a documentary about Jehovah's Witnesses in the USSR and a fragment of a film about believers in Nazi Germany. After that, Ilya Olenin testifies. He says that extremism contradicts his beliefs: \"My grandfather, who worked as the chief prosecutor of Chelyabinsk, said an important idea: 'The main thing in our business is to keep a clear conscience.' It became my life credo.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2022-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20220609","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","ussr","nazi-germany"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. The believer reads out his attitude to the charge.\nThree witnesses are being questioned, including the embedded agent Pavel Baleichuk, who confirms the testimony given during the investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yagovitov in the village of Solnechnoye","date":"2022-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solnechny/index.html#20220609","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned by the defense. One of them states,\nthat he worked with Aliyev at the same enterprise for 8 years, characterizes him positively and says that he has not heard extremist statements from him.\nFather Sergei Shulyarenko is being interrogated. He gives him a positive characterization and confirms that his son never called for illegal actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2022-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20220608","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The testimony is given by an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Podbornov. He says that in 2018, the agency received information about Jehovah's Witnesses, in particular, that Zakaryan attracted others to the LRO. After that, the infiltrated agent Makarov met with the defendants Zakaryan and Chernyshev and began to study the Bible with them, pretending to be interested in it.\nWitness Podbornov claims that he has analyzed a large amount of information about Jehovah's Witnesses from sources of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and when asked how he determined that the defendants are members of the LRO, he replies that this is his subjective opinion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220608","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of the women claims that Olenin talked to her only on everyday topics.\nAnother witness explains that the believer did not force her to break the laws and introduce Jehovah's Witnesses to the religion. It turns out that Olenin talked to this woman about the Bible back in 2016, a year before the Supreme Court's decision to liquidate Jehovah's Witnesses' legal entities.\nThe court proceeds to examine the materials of the case, including watching video recordings of liturgical meetings. The defendant notes that one of them does not have his voice.\nThe judge, at the request of the defendant, reads out the brochure seized during the search, as well as the Bible passages contained therein.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2022-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20220608","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a witness. The assistant prosecutor asks provocative questions: \"Do you know that those who believe in Jehovah are obliged to cooperate with the authorities?\"; do you know that one of Jehovah's tenets is to tell the truth?\" The Witness mainly uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2022-06-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20220607","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"12 listeners are allowed to attend the court session. Prosecution witnesses in the Perminov case are being questioned.\nThe first to testify is the FSB officer M. E. Kozlov, who carried out operational-search activities. From his point of view, the actions of the defendant were of a religious nature, they did not contain calls for violence and incitement of hatred on any grounds.\nAccording to witnesses, wiretapping was installed in Perminov's apartment, and some telephone conversations of believers were recorded.\nDuring the interrogation, the former Jehovah's Witness confirms that Perminov did not organize a criminal community and that he read excerpts from the Bible at worship services. The people with whom the defendant discussed the biblical canons themselves expressed a desire to talk with him, and the main thing at the services was not Perminov, but Jesus Christ. The witness states that he has never heard calls for violence and hatred from believers.\nSeveral prosecution witnesses claim that Perminov did not declare the superiority of his religion over others and did not voice calls for violent actions.\nOne of the witnesses in his testimony says that the defendant did not call for his ex-wife to divorce. Also, in the audio recordings that he listened to, there were no calls for violent actions on the part of Perminov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Perminov in Asha","date":"2022-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/asha/index.html#20220606","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. Ilya Olenin speaks with an attitude to the prosecution and does not admit guilt in extremism.\nThe court is questioning three witnesses for the prosecution. One of them reports that at meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses he did not hear calls for violence and violation of the laws of the Russian Federation. Another witness cannot identify the believer.\nThe third witness is the informant V. Kotelnikova, who, on the instructions of the FSB, collected information about believers in Snezhinsk. The defense draws attention to the discrepancy between the testimony of the witness and what is recorded on the recordings of the services made by her. The woman admits that, on the initiative of the investigator, she familiarized herself with the case file, although she did not have the right to do so under the law.\nThe defendant's superior acts as a witness for the defense. He gives Olenin a positive characterization and says: \"He is a good worker. Such people should be rewarded, not judged.\"\nAt the request of the defendant, the court gets acquainted with excerpts from the Bible Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus, which refers to the use of the name \"Jehovah\" in the Bible and its replacement with the title \"Lord\".\nThe court also attaches to the case documents confirming Olenin's guardianship over his father, a disabled person of group I.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2022-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20220606","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses from the defense are being questioned. One of them, the former leader of Alexei Gorely, positively characterizes the believer.\nThe lawyer reads out materials from the 39th volume of the case, containing religious expertise, as well as statements by the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin and the decisions of the ECHR regarding Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2022-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20220603","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Religious expert V. N. Rohatin is interrogated, but his interrogation is interrupted by evacuation from the courthouse.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2022-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20220603","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"To support Sergey Sushilnikov, about 70 people once again come to the courthouse.\nThe court continues to question witnesses. The prosecution is represented by Deputy Prosecutor Taras Kucheryavenko.\nOne of the witnesses says that she does not know the defendant, but communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses once.\nAnother witness, a senior commissioner for particularly important cases of the FSB, states that Sergey Sushilnikov continued to hold meetings of a religious nature on the Internet as a leader. However, he cannot provide evidence of this, as well as explain what exactly is prohibited by the decision of the Supreme Court of April 20, 2017.\nThe court proceeds to the questioning of the witness-clergyman, despite the motion of the defense to challenge him. The Witness makes vague accusations against Jehovah's Witnesses. When Judge Anton Jordan asks for evidence, he refers to Orthodox literature.\nThe next witness is absent, so his testimony is read out. He also does not know Sushilnikov, knows nothing about Jehovah's Witnesses, has never attended their services, and learned about the ban on activities on television.\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-06-01T14:15:12+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20220601","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge asks the witness, lieutenant Grigory Lazarev, who works in the Federal Security Service of the Novosibirsk Region, to give a definition of \"extremist activity\", since his direct duty at work is to identify crimes of an extremist nature. The witness for the prosecution cannot give an exact definition of this term for a long time, and then searches for it on the Internet.\nThe judge asks questions about Seredkin and his religious activities. The witness for the prosecution explains that the defendant, having the status of a spiritual leader or “elder”, held religious meetings with fellow believers “in the spirit of the ideas and values of the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses”, and also “read religious literature, organized joint religious rituals, in particular, singing\".\nIn addition, Lazarev informs the court that from July 24, 2018 to April 19, 2019, operational-search activities were conducted against Seredkin. Their results were submitted for a religious expert study, \"as a result of which the experts concluded that individuals were involved in the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nWhen asked by the judge whether new participants were involved in the religious activity after the 2017 Supreme Court decision, the witness replied: “I don’t remember if there was any involvement.”\nTo the lawyer’s question about how exactly the continuation of the activity of the banned organization was manifested, whether Seredkin opened accounts, whether he performed operations as a legal entity, the witness explains that this included “holding meetings, reading literature, using an electronic application, leading meetings, using audio and video materials received from other participants of the banned structure.”\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seredkin in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk7/index.html#20220601","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Ekaterina Korotaeva, interrogates a resident of Sharypov as a witness in the case. The man uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Khvostov and Others in Sharypovo","date":"2022-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo2/index.html#20220528","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko testifies. He explains that the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation does not prohibit the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. He also comments on the videos of worship services, explaining the difference between the activities of legal entities and the confession of faith by individual believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2022-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20220520","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the main street of the city of Yaroslavl, security forces detain Anton Kokovin. In the apartment where Anton was staying with friends, as well as at his place of residence, the security forces conduct searches. After that, the believer is interrogated and a written undertaking not to leave is taken.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kokovin in Yaroslavl","date":"2022-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl2/index.html#20220519","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 70 believers again come to support Sushilnikov. 6 people are allowed into the courtroom. The interrogation of prosecution witnesses continues, only two appear at the hearing. Their initial written testimony is partially announced, as they differ from the answers at the trial. The interrogation of three prosecution witnesses who did not appear and three more, summoned additionally at the request of the prosecutor, is scheduled for June 1, 2022.\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20220518","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yakovlev is being prosecuted under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20220518","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates prosecution witness Yulia Anulyeva (acting head of the department of the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the Kemerovo region, Kuzbass). She confirms that Jehovah's Witnesses have been officially registered in the city of Belovo since 1993, and that throughout the years that followed, they followed all the procedures required by law to re-register and formalize their activities. She did not receive any information confirming the facts of extremist or illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. She agrees with the defendant that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was not banned, their worship services, joint meetings for chants and prayers are not illegal.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-05-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20220516","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness is being questioned at the hearing. During his acquaintance with the defendants, he did not hear any appeals of an extremist nature from them. The witness adds that he has no dislike for the defendants and considers them peaceful.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2022-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20220429","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, a district police officer, is being questioned. He is not acquainted with the defendants. The witness says that during the search he watched Komarov's windows from the street in case something was thrown out of them.\nVardan Zakaryan's wife tells the court the details of the search, during which her husband was subjected to violence. Because of this, his blood pressure rose and he needed emergency medical attention. According to her, three books of Holy Scripture of different translations were seized from them. Although the woman does not share her husband's religious views, she speaks positively of him: \"He loves me, respects me. He's a good tailor.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2022-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20220427","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who was searched in 2021 is being questioned. Prosecutor Andrei Saranskiy is interested in when the witness attended the liturgical meetings, whether she saw the defendant there and what literature she had before 2017. The prosecutor also asks the witness whether she communicated with Sushilnikov on religious topics and whether he encouraged her to distribute religious literature, to which the witness replies in the negative.\nThe lawyer interrogates the witness Tatyana Sushilnikova, the defendant's wife. She says that in 43 years of marriage with Sergey, she has never heard from him statements related to the incitement of hostility and hatred towards other people.\nAt the next court session, the questioning of witnesses will continue.\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20220427","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines information about the location of the defendant and his wife on the basis of data from a mobile operator. This document refutes the testimony of witnesses who claimed that the Popovs talked to them on religious topics: at the designated time, the spouses were in another area of the city.\nIn his testimony, Pavel Popov emphasizes that in life he is guided by the principles of love for God and for people. The defendant also draws attention to the fact that the Supreme Court did not evaluate the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses and did not prohibit the practice of this religion.\nThe defendant is being interrogated. Answering questions from the prosecutor and the judge, Popov said that the religious literature seized from him was intended for personal use. The believer also explains to the court that the term \"elder\" is purely religious and does not refer to any legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-04-22T15:58:23+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20220422","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a woman who can only provide information about the period up to 2017.\nThe next witness claims that the defendants did not make extremist calls or involve her in any illegal activity. During the interrogation, the prosecutor asks to read out the written testimony due to discrepancies with her words at the hearing. The woman claims that she signed the protocol without reading.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2022-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20220421","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation of FSB officer Toldin, the defense explains to the court that holding worship services via video link is a manifestation of law-abiding citizens during a pandemic, and not a \"conspiracy\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shulyuk in Nazarovo","date":"2022-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo/index.html#20220420","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 15, 2022, nine dwellings of Jehovah's Witnesses from Yoshkar-Ola and the village of Silikatny (Mari El), as well as in Nizhny Novgorod, were searched. They affected at least 15 people, including an 83-year-old woman. The security forces detained 39-year-old Yevgeniy Plotnikov. He was sent to a detention center.\nSearches of peaceful believers began in the morning and lasted from 6 to 8 hours. The security forces were looking for \"extremist literature and computer and other equipment, through which communication was carried out with unidentified persons during worship.\" Electronic devices, bank cards, storage media, notepads and postcards were confiscated.\nP. Betkanov, the FSB investigator for the Republic of Mari El, summoned the believers for interrogation. Some subpoenas do not indicate the investigating body, the interrogating officer and the status of the summoned citizens.\nAs part of the same criminal case in Nizhny Novgorod, a search was carried out at the home of a young family with a newborn child, who had recently moved from Yoshkar-Ola to live with their parents. The raid was led by investigator Mikhail Zaulin and detective Vyacheslav Kalistov. The security forces behaved rudely and exerted psychological pressure, forcing the believers to incriminate themselves. The young father was summoned for interrogation in Yoshkar-Ola, 350 km from home.\nUpdate. On April 17, 2022, A. Nikolayev, judge of the Yoshkar-Ola City Court of the Republic of Mari El, placed Yevgeniy Plotnikov in custody for two months. It became known that he is in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Yoshkar-Ola. Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the FSIN-letter system. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-04-19T13:28:04+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/04/191328.html","regions":["mari-el","nizhegorod"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses' Homes Were Searched in Mari El, Including the Home of an 83-Year-Old Woman. One Believer Was Arrested","type":"news"},{"body":"It became known that in the period from April 19 to April 26, 2022, searches were carried out in Maykop at local believers at at least five addresses. Some of them were interrogated by the Investigative Committee.\nOn the evening of April 19, a group of seven law enforcers searched the home of a local resident. Her computer, laptop and phone were confiscated. Law enforcers were interested in whether worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses were held in her house and whether she knew Maykop believers who were under investigation. After the search, the woman was interrogated at the Investigative Committee.\nOn April 25, another believer was searched, and electronic devices were also seized. The next day, members of the Investigative Committee raided the homes of three other families of Jehovah's Witnesses. One believer was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee, and his phone was seized. The investigator was interested in whether he had participated in home worship services.\nInvestigative measures were carried out under the leadership of the investigator of the Investigative Committee for the city of Maikop V. Shnakhov. The searches were authorized by the Maykop City Court a month earlier.\nEarlier, two residents of Maykop were prosecuted, and another believer found his name on the list of extremists of Rosfinmonitoring.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-04-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/RIAN_archive_330872_Employees_of_the_Investigating_Committee_of_the_Russian_Prosecutor's_Office_in_Tskhinvali_hu_41c36af83b19be9f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/RIAN_archive_330872_Employees_of_the_Investigating_Committee_of_the_Russian_Prosecutor's_Office_in_Tskhinvali_hu_6ab498ec224abc20.jpg","webp":"/news/common/RIAN_archive_330872_Employees_of_the_Investigating_Committee_of_the_Russian_Prosecutor's_Office_in_Tskhinvali_hu_32d3a14237150a0d.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/RIAN_archive_330872_Employees_of_the_Investigating_Committee_of_the_Russian_Prosecutor's_Office_in_Tskhinvali_hu_c41318f60a005889.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/04/291504.html","regions":["adygea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Maykop Police Continues Raids on Jehovah's Witnesses for the Second Month","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator P. S. Betkanov interrogates witnesses in the Plotnikov case. They have the right not to incriminate themselves.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Plotnikov and Others in Yoshkar-Ola","date":"2022-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yoshkar-ola2/index.html#20220418","regions":["mari-el"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Due to the fact that the secret witness \"Murat Tadzhiev\" does not appear in court, the prosecutor begins to announce the case materials. She reads out the reports \"on the discovery of a crime\" in Sannikov's actions. At the request of the lawyer, a positive reference from the defendant's place of work is announced.\nSannikov claims that \"Alexander Kamzolov\", who was interrogated earlier, gave false testimony.\nThe court extends the measure of restraint for the believer in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center until August 9, 2022.\nJudge Marat Khaertdinov refuses to satisfy Konstantin Sannikov's petitions for a meeting with his wife and for the removal of the blocking from bank accounts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220413","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses in the case continues. A neighbor of the Shayapovs says she has nothing bad to say about their family.\nA secret witness \"Makarov\" is being interrogated. She claims that Victor was a member of a local religious organization and that he himself told her about it, but this is not true. At the same time, she confirms that it is not necessary to be a member of a legal entity of the church in order to attend it.\nThe third witness being questioned says that he does not know Shayapov personally. He called the continuation of the activities of the banned organization the usual communion of believers, which was not stopped.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shayapov in Nikolsk","date":"2022-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolsk2/index.html#20220413","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning prosecution witnesses, including the landlord, Zhukov's neighbor and a colleague. All of them note that they do not know anything wrong with the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2022-04-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20220411","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In response to questions from Prosecutor Simonenko, Oleksandr Polozov reads out written notes on behalf of both defendants in the case. The believers refuse to answer other questions of the court, referring to Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2022-04-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20220408","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 25 people come to the hearing, but only 16 are allowed into the courtroom.\nWitnesses in the Shayapov case are being questioned, including the wife of the late Yuri Kim, who was involved in another criminal case. The rest of the witnesses say that they do not know Victor. There are discrepancies in their testimonies with what they said during the interrogation earlier. They confirm that they did not hear any calls for the overthrow of the government and violence from the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shayapov in Nikolsk","date":"2022-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolsk2/index.html#20220406","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning of April 6, 2022, searches were again carried out in Kazan at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses at at least two addresses. 28-year-old Aleksey Yermakov and 32-year-old Ivan Minin were taken for interrogation to the Center for Combating Extremism (CPE). Aleksey Gerasimov was interrogated there two weeks earlier.\nBelievers were seized electronic devices, postcards, personal notes and money saved for vacation. During interrogation at the CPE, Minin was offered to incriminate himself, threatened that he would be sent to a pre-trial detention center and subsequently sent to prison for 8 years.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-04-06T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/04/071627.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Believers Were Again Searched in Kazan. Two Men Were Interrogated","type":"news"},{"body":"Expert Alexei Starostin, Ph.D., who was an expert in 10 criminal cases involving Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, is being questioned at the hearing. He is asked about the name of God Jehovah, Bible translations, and various terms from spiritual literature. The expert notes that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20220405","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is questioned, and the testimony of witnesses who did not appear in court and of a woman who has already died is read out.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2022-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20220405","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the following prosecution witness, Arkady Rakhov, a representative of the Kemerovo diocese, a teacher of the discipline \"New Religious Movements\" at the Kemerovo State Institute of Culture. He explains to the court that he professes Orthodoxy. The witness is not personally acquainted with Ananin, and he cannot give examples confirming that anyone has ever suffered from the actions of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nFurther, the court interrogates the prosecution witness Vasily Mokritsky, a priest of the Orthodox Church \"Ascension Church\" in the city of Belovo. He says that he has communicated a lot with Jehovah's Witnesses, knows their creeds, but does not know the defendant and has no negative information about him.\nThe last to be interrogated is Vladislav Bashtanov, a district police officer at the defendant's place of residence. He reports that he interviewed Ananin's neighbors to compile a characterization of him. All respondents gave positive characteristics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20220404","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a witness for the prosecution - the wife of Alexander Kutin. She reports that her husband never supported any violence, did not call anyone to hatred or disobedience to authority. She describes Alexander as a kind, attentive husband and a responsible person who takes care of his mother and mother-in-law.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2022-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20220404","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Only Sannikov's relatives gather outside the courthouse due to the fact that earlier court employees expressed dissatisfaction with the support group and threatened to call the police.\nA secret witness under the pseudonym \"Alexander Kamzolov\" is being interrogated. The defense repeatedly states that they know the real name of the witness and that he is an FSB officer who was infiltrated under the guise of a person interested in the Bible. In August 2020, he was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe court does not satisfy the request to conduct the interrogation of \"Kamzolov\" in the usual manner.\nThe witness reduces the answers to the questions of the defense to the phrase: \"Sannikov said that we continue the activities of a banned legal entity.\" Judge Marat Khaertdinov draws attention to the fact that the witness does not answer on the merits and is clearly trying to incriminate the defendant.\nAnswering the question of Konstantin Sannikov, the witness addresses him as \"you\" and does not hide his hostility to the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220404","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A psychologist from a non-governmental non-profit institution of Tatarstan, one of the three experts who conducted a comprehensive psychological, linguistic and religious forensic examination, is being interrogated. The specialists were presented with 4 discs with recordings of divine services and their transcripts.\nAccording to the expert opinion dated February 15, 2021, the data from the disks indicate that Vladimir Maladyka was an active participant in the services. However, the conclusion does not provide any arguments to support this. When the expert is asked to name the specific actions of the believer on the date of the service, the specialist says that it was based on a \"set of materials\" and therefore cannot name such facts. The expert considers the prayer that the believer said at the end of one of the meetings to be the main evidence of \"guilt\".\nDefendant Vladimir Sakada draws the court's attention to the fact that \"the video recordings of the services made by the operational officer were subsequently subjected to unauthorized changes and after that were provided to the experts and the court.\" He requested that the video recordings be verified.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhukov and Others in Sevastopol","date":"2022-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol2/index.html#20220331","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Searches and interrogations are being conducted in 5 families of Jehovah's Witnesses from Sosnovoborsk. A man who is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses, with whom Yakovlev discussed Bible teachings, is also being interrogated.\nThe believer is detained and sent to a temporary detention center.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20220329","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman who has known Jehovah's Witnesses since 1993 is being interrogated. She declares that she does not know about their legal entities, she only knows the creeds. She had never heard believers propagating superiority over other religions. According to the woman, part of her preliminary testimony in the protocol was attributed by the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20220329","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 29, 2022, in the city of Sosnovoborsk, 40 km from Krasnoyarsk, searches and interrogations were carried out in 5 families of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case was opened for faith against 55-year-old Yuri Yakovlev.\nYakovlev is accused of a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation \"on the fact of organizing the activities of a religious association ... in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.\" The investigation suspects the believer of \"carrying out activities to coordinate the preaching activities of persons professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" On March 30, the Sosnovoborsk City Court decided to detain this peaceful man for 2 months.\nDuring the searches, the security forces seized laptops, hard drives, and other equipment, as well as photographs, letters, and various papers from believers.\nUpdate. Yuriy Yakovlev\u0026rsquo;s case is being conducted by the investigator of the Berezovsky District of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Captain of Justice Y. V. Prannichuk. The believer is in pre-trial detention center No. 6, located in Sosnovoborsk. He can receive letters through the FSIN-Letter system or by regular mail. Address: Yakovlev Yuriy Aleksandrovich, born 1966, SIZO No 6 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, ul. Proizvodstvennaya zona, korp. 1, g. Sosnovoborsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia, 662500. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/04/071053.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","sizo"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sosnovoborsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Were Searched; One of the Believers Is Behind Bars","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of two prosecution witnesses. They explain to the court that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses is based on the Bible and does not depend on the presence or absence of a legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shulyuk in Nazarovo","date":"2022-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo/index.html#20220328","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses. Among them is an FSB officer who informs the court that it is possible to practice religion without being a member of a local religious organization.\nWitnesses in their testimonies note that at the services they read the Bible voluntarily, no one forced them to do so, they did not hear calls for extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shulyuk in Nazarovo","date":"2022-03-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo/index.html#20220324","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer concludes with written notes and says: \"I did not commit a crime, but only exercised my constitutional right to believe in Jehovah God and live in harmony with my religious beliefs. And this was not a continuation of the activities of the liquidated \"extremist\" organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ledyaykin in Seversk","date":"2022-03-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk/index.html#20220324","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Zykov, an investigator for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, brings charges against Ilya Olenin of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the investigation, peaceful meetings with fellow believers and discussion of texts based on the Holy Scriptures can lead to undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and state security.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2022-03-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20220323","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of March 18, 2022, searches were carried out in Kazan in two families of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case was opened against 41-year-old Aleksey Gerasimov for his faith, he was placed under a recognizance agreement.\nAt 6:00 a.m., law enforcement officers invaded the homes of civilians. Electronic devices were confiscated from a large family with four children. The head of the family was interrogated for about 4 hours and then released.\nDuring searches, the Gerasimovs, who live with their mother, 71, were seized laptops, flash drives, bank cards, and a foreign passport by the security forces. On the same day, Aleksey Gerasimov was interrogated twice: first at the Center for Combating Extremism, and then at the local department of the Investigative Committee. Two more members of the believer's family were also interrogated.\nGerasimov was informed that on March 10, 2022, a criminal case was opened against him on suspicion of organizing and participating in extremist activities. The case file contains a hidden recording of a worship service, which, according to investigators, was attended by the suspect.\nAfter interrogations, investigator Airat Giniyatullin released the believer under recognizance agreement, which gives Gerasimov the opportunity to continue working and provide for his family.\nA few days before these events, another Jehovah's Witness from Kazan, Sergey Gromov, was detained at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Whether these events are related is still unknown.\nThe news is being supplemented.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-03-18T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/03/221533.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","new-case","282.2-1","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"At Least Two More Searches Were Carried Out in Kazan on Families of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Believer Is Under a Recognizance Agreement","type":"news"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing.\nThe defendant's former boss tells the court that he has known Ananin since 1991, when they simultaneously came to work at the Belovskaya State District Power Plant. He notes that Sergey became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in the early 1990s and has held himself to high moral standards ever since. In addition, according to the witness, Ananin's attitude towards people of other faiths is respectful. The witness never heard any calls for religious hatred or for the overthrow of the state system from him. He notes: \"And he is a trouble-free worker. I would like such workers.\"\nThe court summons the defendant's wife and daughter for questioning. They use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows them not to testify against their loved ones. The prosecutor reads out their testimonies from the case file, witnesses confirm them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20220316","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness who was present during the search of Konstantin Sannikov's home is summoned for interrogation. Previously, her testimony had already been read out in court, however, the prosecutor considered it necessary to interrogate her in court. From the testimony of the witness, it becomes obvious that Sannikov did not resist the operatives.\nThe lawyer again draws the court's attention to the identity of the testimony of the two witnesses. However, the woman claims that she testified on her own.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220316","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Detective Severin testifies. He explains to the court that the operative actions against Kobeleva were carried out in connection with her involvement in the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2022-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20220315","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants testify. They note that the investigation is based on assumptions, without establishing either the place or time of the \"commission of the crime\".\nAlexander Polozov emphasizes: \"The accusation is based on two erroneous assumptions. First, the Supreme Court, having banned 395 legal entities, allegedly banned the practice of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses at the same time. And secondly, if I worship God as a Jehovah's Witness, then I allegedly continue the activities of liquidated legal entities and commit a crime of an extremist nature. But the court did not forbid the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The prosecution stubbornly refuses to notice this difference.\" He adds that he became one of Jehovah's Witnesses long before the LRO appeared in Norilsk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2022-03-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20220303","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 3, 2022, at least 2 families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the Knyaz-Volkonsky rural settlement (Khabarovsk Territory). Valeriy Rabota was detained and on March 6, by a court decision, was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months.\nA search was conducted in the house of Valeriy, 60, and his wife Elvira, during which electronic devices, various translations of the Bible, personal notes, video cassettes, a camera and a video camera were seized.\nAfter the search, the spouses were taken to the investigative department for the Industrial District of Khabarovsk for interrogation. Valeriy and Elvira took advantage of the right guaranteed by Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation not to testify against themselves. Then Valeriy Rabota was detained and sent to a temporary detention facility.\nEarlier in the Khabarovsk Territory, criminal cases had already been opened against 23 Jehovah's Witnesses, one of whom, unfortunately, died in the hospital during the trial.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-03-03T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_d665666f0a5dd85a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_bd71719f669afc61.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_4aed7f4d320ebdad.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs4_hu_67833fdad2999079.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/03/071359.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","sizo","elderly"],"title":"Searches Took Place in the Khabarovsk Territory. A Believer, 60, Was Detained and Placed in a Pre-Trial Detention Center","type":"news"},{"body":"The court interrogates Elena Popova, the defendant's wife. She says that Bible principles changed Pavel's life for the better. Elena says: \"My husband has never been and I am sure he will never be an extremist, as this contradicts the very essence of a Christian, which he is.\"\nElena states that she has never met any of the women who claim that the Popovs discussed the Bible with them. Popova also notes that she never had a long dark dress and scarf, in which she was allegedly seen by one of the prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20220302","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 1, 2022, between 7 and 9 a.m. in the capital of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, representatives of the investigating authorities conducted inspections of the dwellings of believers at 5 addresses. Five men were interrogated at the Center for Combating Extremism (CCE).\nThe investigation suspects the believers of \"participation in the banned organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" They seized mobile phones and other electronic devices, storage media and personal records. Interrogations that lasted many hours were conducted by CCE officers Alan Kambolov, Marat Badoyev, Aslan Tavasiyev, Marat Pliyev, and Atsamaz Pliyev. The detainees were asked questions about their religion and the content of their conversations with fellow believers. After interrogation, they were all released.\nAccording to current data, no criminal case has been initiated at the moment. Inspections and interrogations took place as part of the operational-search activities authorized by the judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Semyon Mzokov.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-03-01T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_24ad70e1aa0e2a2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao.jpg","webp":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_f1aae88eb07ca8e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_d2d4237a735db5c7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/03/111414.html","regions":["osetia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["inspection","interrogation"],"title":"Five Vladikavkaz-Based Families of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Raided. Believers Were Released After Long Interrogations","type":"news"},{"body":"During the interrogation, two witnesses for the prosecution say that they attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses, but did not personally know the defendant Shulyuk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shulyuk in Nazarovo","date":"2022-02-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo/index.html#20220225","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Pasynkovs are summoned for interrogation as witnesses in the criminal case against Irina Perefilieva.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2022-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20220221","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 10 people gather outside the courthouse to support the believer, but no one is allowed to attend the hearing.\nA prosecution witness who attended worship services from 1999 to 2020 is being questioned. In his testimony, he says that Jehovah's Witnesses are \"good people, better fathers, heads of families, the use of the word 'extremism' in relation to Jehovah's Witnesses is unthinkable, they are peaceful people.\" He also affirms that the New World Translation is one of the translations of the Bible and that there is \"a peaceful, kind atmosphere\" at the services.\nThe defense manages to find out that the wording that was used in the testimony of the witness was drawn up by the investigator.\nThe court rejects the defense's request for a medical examination of the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220217","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a former colleague of Andrei Zhukov. The woman reports that the defendant never invited her or other employees to join any religious organization. Relations in the team were good.\nAlso, two of Sorokin's colleagues are invited to the court for interrogation. They report that they have not heard any calls from the believer for any reprehensible actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2022-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20220217","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Near the courthouse there is a support group for a believer of 10 people.\nThe court dismisses the defendant's request to suspend the proceedings due to the difficult epidemiological situation in the Russian Federation and the Kemerovo region.\nThe prosecutor reads out the indictment.\n4 prosecution witnesses are being questioned. The first of them, a senior forensic expert of the Investigative Committee, reads out an expert opinion, according to which no signs of illegal activity were found in Sergey Ananin's laptop and flash drive under study.\nTwo other witnesses tell the court that they know the defendant personally and cannot provide any evidence confirming the extremist activities of Sergei Ananin.\n\"He does not deviate from the canonical norms - \"do not kill, do not steal\" - and other well-known principles,\" explains one of them.\nThe next witness for the prosecution, an employee of the defendant at work, confirms that he knows Sergey as a wonderful family man and a person who respects the religious beliefs of others. In addition, Sergey is known to him as an excellent specialist, who has proven himself well in the circle of colleagues, who had no complaints from the management and disagreements with employees. \"We are waiting for him at work,\" says the witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2022-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20220215","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Material evidence shall be provided to the court. The court restricts the defense in the study of these subjects. The defendant Postnikov asks to include in the record of the court session comments on the actions of the judge, which violate his right to defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2022-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20220215","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tatyana Oleinik is summoned to the investigation department of the FSB to familiarize herself with the decision to initiate a criminal case and interrogate her as a suspect. The believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleynik in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk6/index.html#20220215","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case, at least 31 searches are being carried out in the villages of Vyselki, Berezanskaya, Buzinovskaya, Novodonetskaya, Zhuravskaya, in the village of Gazyr, the village of Zarya, and the Beysuzhek Second farm. Another search is taking place in Novorossiysk. In total, at least 51 people are affected, including those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses. Among the victims of the actions of the security forces are three elderly women, one of whom is 75 years old, and the other two are over 80. Electronic devices, bank cards and personal records were seized from believers.\nVitaliy Ushakov and Yevgeniy Bochko are interrogated at the Korenovsk Investigative Committee. Aleksey Shubnikov is being interrogated at the Investigative Committee department in Vyselki, where he was obliged to report on his own. After the interrogations, Vitaliy is placed in a temporary detention facility, and Yevgeniy and Aleksey are allowed to go home.\nLaw enforcement officers do not find Valery Vechkayev at home, so they break down the front door and conduct a search without the presence of the owners. The security forces armed with machine guns who came home to Vechkayev's youngest daughter and mother-in-law are not allowed to enter. They spend several hours on the street, as a result of which the daughter falls ill.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2022-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20220213","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Lepsky and his wife are being searched. It lasts 7 hours. According to Vladimir, in the temporary dwelling where he and his wife settled, law enforcement officers turn over all things, the bed, and look through documents. As a result, law enforcement officers confiscate electronic devices, bank pension cards, modems with a SIM card and personal records. Vladimir is being interrogated. Because of the stress, his wife feels bad and her blood pressure rises.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lepskiy in Vyselki","date":"2022-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki12/index.html#20220213","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Nazarov's house is being searched, which lasts more than 3 hours. Despite the request to hold it quietly — the couple are caring for a son with a disability — the officers act without much delicacy (they throw things on the floor and force Nazarov to pick them up, they use rude language).\nAfter the search, the believer and his wife are interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Nazarov in Vyselki","date":"2022-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki13/index.html#20220213","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On Sunday morning, 13 February 2022, at least 25 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were raided in the villages of Vyselki and Berezanskaya in Krasnodar Territory. Another search took place in Novorossiysk. According to preliminary information, a criminal case was opened for belief in God against three men — Valeriy Vichkayev, Vitaliy Ushakov and Yevgeniy Bochko.\nUshakov, 41, was placed in the detention center in the town of Korenovsk after interrogation. In the coming days, the court will decide on his measure of restraint. The 46-year-old Bochkov was also interrogated in Korenovsk, but by the evening he was released home. Law enforcement officers did not find Valeriy Vichkayev at home, broke down the front door and conducted a search without the owners being present. Law enforcement officers, some of whom were armed with submachine guns, did not let Vichkaev's mother-in-law and the youngest daughter into the house without any explanation. The daughter was sick after spending several hours in the street.\nAnother peaceful believer allegedly became a suspect. He was interrogated, but, due to his disability, was not taken away from Vyselki village and was released on recognizance not to leave.\nUpdate. On February 15, 2022, the court chose a measure of restraint for Vitaliy Ushakov in the form of detention for a period of 2 months. Three days later, his wife was searched again. On February 21, the believer is planned to be transferred to the pre-trial detention center in the city of Krasnodar.\nAleksey Shubnikov, Valeriy Vichkayev and Yevgeniy Bochko were given a ban on certain actions: believers are not allowed to use the telephone, the Internet, leave their area of residence, communicate with defendants in a criminal case and, in general, with Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAccording to updated data, on February 13, 2022, at least 31 searches were carried out in the Kuban. In addition to the villages of Vyselki and Berezanskaya, raids took place in the villages of Buzinovskaya, Novodonetskaya, Zhuravskaya, the village of Gazyr, the village of Zarya, and the Beysuzhek the Second farm, including 75-year-old and 81-year-old believers. In total, the searches affected at least 51 people, including those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses. In one case, an elderly woman, about 85 years of age, was subjected to a three-hour search. Electronic devices, bank cards and personal records were confiscated from believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-02-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_a40cecf496601106.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_59b3c42f7ba1668c.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_3fcbebbe31916c7c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_ec97b38ee75f388c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/02/151600.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","ivs","recognizance-agreement","disability","282.2-1"],"title":"Mass Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Kuban. At Least One Believer Was Sent to Jail","type":"news"},{"body":"The court interrogates the senior investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Zavarnitsyna. She says that the defendant, together with his wife, came to her place of residence and talked about his faith, but did not involve him in any organization.\nAlthough the witness could not identify Popov during the preliminary investigation, she immediately recognizes him in court. The prosecutor reads out the written testimony of the witness, as they differ from her words at the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20220207","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses for the prosecution are being questioned at the hearing, including Shcherbakov, a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, who was involved in the case as an expert. He retells the history of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and explains that the form of this name is in the Synodal translation of the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2022-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20220202","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The witness on the part of the prosecution A. Nekrasov, who is an operative of the criminal investigation department of Yugorsk, is being interrogated. He was also present during a search of Zhukov's apartment on August 19, 2020, during which electronic media, flash cards, laptops, and disks were seized.\nThe court interrogates the wife of the defendant Ivan Sorokin. It uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2022-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20220202","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexei Lelikov's wife and daughter are summoned for interrogation as witnesses in the FSB Directorate for the Krasnodar Territory. Answering investigator Rudenko's questions, the women use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows them not to testify against themselves and their loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2022-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20220131","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Lelikov family is being searched. Law enforcement officers are not armed, do not use violent actions. Aleksey is taken for interrogation, after which he is released on his own recognizance.\nLieutenant Colonel of Justice Nikita Rudenko, senior investigator of the FSB of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, is prosecuting Lelikov as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2022-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20220128","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses in the case are being questioned.\nThey do not support their testimony recorded in the protocols of their interrogations shortly after the searches in July 2019.\nThe court interrogates the detective Osipov. He tells the details of the operational-search activities: how the defendant was surveilled, how the secret recording of divine services was carried out, etc.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zavrazhnov in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2022-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod/index.html#20220128","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 28, 2022, a series of searches and interrogations took place in the Krasnodar Territory. Criminal cases have been initiated against at least two peaceful believers: Pavel Sidorenko, 64, and Aleksey Lelikov, 61.\nSearches began around 6:30 in the morning and lasted about five hours, after which the men were taken for interrogation to the Krasnodar Territory FSB and then released. There were no reports of physical force or other violent actions towards the believers.\nDuring the search of the Sidorenko's house in Prigorodny, their adult daughter, who has a serious diagnosis, had a seizure. Law enforcement officers seized a laptop, phones, SIM-cards and memory cards, a Bible symphony and personal records from the family. The case was initiated against Pavel Sidorenko on suspicion of participation in extremist activity (part 2 article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). He signed a pledge not to leave.\nThe search of Alexey Lelikov's house was led by FSB Lieutenant Colonel Nikita Rudenko. The law enforcement officers seized literature, not included in the list of prohibited items: a book by religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko and an atlas of ancient Israel. In addition, they seized laptops, phones and plastic folders in which the utility receipts were kept.\nThe criminal case against Lelikov was opened by senior investigator Anton Poltoratsky on January 20, 2022. The believer is suspected of continuing the activities of a banned organization (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code), \"undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and state security,\" which was expressed through reading the Bible and preaching, a common practice of Jehovah's Witnesses which is not prohibited in Russia. Lelikov's wife and daughter are witnesses in the case.\nThere have already been 15 criminal cases in the Krasnodar Territory for practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the same time, the Plenum of the Supreme Court ruled that holding peaceful worship services cannot be considered a crime by itself.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-01-28T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/02/021103/image_hu_ee80051713b013d5.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/02/021103/image_hu_7ae9915df0023392.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/02/021103/image_hu_5c3d22fbbdc5d376.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/02/021103/image_hu_be56baacf0288aec.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/02/021103.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","interrogation","282.2-2","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"A Series of Searches Took Place in Kuban. Two Criminal Cases Were Initiated Against Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"},{"body":"Mikhail Potapov's wife is being interrogated. She characterizes her husband as a kind, decent, caring person. She did not hear any extremist statements from him. According to her, he has no bad habits and there have been no complaints against him from his place of work; Relations with neighbors are good.\nDuring the interrogation of the next witness, it turns out that she does not know the defendants well, and her testimony in court does not coincide with what she said during the investigation.\nThe prosecutor proposes to compare the texts of the testimony and reads out the interrogation protocol. The woman claims that many of the words written there do not belong to her, for example, that Potapov and Gobozev spoke negatively about power and religion. In addition, the witness doubts the authenticity of some of his signatures on the interrogation protocols.\nShe also says that the investigator wrote down in advance in a notebook the text that she had to read on camera during the interrogation. If a woman added something on her own, then the recording was made repeatedly, she was threatened with deprivation of work, housing and insulted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2022-01-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20220127","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of another prosecution witness. The woman, who during the preliminary investigation stated that Pavel Popov and his wife talked to her on religious topics, does not recognize the defendant in the courtroom.\nSince earlier in the investigator's office the woman allegedly identified Pavel and his wife Elena from photographs, the prosecutor requests that the court take into account the written testimony that the witness gave during the preliminary investigation. Judge Maria Melnikova granted the request.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20220121","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the court hearing, despite the objection of the prosecutor Sidorenko, Judge Ekaterina Soldatenko agrees to view a fragment of the videoconference of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated October 28, 2021. Sergey Belousov notes that, according to the decision of the Plenum, the divine services of Jehovah's Witnesses do not in themselves constitute corpus delicti.\nVideo recordings of 5 worship services are played, which, as the believer explains, are not meetings of members of the banned LRO.\nA defense witness who is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses is being questioned. He characterizes Sergey Belousov as someone who has a decent reputation among the residents of Seversk. \"The person is sympathetic, good. [...] If he was a bad person, then so many people would not worry about him,\" the witness notes.\n","caseTitle":"Belousov's case in Seversk","date":"2022-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk2/index.html#20220120","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The materials of the case and the conclusion of the expert Alexei Starostin are being examined, although he himself is not interrogated.\nThe prosecutor announces that he will use the results of the examinations as evidence for the prosecution.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-01-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20220119","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The stage of providing evidence to the defense begins.\nDefense witnesses are being interrogated - a neighbor of the Postnikovs and their relative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2022-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20220118","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor filed a motion for the disclosure of the testimony of the witness, to whom the believer Venera Dulova allegedly came. The judge grants the request.\nThe witness states that his testimony given to the investigator was \"clearly embellished\". He says that he has never been shown or offered any religious literature mentioning Jehovah's Witnesses, has never been invited to religious meetings, and believers have never even introduced themselves in conversation as representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses denomination.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20220118","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses are being questioned. They characterize Lyudmila as a sympathetic and generous person who leads a decent lifestyle and goes in for sports. Colleagues at work note that she enjoys great respect in the team, does not conflict with people, does not show prejudice against representatives of other religions.\nAn FSB officer who was present in the courtroom throughout the hearings is being questioned as a witness. Since the case file does not contain a court order to search Salikova's home, the lawyer asks the witness on what basis the operational-search measures were carried out. The FSB officer says that this was done by the decision of his superiors.\nThe court is examining the materials of Salikova's case - her personal notes, postcards, as well as one of the editions of the Bible. After reading a magazine clipping titled \"12 Reasons to Be Happy,\" the judge notes that \"you can't argue with that.\"\nThe judge learns that the defendant's work experience is 30 years, and attaches her certificate of Veteran of Labor and Veteran of the Nuclear Industry to the case file.\nThe lawyer points out that there is not a single fact of the defendant committing extremist actions in the case file and asks for an acquittal.\nThe prosecutor requests a punishment for the believer in the form of 6.5 years in a general regime colony.\nLyudmila addresses the court with her last word. She does not admit guilt in extremism, emphasizing: \"The goals of Jehovah's Witnesses are the most peaceful, and I am guided in my life exclusively by the Bible.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk","date":"2022-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk/index.html#20220118","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["punishment-request","first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation and reading of the testimony of another witness. She recalls that during the first interrogation, the investigator threatened her that her children \"would be sent to an orphanage, and their mother would be imprisoned.\"\nSvintsov's lawyer asks the judge to pronounce the name \"Jehovah\" correctly, since the mispronunciation of God's name hurts the feelings of the defendants as believers. The defendant Pryanikov explains to the court how to pronounce the name of God correctly. The judge tries to read out the name of God, putting the emphasis in the right way.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2022-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20220117","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Authorities are searching Kalistratov's home. Electronic equipment, documents, bank cards and personal records are seized from the believer. At the same time, searches are being conducted at the homes of other believers from Gorno-Altaisk. In total, 5 searches are known.\nAfter the search, Kalistratov is taken away for interrogation. Investigator Firsov attracts the believer as a defendant in case No. 12102840008000049 and chooses a measure of restraint for him in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalistratov in Gorno-Altaysk","date":"2022-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gorno_altaysk/index.html#20220116","regions":["altai"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 20 people gather outside the courthouse to support the believer.\nThe prosecution witness, who acted as a witness during the search, is being questioned. The protocol of the interrogation of the second witness is also announced. Their testimonies are identical, stating that the items were \"forcibly seized\"; \"medical literature that was relevant to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses\" was found. In this regard, the defense is perplexed as to what explains the \"identity of the testimony in whole paragraphs.\"\nKonstantin Sannikov declares the perjury of witnesses and explains: \"I am a Jehovah's Witness, I serve Jehovah God, I have never hidden it, I always keep the Bible at home. During the search, I did not oppose, as I am a law-abiding person.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2022-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20220114","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Yevgeniy Grinenko, Sergey Kobelev and Svetlana Efremova. All of them are accused in the same criminal case, from which the case of Galina Kobeleva was eventually separated. All witnesses use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2022-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20220114","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Despite the severe frost, 18 people come to the courthouse to support the defendant.\nThe court reads out Belousov's characteristics from the place of work, from neighbors, as well as letters of thanks from the school for the good upbringing of his daughter.\nA defense witness who has known the defendant for more than 10 years is being interrogated. He notes: \"Sergey is a respectable, modest, educated person, ready to support in difficult times. A friend, in short. You can always talk to him about something, on any topic. Fun enough.\"\n","caseTitle":"Belousov's case in Seversk","date":"2022-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk2/index.html#20220114","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another witness for the prosecution is a woman who is interested in the Bible. To all questions, including about the defendant's role in the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, she answers: \"I don't know.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2022-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20220113","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the court session, the believer testifies. The lawyer submits a motion to return the case to the prosecutor, but the judge rejects it. The prosecutor requests an adjournment of the hearing because he needs to prepare for the debate.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2022-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod6/index.html#20220113","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 25 people come to the courthouse to support the believers.\nDutkin's lawyer requests the questioning of some experts, whose conclusion states that the actions of the defendants led to the breakdown of family and family relations. However, not a single fact proving this claim is even mentioned in the documents. The lawyer insists that the experts give grounds for such conclusions. The judge rejects the petition.\nIn court, the written notes are read out by the defendant Yakovlev. He draws attention to the public benefit of the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, who try to maintain order and urge not to obstruct the authorities.\nThe prosecutor asks the court to give the prosecution time to prepare a statement in the debate.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2022-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20220112","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of religious scholar L. S. Astakhova, who conducted religious studies and sociological-religious examinations, is being held via video conferencing.\nShe explains that the confession of faith by Jehovah's Witnesses did not change after 2017 and remained a simple expression of their religious views, and did not become the activity of a legal entity. The judge interrupts the expert several times and asks him to testify only on the merits of the charges against Vitaliy Omelchenko, and not about Jehovah's Witnesses in general, and also to take into account the latest clarifications of the Plenum of the Supreme Court.\nThe defendant's wife and two of his co-religionists are invited for interrogation. All of them characterize Vitaliy Omelchenko positively. They also tell the court that they have never heard it call for violence or incitement to hatred, or to refuse medical intervention.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Omelchenko in Murmansk","date":"2022-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/murmansk/index.html#20220112","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Vladimir Gusev, Head of the Department for Non-Profit Organizations of the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Karelia.\nThe defender of one of the believers asks the witness: \"In connection with the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation [of 20.04.2017 on the prohibition of local religious organizations], could the activity related to issues of faith continue, is it possible to continue to believe?\" He answers: \"As far as I know, how can you forbid believing at all? In principle, we do not deal with these issues, we do not go and find out who believes in what.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2022-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20220112","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses begins.\nOne of them answers most of the questions uncertainly, adding at the end of the answer \"probably\", \"in my opinion\", \"I don't remember exactly\".\nThe defense notes that the testimony of one of the witnesses in court diverges from the written ones. As a result, it turns out that the woman attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2009-10 - that is, during a period that does not apply to the case under consideration.\nOne of Mikhail Gordeev's employees is being interrogated. He speaks of the believer as a very good worker. Their relations in the team were smooth, not conflicting.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2022-01-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20220111","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\nOne of the witnesses tells the court that the protocols she signed contain information that she did not report and which was added by the operational officer herself, and she was forced to sign the document.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zavrazhnov in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2022-01-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod/index.html#20220110","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"22 people come to the courthouse to support the believer, but none of them are allowed into the courtroom.\nAt the hearing, the characteristics of the defendant, his certificates and letters of thanks from the heads of various departments are read out.\nThe judge attaches to the case the defendant's appeal to the Ministry of Justice and the response of the Ministry.\nAndrey Ledyaykin's immediate supervisor from his last place of work is being interrogated. He characterizes the defendant as \"an exceptionally decent, responsible person, a professional in his field.\" He also says that Ledyaykin, when he learned about the criminal case, voluntarily wrote a letter of resignation, although the management discouraged him from doing so, and adds: \"When he left, many cried.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ledyaykin in Seversk","date":"2021-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk/index.html#20211229","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"10 people gather outside the courthouse to support the believers. The hearing is held with the participation of two state prosecutors: Alexander Burenkov and Yulia Boruti.\nJudge Yuriy Klyupa rejects Andrey Zhukov's petition to refuse a lawyer by appointment.\nIvan Sorokin speaks with an attitude to the accusation. He draws the court's attention to the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 32 of October 28, 2021, which states that joint worship services in themselves do not constitute a crime under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe believer also explains that the attendance of Jehovah's Witnesses worship services by the persons whose testimony formed the basis of the accusation \"was related to their intention to assist law enforcement agencies in collecting and transmitting secretly made recordings of such meetings ... There was a direct provocation.\"\nThe court interrogates the son of Ivan Sorokin and three other people who use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. One of the women retracts the testimony given during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2021-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20211229","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"10 people gather outside the courthouse to support the believers. The hearing is held with the participation of two state prosecutors: Alexander Burenkov and Yulia Boruti.\nJudge Yuriy Klyupa rejects Andrey Zhukov's petition to refuse a lawyer by appointment.\nIvan Sorokin speaks with an attitude to the accusation. He draws the court's attention to the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 32 of October 28, 2021, which states that joint worship services in themselves do not constitute a crime under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe believer also explains that the attendance of Jehovah's Witnesses worship services by the persons whose testimony formed the basis of the accusation \"was related to their intention to assist law enforcement agencies in collecting and transmitting secretly made recordings of such meetings ... There was a direct provocation.\"\nThe court interrogates the son of Ivan Sorokin and three other people who use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. One of the women retracts the testimony given during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2021-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20211229","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Konstantin Kokorin, Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic, is prosecuting Mikhail Derendyaev, Alexander Kutin and Sergey Ashikhmin as defendants under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAmong other things, believers are accused of face-to-face and online worship services, where they watched religious videos, prayed, sang songs and talked about pandemic precautions between April 20, 2017 and April 14, 2021. The investigation considers all this to be \"illegal actions\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2021-12-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20211228","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates police agent Ruzayeva via video conferencing. According to her, she attended two worship meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses. She did not see Pavel Popov there, but only heard his voice. Witness Ruzayeva admits that Popov did not encourage those present to participate in the activities of the banned organization and did not promote superiority over other religions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20211227","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 15, 2021, in Samara, security forces searched 10 homes of local residents believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses and interrogated 16 people. Denis Kuzyanin, Sergey Palasenko and Nikolay Vasilyev were detained, and on December 16, the Samara District Court arrested them for 2 months.\nIn some cases, having burst into a dwelling, law enforcement officers behaved rudely and used violence. A 23-year-old believer said that in response to his refusal to provide the password for his laptop, the security forces began putting a heated kettle on his hands and pouring hot water on his arms, legs and neck until witnesses came. The man was forced to lie on the floor for several hours. In addition, he was forced to sign the protocol, using brute physical force against him. The believer was threatened with long prison terms, physical violence and further torture. The search lasted about 7 hours, then he was taken to the FSB department for questioning. The believer was treated with respect there.\nUpdate. At 6:20 am, the security forces broke down the door of the apartment where IT specialist Nikolay Vasiliyev and two of his fellow believers live. According to the believer, there were at least 8 people who broke into the house together with the FSB investigator. One of the security officers - in uniform and mask - took out a pistol and, pointing it at the residents, ordered them to lie down on the floor. When the believer complied with the order, the law enforcement officer hit him hard on the inside of the thigh with a boot, so that he left a hematoma on Nikolay\u0026rsquo;s body. He was handcuffed, forced to his knees and, by turning on the video, ordered to read aloud the search warrant. Then the believer received several blows to the head. During the beating, he fell and hit his forehead on the edge of the table, after which he was photographed. In another case, the search took place early in the morning. At 6:20 riot policemen came to the communal apartment where the spouses — Jehovah's Witnesses live. FSB captain Sergey Smolin conducted a search as part of a criminal case against Palasenko, Kuzyanin and Vasilyev, which was initiated the day before. The spouses were ordered to put their phones on a table in the center of the room, recorded all incoming calls and were asked to answer them. The investigator showed the spouses screenshots taken during the video conferences, and also convinced them that law enforcement officers read the correspondence of believers in the Viber messenger in real time. The search of the house and car of the couple lasted 7 hours, after which they were taken to the FSB department, where they were interrogated separately from each other.\nOne of the searches took place in a family with a small child who was treated to candy by police officers.\nThe Samara Region has become the 70th region of Russia where criminal cases have been initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses (according to the Constitution, there are 85 subjects in Russia in total).\nDespite the explanations of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, law enforcement officers continue to prosecute civilians for practicing their religion, ignoring the fact that the divine services of Jehovah's Witnesses, their joint rituals and ceremonies do not constitute a crime in themselves.\n","category":"crime","date":"2021-12-21T15:02:25+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_a40cecf496601106.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_59b3c42f7ba1668c.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_3fcbebbe31916c7c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs3_hu_ec97b38ee75f388c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/12/211502.html","regions":["samara"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","sizo","interrogation","torture"],"title":"A Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Samara. Three Were Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center, One Reported Torture During a Search","type":"news"},{"body":"A witness who is visually impaired is being questioned. He explains that he has known Bochkarev since 2017, they discussed the Bible together. The witness notes that the defendant did not express any extremist ideas and helped him in every possible way.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2021-12-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20211217","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense submits a statement about the discrepancy between the list of seized items and the protocols of searches and inspections.\nDuring a number of sessions, the defendants are interrogated. They read out their written notes. Answering the questions of the prosecutor and the judge, believers use Article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2021-12-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20211216","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Fyodor Sereda is being questioned. He refutes his earlier testimony against Elena Menchikova. When asked by the prosecutor about Elena's collection of funds, Fyodor replies that \"no one walked around the hall with boxes, especially Menchikov.\"\nElena reminds the court of the clarifications of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of October 28, 2021, that the divine services of Jehovah's Witnesses, their joint rituals and ceremonies do not in themselves constitute a crime under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2021-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20211210","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates FSB officer Tsyplakov. According to him, investigative measures against Prokhorov were carried out because he has been a Jehovah's Witness for a long time. Another reason is that in the videos provided by an undercover FSB informant, Nikolai Prokhorov performs songs of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the same time, he notes that during the meetings for worship \"no one was hurt ... There was nothing life-threatening there.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2021-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20211208","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"December 8-9, 2021\nThe case is being considered by Judge Sergei Galayuda. He asks Galina Kobeleva about her religious views. He is interested in whether she venerates icons, whether she wears a cross, how her religion differs from Orthodoxy, and what kind of Bible she reads.\nGalina Kobeleva expresses her attitude to the charges. The investigation accuses the believer of \"assisting E. A. Grinenko in organizing meetings of the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in Lesozavodsk, acting as a coordinator.\" In particular, she is accused of maintaining the accounting document flow of the LRO.\nGalina replies that after the liquidation of the LRO, there was no need for such work. She also says: \"Since 2017, there have been no meetings of the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in Lesozavodsk. Worship meetings were held—meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses. I have never assisted or coordinated these worship meetings, because according to the Bible, these are supposed to be done by men. These were meetings of fellow believers or worship services, which are in every denomination and are the right to profess any religion together with others - a right enshrined in Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nThe believer draws the court's attention to the actions of the infiltrated FSB agent Mrachko, whose testimony largely formed the basis of the accusation. She emphasizes that he himself took the initiative and asked to study the Bible with him, and also repeatedly said that he wanted to attend worship services.\nKobeleva also refers to the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 10/28/2021: \"Given [his] explanations, it cannot be considered a crime to read the Bible and spiritual literature, talk about one's faith, convene fellow believers for a peaceful, joint confession of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, when they gather together with others for worship.\"\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned, including two FSB officers and two elderly parents of one of the defendants in the case, Yevgeny Grinenko.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20211208","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"5 listeners are allowed into the courtroom. At the meeting, the materials of 8 volumes of the criminal case are announced.\nProsecution witnesses, including an embedded FSB agent, are being questioned. Witnesses answer the lawyer's questions about whether the defendant called for the overthrow of the constitutional order, whether she promoted the exclusivity, superiority or inferiority of a person on the basis of his nationality, religion, social status - witnesses answer in the negative. Also, all of them, except for the female agent, characterize Lyudmila Salikova positively.\nThe believer reads out her attitude to the charge. She states: \"I consider the criminal prosecutions to be politically motivated repressions for faith. Extremism is alien to me. I was just exercising my right to profess religion. The investigator unreasonably replaced the concept of exercising the right of citizens to freedom of religion, guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, with the concept of \"carrying out criminal activity.\" She continues: \"During the investigation, the investigator collected a lot of evidence that I am a believer. Eight volumes of evidence that I prayed, sang songs, talked about Jehovah God, read the Bible, that is, participated in worship services. I have never denied that I profess the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk","date":"2021-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk/index.html#20211208","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Grichanyuk, the landlord of the premises, is being interrogated. She states that she was approached by some people with a request to install equipment for hidden video and audio recording in the office where the lease agreement was concluded. At the same time, she does not know what event took place in the rented hall, who those present were. According to the witness, she assumed that the audience were relatives.\nThe prosecutor additionally examines the protocols of the interrogation of the witness: the rental price declared at the meeting differs from that indicated in the interrogation protocol.\nIt turns out that the video recordings attached to the case are stored in another criminal case, so it is not possible to view them. Kirill Yevstigneev declares that he will give his testimony only after studying the video materials and written materials of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2021-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod6/index.html#20211207","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After 6.5 months of preliminary investigation, an indictment of 118 pages is issued against Boris Yagovitov.\nAs evidence of the \"crime\", the testimony of Baleichuk is given, who, after several conversations with the believer, turned to the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and agreed to participate in operational-search activities. The case file contains audio recordings of both his personal conversations with the accused and divine services at which the informant was present in person.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yagovitov in the village of Solnechnoye","date":"2021-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solnechny/index.html#20211207","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the witness Glebova. She reports that she knows Evgeny Grinenko and Svetlana Efremova, who has been a friend of her mother for more than 20 years.\nThe woman says that she had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok. The last time I attended one of them was in 2000. The witness explains that only biblical topics were discussed at the services, she never witnessed anyone being forced to attend these meetings, participate in them, or talk about God with other people.\nGlebova does not know the essence of the charges brought against the defendants, as well as what exactly was prohibited by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in 2017.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-12-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211206","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court rejects the defense's petition to declare the religious examination inadmissible.\nThe defendant is being interrogated. Batchaev gives explanations about the accusations against him. He comments on one of the songs: \"The lyrics of this song teach me to treat all people with respect, to be merciful, humble, to forgive sincerely from the heart, to show compassion.\"\nHe further says: \"I am not a representative of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, liquidated in the Russian Federation for extremist activities. It may be hard for the prosecution to believe it, but I do not have the status of a legal entity! And in order to believe in God, I don't need any permissions! Through the Bible, God tells how to worship him. And I participated in peaceful worship not at the behest of any organization, but of my own free will.\"\nRegarding the letters of support attached to the case file as physical evidence, Albert explains: \"They do not prove that I am some kind of spiritual leader and have great authority among Jehovah's Witnesses. These letters are living proof of sincere and unselfish Christian love.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Batchaev in Cherkessk","date":"2021-12-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk/index.html#20211202","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A search is underway in the home of 33-year-old Denis Sarazhakov in the village of Askiz (Republic of Khakassia). The believer is suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist community (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). To get into the apartment, one of the security officials first imitates a drunk driver who allegedly crumpled Denis's car standing in the yard. In the end, they introduce themselves as police officers, and when the owner opens the door, he is knocked to the floor. The search, led by Police Major Vladimir Zimin, takes place in a harsh manner, but without violence: the security forces turn over furniture, open the window slope. They seize all electronic devices and after the end of the search, they take Denis Sarazhakov first to the local branch of the Investigative Committee, and then to Irkutsk, located 1500 km from the village of Askiz.\nIn the same case, special events are being held in the city of Mezhdurechensk (Kemerovo Region). At about 3 a.m., the security forces raided the homes of Igor and Mangira Popov with a search, seizing electronic equipment and money from them. After that, the 34-year-old head of the family is detained and taken away in an unknown direction.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2021-11-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20211130","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-1","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court continues to consider the evidence. Witness Vladimir Nesterenko is being interrogated. When asked if he is familiar with the defendant, he replies that a certain Sergey came to his house a couple of times, told something, but does not remember what exactly the conversation was about. Among the defendants present in the courtroom, he could not accurately identify Sergei. He also reports that some women came to his wife and talked to her about Bible topics.\nWhen asked by the defense whether Jehovah's Witnesses, communicating with him and his wife, called for the overthrow of state power, to show hatred towards persons of another nationality and another race, the witness replies that this did not happen.\nThe court shall grant the request for the disclosure of the testimony of the said witness in connection with a significant contradiction with the testimony given by him during the preliminary investigation.\nThe testimony of Vladimir Nesterenko dated June 26, 2021, which the witness cannot confirm, explaining that he does not remember anything, is read out.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-11-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211129","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Gogolin conducts an interrogation of Zinaida Minenko, which lasts 4 hours. The believer declares her desire to use Article 51 of the Constitution and not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minenko in Zheleznovodsk","date":"2021-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zheleznovodsk/index.html#20211127","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A search is underway in a large family. Phones and tablets are seized from the spouses, and after the search they are taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2021-11-25T16:36:27+02:00","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20211125","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Officers of the FSB and the Investigative Committee invade the homes of six residents of Lesosibirsk. Electronic devices, information carriers, and Bibles are seized from believers. In some cases, law enforcement officers take photos and videos. After the searches, Valery Shitz and several other believers were taken for interrogation, after which they were released.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Schitz in Lesosibirsk","date":"2021-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk/index.html#20211125","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Elena Nesterenko, who participated in operational activities, is being interrogated. She tells the court that in 2020 she talked several times with two women on biblical topics, which she later reported to a friend of the criminal investigation officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Lesozavodsk. After that, video equipment was installed in her apartment, recording everything that happened, and the recording of the conversations was transferred to the investigating authorities. In her written testimony, the witness indicated that the defendant Kobelev had also come to her, but on identification she realized that it was not him.\nThe witness also says that she once attended a worship service of Jehovah's Witnesses with her daughter and that this was her voluntary desire. Believers read psalms and sang songs. Earlier in her testimony, she noted that the defendant Kobelev held a leading position. At the trial, she explains that his leadership was that he brought a laptop and \"switched\" something there, and also \"said what songs should be sung, what should be read, monitored the operation of the equipment.\"\nWhen asked whether anything forbidden happened at the meeting, the witness answers in the negative. She says there have been no calls for violence or overthrow, and that Jehovah's Witnesses \"are not allowed to take up arms by faith.\" The witness also confirms that she was not offered to join the organization, make a monetary contribution or make a donation.\nThe defense claims contradictions in the testimony of the witness at the hearing and during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211122","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness \"Averyanov\" is being interrogated. He states that he was sitting in the same cell with Bochkarev and that he offered him \"to join the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" Then he asks several times to read out the testimony that he gave at the preliminary investigation, referring to the fact that he does not remember anything. At the end of the interrogation, Bochkarev declares that the testimony of the witness does not correspond to reality.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2021-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20211119","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witnesses \"Semenov\" and \"Osokina\" are being interrogated. The judge rejects the lawyer's request to declassify them.\n\"Semyonov\" tells how some man and woman came to him, talked about God, while adding that the believers behaved culturally, did not insult, did not threaten, did not express religious or social superiority. When asked by the lawyer whether he had previously testified in the present case under the pseudonym \"Ivanov\", the witness replied that he did not know him, despite the fact that their testimony completely coincided.\n\"Osokina\" in her testimony claims that she knows the Pryanikovs and attended services in 2012. When asked what was discussed at the services, the witness replies that she does not remember exactly, but the main topic was about God. She also confirms that she has not heard anything related to the overthrow of power, genocide and violence. On the contrary, they talked about respect and love for others.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2021-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20211118","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hearings begin in the Gukovsky District Court of the Rostov Region.\nThe defense is petitioning to change the measure of restraint for 6 men to a milder one. The judge refuses and extends their detention in the pre-trial detention center until May 1, 2022.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2021-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20211117","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness under the pseudonym \"Markin\" is being interrogated. The court rejects the defense's request to declassify the witness, despite the fact that the defendant Pryanikov calls his exact name.\nThe Witness says that he attended services voluntarily, but stopped doing so almost immediately after the liquidation of the legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses. He admits that in order to become Jehovah's Witness, \"you don't have to sign any documents.\"\n\"Markin\" confirms that at divine services believers read and study the Bible, learn to show love, sympathy and kindness to others. He also says that he has not heard from the defendants calls for the overthrow of the government or the constitutional order, and that it is not typical for Jehovah's Witnesses to be violent, cause serious harm to health or property.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2021-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20211117","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is being held behind closed doors. Secret witnesses \"Ivanov\", \"Petrov\", \"Elizarova\" and \"Vorobyov\" are interrogated.\nJudge Vera Dranitsyna rejects the defense's motions to interrogate the witnesses in the usual manner, despite the fact that in their testimony they note that there were no threats to their lives, property, health and loved ones.\nIvanov is the first to perform. He says that the defendants did not call him to violence, genocide, crimes against the state, the breakdown of family relations, propaganda of the superiority of Jehovah's Witnesses over other religions.\nWitness \"Petrov\" is confused in concepts and considers all believers who profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses to be an organization, or a legal entity.\nDuring the interrogation, \"Elizarova\" expresses her personal dislike for Jehovah's Witnesses and admits that after she learned that Zalyayeva had become a Jehovah's Witness, she stopped communicating with her and her husband.\nThe next to be questioned is the witness \"Vorobyov\", a graduate of the Missionary Institute in Yekaterinburg. When answering questions, he expresses his negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses, calling them \"sectarians.\"\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2021-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20211116","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them, when asked by the prosecutor whether the defendants are Jehovah's Witnesses, replies that she has never seen documents indicating that they are members of this religious organization. She explains that she knows that the defendants believe in God, but the question of religion is a personal matter that she has not discussed with these people. The woman says that a few years ago she attended worship services at the local house of culture, the theme of which was a discussion of the Bible. According to her, talking to people about their religious views is not prohibited by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nAnother woman explains that she met the defendants at friendly meetings that took place about 12 years ago. She explains that they discussed the Bible, sang songs; There were no statements that would incite hostility towards other persons, hatred towards representatives of other nationalities or representatives of the authorities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-11-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211115","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 9, 2021, searches of believers were carried out in Akhtubinsk and Znamensk. Dozens of people were detained for interrogation. Three men were sent to a temporary detention facility: 48-year-old Sergey Korolev, 60-year-old Sergey Kosyanenko and 34-year-old Rinat Kiramov.\nThe raids and interrogations began at about 6 am. In at least one of the cases - during a search at Rinat Kiramov's house - the security forces broke down the front doors of the believers' dwelling. Details are being clarified.\nUpdate. On November 10 and 11, 2021, the Akhtubinsky District Court imprisoned Sergey Korolev, Sergey Kosyanenko and Rinat Kiramov for 2 months. New searches and arrests in the region came shortly after the court handed down one of the harshest sentences since the ban on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. On October 25, 2021, Rustam Diarov, Sergey Klikunov and Yevgeniy Ivanov were sentenced to 8 years, and Yevgeniy's wife, Olga, to 3.5 years in a general regime colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-11-11T15:32:03+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches_hu_9ab87d7d289bbc25.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches_hu_46fe7fa64b17bd07.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches_hu_31c4348485f141a7.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches_hu_80ebadd64954de4c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/11/111532.html","regions":["astrakhan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"Three Believers Detained After Searches in the Astrakhan Region","type":"news"},{"body":"Questioning of prosecution witnesses, one of whom refuses to testify. The prosecutor requested that his testimony be made public, but the court refused, supporting the objection of the defense.\nAnother witness, Nikolai Prokhorov's boss, gives him a positive characteristic. He notes that during the ten years of joint work he often and willingly talked with Nikolai about the Bible on his own initiative and that he never agitated him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2021-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20211111","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 6 o'clock in the morning, investigator Zorina issues a decision to search the 63-year-old resident of Prokopyevsk, Pavel Brilkov. At about 8:00 a.m., the senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee Kuzmina comes to his home to carry out investigative actions.\nAlso, a search is taking place at 46-year-old Yuri Chernykh, the father of a minor child. This is the second search in the Chernoy family. Previously, Brilkov and Chernykh were witnesses in the case of Andrei Vlasov. Now the investigation imputes these men to participate in the activities of a banned organization.\nInvestigator Zorin interrogates Yuri Chernykh. He uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives him the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones. The investigator hands over to the believer the decision to initiate criminal case No. 12102320012000120 against him. Yuriy is obliged to appear. The investigator is also questioning Pavel Brilkov and his wife. Believers also use Article 51 of the Constitution.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vlasov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2021-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk/index.html#20211110","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation","summon","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yuriy Chernykh, the father of a minor child, is being searched again. In addition to electronic media, the security forces seize TV, as well as postcards and personal notes.\nInvestigator Zorin interrogates Chernykh. He uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives him the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones. The investigator hands over to the believer the decision to initiate criminal case No. 12102320012000120 against him. An obligation is taken from the Chernykhs to appear.\nPreviously, Yuri Chernykh was a witness in the case of Andrei Vlasov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2021-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk2/index.html#20211110","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 6 o'clock in the morning, Tatyana Zorina, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Prokopyevsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, issues a decision to search the home of Pavel Brilkov as part of the investigation into a criminal case under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against unidentified persons. A group of security officials arrives at the believer's house two hours later.\nAfter the search, the investigator interrogates Pavel Brilkov and his wife. Believers use Article 51 of the Constitution. Previously, Brilkov was a witness in the case of Andrei Vlasov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2021-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk3/index.html#20211110","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses. The prosecutor asks them questions about meetings, donations, and specific people, including Dmitriy Malevaniy and Aleksey Trofimov.\nWitnesses answer that they do not remember much, since the prosecutor's questions relate to the events of 2018. They also state that they do not recognize the testimony read out in court, since the investigator put pressure on them and did not allow them to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. As a result, as the prosecution witnesses explain, the investigator invited them to sign a ready-made template.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2021-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20211110","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 5 a.m., the investigator of the Akhtuba Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Astrakhan Region, Sergey Savinich, opened a criminal case against three believers: Sergey Korolev, Rinat Kiramov and Sergey Kosyanenko. Within a couple of hours, searches are being carried out at at least 15 addresses in Akhtubinsk and Znamensk.\nInvestigative actions last from 4 to 10 hours. Telephones, personal records, information carriers and printed publications are seized from believers. Law enforcement officers interrogate at least 15 citizens and make audio recordings of the voices of some of them for later identification.\nHaving knocked on Rinat Kiramov's door, the security forces introduce themselves as neighbors, whom the spouses allegedly flood. Then they break down the door and order the Kiramov family and their guests to lie on the floor. One of them had to remain in this position for more than an hour. Phones, passports and car keys are seized from Kiramov's friends. The security forces open the ceiling in the kitchen, as a result of which its suspension system falls, break the dishes and partially dismantle the panels of the balcony cladding. Law enforcement officers take away all those present for interrogation. Copies of the protocols are not provided to the guests of the Kiramovs, citing the fact that the official search did not take place at their place.\nDuring a search in the Korolevs' house, Sergey's wife's blood pressure rises sharply. One of the law enforcement officers tries to calm her down. The spouses are allowed to have breakfast before taking them away for interrogation. According to the investigator, the believers were monitored and wiretapped. After interrogation, Sergey Korolev is placed in a temporary detention facility.\nAfter a search in another house, the security forces take away for questioning a mother and son, a hearing impaired person of group III. He is experiencing a strong emotional shock, as he cannot hear the investigator well, and he is not provided with a sign language interpreter.\nInvestigators prevent believers from exercising their right not to testify against themselves and their loved ones, interpreting the use of Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation as a refusal to testify.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Korolev and Others in Akhtubinsk","date":"2021-11-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/akhtubinsk/index.html#20211109","regions":["astrakhan"],"tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of a witness under the pseudonym \"Shigapov\", who pretends to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses, continues. The defense draws attention to the fact that his testimony word for word coincides with the testimony of a certain Tajiyev from another criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in Kazan. Later, the court attaches the text of Tadzhiev's testimony to the case file for comparison.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2021-11-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20211109","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"20 people come to the court hearing to support Konstantin Sannikov. The judge refuses to satisfy the defense's request to admit listeners to the hearing or to organize an online broadcast of the hearing. He also rejects the request that the defendant be allowed to leave the cage for the duration of the current trial.\nSannikov's preventive measure is extended until February 9, 2022.\nTwo prosecution witnesses are being questioned. FSB officer Shakirov explains to the court that he performed his official duties, he cannot provide details on the case under consideration.\nKonstantin Kovalerov, who personally communicated with the defendant on biblical topics, emphasizes that all the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses are based on the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2021-11-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20211108","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","sizo","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a prosecution witness, FSB operative Alexei Savelyev, who organized the operational-search activities. He says that in March 2018, Galina Kobeleva invited a certain Vladislav Mrachko (who turned out to be an FSB officer) to discuss biblical teachings. Realizing that he had one of Jehovah's Witnesses in front of him, he agreed and began to attend divine services. Savelyev provided Mrachko with technical means for video recordings.\nAccording to Savelyev, Yevgeny Grinenko's organizational functions included the following: \"he started the meeting, gave the floor to those present, named the topic for discussion, prayed.\"\nThe witness denies that believers have any manifestations of enmity or hatred towards other people based on race or nationality; intention to overthrow the government. He also confirms that the essence of the services was reduced to a discussion of \"topics of a religious nature.\" He finds it difficult to name them.\nThe court is questioning five retired women who know the defendants and attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in Lesozavodsk before 2017. They inform the court that at these meetings the believers discussed biblical teachings, the presence was voluntary, they never heard extremist calls. One of the witnesses mentions that the knowledge she received at the services helped her to improve her relationship with her husband, improve her personal qualities and get rid of bad habits.\nDue to discrepancies in the testimonies given in court and during the investigation, the prosecutor reads out the protocols of the interrogations of most of the witnesses. One of the women states that she did not give most of the testimony she read. She also says that the interrogation took place without a lawyer, and due to stress, she signed the protocol without reading it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-11-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211108","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"N. A. Sorokina, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department for the City of Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, charges Oleg Sergeev with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of an extremist organization). The believer is interrogated as an accused. They take a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ponomarenko and Others in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk2/index.html#20211102","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The searches that took place in Moscow and Moscow region on October 20, 2021, were not without violations of the rights of special categories of citizens — sick and pensioners. According to eyewitnesses, at times the security forces resorted to groundless threats, and one of the task forces took an unhealthy man away for questioning only because his mother was a Jehovah's Witness.\nAs a reminder, as a result of the raids, three Jehovah's Witnesses were detained, two of them — Roman Mareyev and Sergey Tolokonnikov — were sent to a pre-trial detention center.\nAs the believers said, during the searches, on the whole, the operatives behaved respectfully, but there were exceptions. For example, in one of the cases, the security forces came to a believing woman early in the morning when she was at work. She had to hurriedly return home, because the unexpected visit greatly frightened her sick son, a disabled person of the II group, suffering from mental illness. To avoid aggravating her son's condition, the woman asked law enforcement officers let her son not be present during the search and to wait at her neighbor's, but she was refused. She says: “My son was stressed. He hit the wall with his fist and kept asking: 'Won't you take me away?'\nAlthough the security forces did not want to take the believer's son away for interrogation, at the insistence of their superiors, they nevertheless brought both of them to the police station. “The son was nervous and cried loudly,” the woman said. During the interrogation, the investigators asked the detainees to describe Jehovah's Witnesses, express their \"attitude towards priests,\" and also inform them if they saw fellow believers at home.\nA group of six security officials broke into the apartment of a 71-year-old believer and her husband with diabetes mellitus at 6 a.m. The operatives violently searched woman's room: they threw all things out of the closets and turned over the beds. They confiscated a tablet, a telephone, a hard drive and unbanned editions of the Bible in the Synodal Translation and Archimandrite Macarius' translation from the hostess. Mockery and threats were poured at the believer. The law enforcers said: “You are extremists! You will go to jail. \" After a three-hour search, the spouses were taken for interrogation, despite the elderly woman's poor health and high temperature.\nOn the same morning, a task force of 6 people came to the 83-year-old believer. The officers confiscated from her a laptop, an e-book, a telephone, a Bible in the translation of Archimandrite Macarius, letters, several photographs and a postcard. After an almost 4-hour search, the believer was taken to the police station. The electronic devices were returned to the pensioner on the same day.\nThus, after new searches, already seven believers from Moscow and the Moscow region are in jail. One of them, Sean Pike, faced manifestations of domestic racism there.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-11-01T11:03:03+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/2020-07-20%20102849_hu_af9d50ad38809c4e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/2020-07-20%20102849_hu_9855f7b3bb34416d.jpg","webp":"/news/common/2020-07-20%20102849_hu_31cfdaa728b01de8.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/2020-07-20%20102849_hu_c1b3bcdae15553fb.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/11/011103.html","regions":["moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","disabled","sizo","interrogation","elderly","disability"],"title":"During Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow, Security Forces Detained a Disabled Person with a Mental Disorder and Threatened the Elderly","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of a secret witness and neighbors of the defendants. The secret witness does not remember exactly when the meetings of the believers took place and what was discussed at them. Neighbors characterize the Krupnovs positively and add that they helped them with the housework.\nThe study of video recordings of worship services begins.\n","caseTitle":"The case of the Krupnovs and Others in Nikolsk","date":"2021-10-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolsk/index.html#20211027","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers summon Olenin for interrogation, come to pick him up at work, but take him home for a second search, authorized by investigator Zykov. During a three-hour search, a tablet and 3 postcards were seized from the believer. Then Olenin is taken for interrogation, which lasts 1.5 hours. The believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nIlya Olenin is chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2021-10-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20211027","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses are being questioned. When the written testimony of one woman is announced, falsification is revealed. According to the witness, only two sheets of the signature were made by her hand, and the rest were forged. In this regard, the woman refuses to testify at the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211025","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Nikolsky District Court of the Penza Region is holding its first hearing on the merits. The case is being considered by Judge Irina Kuznetsova. Witnesses familiarize themselves with the case, then the investigator interviews them in the presence of a lawyer. Many witnesses retract their testimonies, claiming that they did not say anything like that. Among the witnesses in the case are neighbors of the Krupnov family, who characterize Maya as a hospitable woman and give her a positive characterization.\n","caseTitle":"The case of the Krupnovs and Others in Nikolsk","date":"2021-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolsk/index.html#20211025","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 20, 2021, at least 8 home searches took place in different districts of Moscow and one in the Odintsov City District of the Moscow Region. 67-year-old Anatoliy Marunov, 49-year-old Sergey Tolokonnikov and 43-year-old Roman Mareev were detained. At least one criminal case has been opened.\nThe searches began early in the morning and often lasted an unusually long time, up to 9 hours. Law enforcers were looking for \"extremist literature,\" in particular the Bible, as well as weapons and drugs. Investigative actions were initiated by Christina Moskalets, an investigator for especially important cases of the Department for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate (previously, Moscow believers had already been searched on her initiative). Interrogations of believers in the new criminal case took place in that location.\nThe Tolokonnikov family, living in a garden non-profit partnership (SNT) in the village of Solmanovo (Odintsovo urban district of the Moscow region), was invaded by a group of 8 law enforcement officers in masks and camouflage, one of them was armed with a machine gun, at about six in the morning. They tried to enter the apartment under a false pretext, but later directly stated that the police had come. In addition to the spouses, Sergey's 74-year-old mother-in-law was in the house at that time, who did not share his religious views. The security forces seized her pension and social cards. Electronic devices and personal records were seized from believers, as well as money belonging to members of the SNT and intended to pay utility bills.\nAfter a 7-hour search in Odintsovo, law enforcement officers took the Tolokonnikov family to Moscow to search their apartment in the city. Sergey's mother-in-law became ill, and the security officials, having interrogated her right on the bus, allowed her to return home. After the second search, the spouses were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. Sergey was detained and placed in a temporary detention center. His wife was released and told that \"it makes no sense to wait for her husband in the next seven years.\"\nThe security officials also came to the Marunov family, living in the Khoroshevskiy District of Moscow, at about 6 am. A group of 8 people conducted the search for 9 hours. Various editions of the Bible, personal records, and electronic devices were seized from the family, including from their son, who is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses. All three were taken to the Investigative Committee. After an hour of interrogation, Anatoliy Marunov's wife and son were released, and he himself was detained.\nUpdate. On October 22, 2021, Dmitriy Neudakhin, judge of the Savelovsky District Court of Moscow, selected a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest for Anatoliy Marunov. He is prohibited from leaving his home, using communication devices and the Internet, and sending and receiving correspondence until December 20, 2021. The investigation accused the law-abiding pensioner of committing extremist activities (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code).\nIt also became known that Roman Mareev and Sergey Tolokonnikov are under quarantine in pre-detention center No. 7 in Moscow on Verkhniye Polya Street, 57.\nThe family of Roman Mareev, living in Vykhino-Zhulebino, was woken up by the security forces at 5 am. The whole group was in civilian clothes, no documents were presented. Entering the apartment, the security forces shouted: \"Down on the floor!\" After Roman's 71-year-old mother, pointing to the floor, asked: \"Right here?\" — the security forces allowed her to keep standing.\nRoman's elderly father was also at home, who, after two heart attacks and a leg injury, walks on crutches. He and his wife are on disability, so what is happening was a great shock for them. The search lasted 9 hours. During all this time, the security forces did not allow Roman to eat. Digital equipment was seized from the believer, as well as a large amount of money collected to buy a dacha. Law enforcement officers told Roman that a criminal case had been opened against him. He was detained.\nLaw enforcement officers in uniform and with weapons came to Mikhail Zubkov at 6 am. Having learned there were children in the apartment, the security forces behaved correctly and did not even conduct a search in the children's room. After 5 and a half hours, the spouses were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee.\nIn addition, searches were carried out in the apartments of four women of different ages.\nAt the moment, five believers are behind bars in Moscow and the Moscow region, and five more are under house arrest. On July 20, 2021, the Moscow Regional Court approved suspended sentences of 2 to 6 years for four believers from the town of Chekhov near Moscow.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-10-22T15:33:29+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search1_hu_702c9b9704ae758a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_7c3d49c9fecf8054.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search1_hu_9a6e0a4c091b8ea3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_4ae7e68fe9772eb5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/10/221533.html","regions":["moscow","moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","ivs","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"In Moscow, 3 Believers Sent to Temporary Detention. New Criminal Case Opened Against Jehovah's Witnesses, Raids Took Place","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 22, 2021, Chelyabinsk security forces searched at two addresses: at 53-year-old Vadim Gizatulin and 52-year-old Irina Mikhailenko. The home of 59-year-old Olga Zhelavskaya was not searched, as she was in the hospital after COVID-19 and a stroke. All three of them are suspected of extremism for their faith.\nElectronic devices and old telephone books were confiscated from believers. After the searches, Vadim Gizatulin and his wife, as well as Irina Mikhailenko with her husband and son, were taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nOperational measures for Chelyabinsk residents were repeated, they were sanctioned by the Traktorozavodsky District Court on the basis of a criminal case initiated by investigator Aleksandr Chepenko, who organized the criminal prosecution of an elderly couple Vladimir Suvorov and his wife Valentina. They were subsequently sentenced to 6 and 2 years suspended sentence. Gizatulin and Mikhailenko were witnesses in that case. Chepenko also conducted an investigation into the case of three other Jehovah's Witnesses in the Chelyabinsk Region, including Dmitriy Vinogradov, who was sentenced to a 2-year suspended sentence.\nAs before, investigator Chepenko accuses believers of \"extremist activity\" — the peaceful and de jure not prohibited in Russia worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-10-22T14:06:17+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/10/281406/image_hu_7e354adac96515d6.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/10/281406/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/10/281406/image_hu_5eb75197710d6339.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/10/281406/image_hu_f0b6d6ab0b085b31.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/10/281406.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched Again in Chelyabinsk","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. At first, Zvereva, at the next court hearing, the witness Kabak. The testimony of police officer Zvereva is used to accuse other believers in Birobidzhan.\nAt this and the next 7 court hearings, video materials, including recordings of worship services, are still being watched, and audio recordings of telephone conversations of the defendants are being listened to.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20211022","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Irina Mikhailenko's home is searched, after which the security forces take the believer with her husband and son away for interrogation by the Investigative Committee. Earlier, in March 2019, this family had already been searched as part of a criminal case against Valentina Suvorova.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20211022","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Olga Zhelavskaya is in the hospital after COVID-19 and a stroke. On this day, searches are carried out in the homes of Vadim Gizatulin and Irina Mikhailenko.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20211022","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hearings on the merits of the case begin. The state prosecutor is E. Palagina.\nAfter the announcement of the charges, Kobelev, Grinenko and Efremova speak with an attitude towards him. Prosecution witness Vladislav Mrachko, an embedded FSB agent, is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-10-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20211020","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Igor Kletkin and Vladislav Markov are charged with committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nNadezhda Korobochko is being interrogated as a suspect in the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2021-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20211012","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned, including two unknown persons who were present during the transfer of video recording equipment to a secret witness before the start of the investigation conducted against Olga Panyuta. A person who was present during the ORM in the home of Aleksey Trofimov was also interrogated. Witnesses confirm that there were no aggressive actions, extremist statements, propaganda of superiority on religious grounds during the conduct of the ORM on the part of the defendants.\nWitnesses will continue to be questioned at the next hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2021-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20211012","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The secret witness \"Polonsky\" is being interrogated. Most of the witness's testimony relates to the time period up to April 20, 2017.\n\"Polonsky\" says that preaching is not forbidden in Russia. At the same time, the witness speaks negatively about the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and expresses his personal opinion about the reasons for the liquidation of their legal entities in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Omelchenko in Murmansk","date":"2021-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/murmansk/index.html#20211011","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning, searches of Jehovah's Witnesses are carried out in Kurgan. Security forces seize electronic devices. The couple is taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nThe search of another believer is taking place despite the fact that on this day the man buries his mother, who died from coronavirus infection. Immediately after the funeral, the believer is forced to come to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nIn addition, a search is being conducted at the home of an elderly woman in the village of Zverinogolovskoye. This is the second time that security forces have invaded her home.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2021-10-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20211006","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On 4 October 2021, starting at 6:00 a.m., brigades of armed Rosgvardiya officers led by investigators surrounded the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Irkutsk and the village of Pivovarikha. At least nine searches are known to have been carried out at different addresses. Windows were broken in one of the houses.\nBelievers are detained for interrogation. Some were released. Among others, searches are being conducted in the family home of 52-year-old Yaroslav Kalin, as well as in the home of 63-year-old Nikolay Martynov. The news is being updated.\nUpdate. According to updated information, searches were carried out in 13 families of Jehovah's Witnesses. Six believers were sent to jail: 52-year-old Yaroslav Kalin, 34-year-old Mikhail Moish, 45-year-old Alexei Solnechny, 61-year-old Sergey Kosteev, 63-year-old Nikolai Martynov and 46-year-old Andrey Tolmachev. Another, 70-year-old Sergey Vasilyev, was placed under house arrest after 2 days behind bars.\nThe issue of choosing a preventive measure for the detained believers was decided in the Irkutsk court on October 5 and 6, 2021. On the first day, about 300 people gathered outside the courthouse, wishing to support their fellow believers. After a while, they were approached by women living nearby, who learned that there were believers in court. They brought hot tea with them to express their sympathy.\nPhoto: In Irkutsk, about 300 of their friends came to the courthouse, where the measure of restraint was chosen for 6 believers, to support them After 2017, followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are erroneously charged with crimes under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, as investigators interpret ordinary religious practice as participation in the activities of an organization banned by the court. Often the victims of searches and detentions are also acquaintances, relatives of believers or even random persons taken for Jehovah's Witnesses by mistake.\nIrkutsk Region became the 69th region in Russia where residents are criminally prosecuted for believing in Jehovah's God. Jehovah's Witnesses have lived in this area since the days of Operation \"North\", when they were victims of the largest confessional deportation in Soviet history. The believers were later rehabilitated, so the mass roundups and criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in contemporary Russia are of concern to historians and legal scholars.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-10-04T15:29:55+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_24ad70e1aa0e2a2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao.jpg","webp":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_f1aae88eb07ca8e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_d2d4237a735db5c7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/10/041529.html","regions":["irkutsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","house-arrest","elderly"],"title":"In the Irkutsk Region, the Officials Conducts Searches in the Families of Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigators of the 2nd Investigation Department of the 3rd Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Irkutsk Region are initiating criminal cases under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Yaroslav Kalin, Sergey Kosteev, Nikolai Martynov, Mikhail Moish, Alexei Solnechny, Andrey Tolmachev, and Sergey Vasilyev.\nOn the same day, early in the morning in Irkutsk and the village of Pivovarikha, armed detachments of Rosgvardia officers and soldiers of the Thunder special forces surrounded the houses of Jehovah's Witnesses at 13 addresses.\nThe security forces are cruel towards believers - Anatoly Razdobarov, Nikolay Merinov, as well as their spouses are subjected to beatings and torture. The search lasts more than 8 hours. Then the believers are taken for interrogation, where it turns out that Anatoly Razdobarov and Nikolay Merinov are involved as witnesses in the case of other believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk","date":"2021-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/irkutsk/index.html#20211004","regions":["irkutsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","search","siloviks-violence","torture","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Employees of the camp site, where believers gathered for a friendly meeting in 2019, are interrogated as witnesses.\nThe women report that the purpose of this meeting was to \"see off a friend to the mainland.\" One of them says: \"It was quiet, they didn't make noise.\"\nAnother notes: \"It seemed unusual and suspicious that the chairs were displayed as in a conference room.\" The defendant Shevelev asks her a question: \"The case file says that there were not 40 people, but 40,000. She replies, \"No, what are you! I could not even think that they could write such a figure. We can't fit so many people on the entire base.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2021-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20211004","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Shevchenko, senior detective of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, is being questioned as a witness for the prosecution. He informs the court that he has been familiar with the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sevastopol since 2015. Shevchenko says that the services of Jehovah's Witnesses have always been exclusively religious in nature - they consisted of chants, prayers and analysis of Bible verses. He notes that the religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses were officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.\nThe witness reports that he personally carried out operational-search activities. With the help of \"undercover collaborators,\" he obtained videos of worship services of local Jehovah's Witnesses.\nIn his testimony, Shevchenko refers to the results of the \"Examination on Cases of Extremism and Terrorism\", according to which experts did not reveal signs of extremism and incitement to religious hatred, and on the video recordings of worship there were no statements about the exclusivity of Jehovah's Witnesses in relation to other people and religions.\nShevchenko also reports that he is not aware of any evidence that Zhukov, Sakada and Maladyka ever encouraged anyone \"to refuse to perform civil duties and serve in the army, to disobey the authorities.\" The witness says that he has no evidence that the defendants called on anyone to alienate personal material goods free of charge in favor of any extremist organization.\nShevchenko himself considers Jehovah's Witnesses to be Christians and agrees that the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses are not prohibited, and they have a constitutional right to practice their faith.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhukov and Others in Sevastopol","date":"2021-09-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol2/index.html#20210930","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the three sessions, another witness is being examined. His testimony differs from the testimony given by him during the preliminary investigation. He often gets confused in the dating of events and admits that instead of facts he voices his own assumptions, uses information taken by him from the Internet. In response to the prosecutor's questions, the witness repeatedly asks him to recall the answers he gave to the investigator.\nThe witness admits that no one required him to attend the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, he did so on his own initiative. He also reports that donations at meetings of believers are voluntary, no one forces them to make them.\nThe witness admits that he did not hear from Ukhov calls for the overthrow of state power, a change in the constitutional order, persecution of citizens on the basis of race, nationality, language or attitude to religion.\nAnother witness, a woman, says that during the preliminary interrogation the investigator shouted at her and exerted other psychological pressure.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2021-09-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20210927","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses begins. In response to the prosecutor's questions about Ukhov, the witness uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. In this regard, the prosecutor declares his intention to come up with a private ruling to the investigating authority for criminal prosecution for refusing to testify to the court. The appointed lawyer notes the fact of pressure on the witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20210924","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. One of them is not familiar with the defendant and knows about her religious views only from the words of Valery Ilchenko.\nThe questions of the judge and the prosecutor relate to beliefs, and not to the activities of the liquidated legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Shchekoldina in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-09-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya/index.html#20210922","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness who had previously attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses is being interrogated. He says that he does not know the defendants personally, he heard about Alexander Polozov from others.\nDuring the interrogation, the prosecutor substitutes the concepts of \"organization\" and \"worship\": he states that the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses is prohibited, whereas legal entities, not religious meetings, were banned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2021-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20210921","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"4 more defense witnesses are being questioned in court. Andrey Sazonov's mother-in-law characterizes him as a well-mannered, intelligent, competent, sociable person. She says that he treats his wife with love, brings up children in kindness, and they love him. She also reports that she has never heard calls from the defendant to refuse medical care, including emergency care.\nThe wife speaks of Sazonov as a good husband, the economic head of the family, a caring father, always ready to help.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2021-09-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20210909","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On 6 September 2021, Dmitriy and Nadezhda Semenovs were searched in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and then brought for questioning to the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Kamchatka region. Criminal charges were filed against them under Part 1.1 Article 282.2 of the RF Criminal Code. The case is being investigated by senior investigator Kudantsev, who had previously handled Sergey Ledenev's case.\nDuring the searches, a computer, a tablet, two cell phones, a router and a webcam, as well as the New Testament and personal diaries were seized from Semenovs. During the interrogation, both Dmitriy and Nadezhda were threatened that the right to use Article 51 of the Russian Constitution could harm them.\nThe criminal case against the Semyonovs was opened on September 3, 2021. According to the investigation, they \"persuaded, convincing to participate in the activities of an extremist organization\" a resident of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and other unidentified persons. On the same day, Alexander Kotkov, judge of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court, issued a search warrant in the apartment of Dmitriy and Nadezhda, suggesting that their apartment \"may contain literature, documentation and electronic media containing information of extremist nature, as well as computers and other technical means by which they were induced . . . to join an extremist organization, unidentified during the investigation\".\n","category":"trial","date":"2021-09-08T15:06:22+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/09/081506.html","regions":["kamchatka"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1.1","families","interrogation"],"title":"In Kamchatka, the Fourth Criminal Case Was Initiated for Believing in God. Spouses Nadezhda and Dmitriy Semenov, 36 and 37 Years Old, Are Under Suspicion","type":"news"},{"body":"The court interrogates investigator Grigoriev and operational officer Usoltsev. Their testimonies differ as to the dates of the operational-search activities. According to Grigoriev, the date indicated in the protocol is correct. However, Usoltsev points to the error, explaining it by improper configuration of technical equipment. He says he videotaped and audio the Bible talks on April 19 and 21, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Smelov in Kondopoga","date":"2021-09-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kondopoga/index.html#20210908","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Semenovs' apartment is being searched. They seize electronic devices, a router, a webcam, as well as the New Testament and personal diaries.\nNadezhda and Dmitriy are taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. They use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows them not to testify against themselves and their loved ones. Spouses are chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Semyonov case in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2021-09-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk_kamchatskiy/index.html#20210906","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates Myakushin, Matrashov, Yulmetyev and Karimov. They report that they attended worship services on their own initiative, and have no religious hatred towards anyone.\nThe Court examines video and audio recordings of worship services in which those present discuss the importance of tolerating the views and beliefs of others.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-09-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210903","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 30 people come to the courtroom to support the believers, but none of them are allowed through.\nA witness for the prosecution, a woman who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in the past, is being questioned. According to her, anyone who was prepared could speak at such meetings; There were no forced monetary collections, donations were made voluntarily.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2021-09-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20210902","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning witnesses in the Gushchin case.\nAmong those interrogated were employees of the Center for Combating Extremism and FSB operatives, including Sergey Svetikov, who had previously been convicted of abuse of office, as well as falsification of operational materials.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2021-09-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20210901","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge of the Leninsky District Court of Cheboksary, Yevgeny Egorov, having satisfied the request of the investigator Baranov, issues a search warrant in the apartment of Ivan Elagin. The believer is then interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Martynov and Others in Alatyr","date":"2021-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alatyr/index.html#20210831","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A decision is made to bring Maxim Derendyaev as an accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2021-08-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20210830","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 25, 2021 law enforcers searched at least five apartments in the Tyoply Stan district of Moscow. Most of the victims were Jehovah's Witnesses. After interrogation, Eduard Sviridov, Sean Pike, and Aleksandr Rumyantsev were sent to jail. It is expected that on 27 August the Cheremushkinsky district court of Moscow will choose a measure of restraint for them.\nUpdate. On August 27, 2021, the Cheremushkinsky District Court of Moscow imposed on Jehovah's Witnesses Alexander Rumyantsev and Eduard Sviridov a measure of restraint in the form of detention for a period of 1 month and 29 days, that is, until October 24, 2021 inclusive.\nJudge Natalia Zhuravleva on the same day granted the petition of investigator Zubkov to detain 49-year-old Sean Pike, a citizen of the Russian Federation and Guyana, for the same period. The court chose such a severe measure of restraint for the believer despite the fact that he has two dependent young children with chronic diseases.\nThree believers are accused of \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the investigator, conversations about the Bible \"have an increased public danger.\"\nAll Jehovah's Witnesses detained in Teply Stan were quarantined for two weeks in SIZO-7 in Verkhniye Polya, after which they will be transferred to SIZO-2 in Butyrka in Moscow.\nThe investigation is being conducted by Vladimir Zubkov from the South-Western Administrative District Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for Moscow. The searches took place in the early morning, beginning at approximately 6:00 AM. The task forces consisted of 7 people, including armed masked law enforcers. The investigators made a video recording of the intrusion. Among the items seized were electronic devices, storage media, bank cards, passports, and children's drawings.\nSean Pike, 49, has a wife and two young children. Aleksandr Rumyantsev, 44, is unmarried and his mother, whom he took care of, was also affected by the search. Eduard Sviridov is 57 years old and married. The families of the detainees were allowed to transfer some necessary things to the temporary detention facility.\nAfter 2017, followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are erroneously charged with crimes under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, as investigators interpret ordinary religious practice as participation in the activities of an organization banned by the court. Often the victims of searches and detentions are also acquaintances, relatives of believers or even random persons taken for Jehovah's Witnesses by mistake.\nThe news is being supplemented.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-08-26T13:23:53+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_c1ba1fe0fba8de81.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193.jpg","webp":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_6352a6d9befce345.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_7dda90e3b5ffe468.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/08/261323.html","regions":["moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","minors"],"title":"A Series of Searches in Southwest Moscow. Three Believers Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Chepenko is prosecuting 70-year-old Lyudmila Salikova as a defendant under a more serious article - organizing the activities of a banned organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the investigation, Lyudmila Salikova, \"using her authority as an experienced follower of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, organized the admission of new members to the Religious Organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' ... imported and imported into the Russian Federation for subsequent illegal mass distribution of religious information materials included in the federal list of extremist materials\".\n","caseTitle":"Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk","date":"2021-08-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk/index.html#20210826","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["282.2-1","elderly","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge rejects the defendant's request for a public hearing. The meeting continues behind closed doors.\n5 witnesses from the defense are being interrogated: 2 colleagues of Andrey, his acquaintance and father-in-law, as well as the deputy director for educational work at the school where the defendant's children study.\nAll witnesses for the defense say that the defendant is a believer, a Jehovah's Witness, has good qualities, does not create conflicts, and has never called for the severance of family relations. They have never heard from the defendant negative statements about persons of other faiths and state authorities, as well as calls to undermine the foundations of the constitutional order and state security, or any extremist statements.\nThe defendant and his family have a good reputation. The deputy director for educational work at the school where the Sazonov children study characterizes Andrey exclusively on the positive side, as a kind, sincere, open, sympathetic person.\nWitnesses for the defense confirm that Sazonov not only did not incite the rupture of family relations, but, on the contrary, always encouraged others to preserve and strengthen family ties.\nAndrey's father-in-law says that different religious views do not prevent them from being on good terms. He mentions that the defendant was awarded diplomas from the city administration, as well as from the management of the enterprise, where he has been working for many years.\nEmployees at work characterize Sazonov as a conscientious, kind and non-conflict person, a responsible employee and a reasonable leader who is always ready to help.\nAll defense witnesses are surprised and upset that a criminal case has been opened against Andrey.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2021-08-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20210825","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 40 people come to support the believers, but no one is allowed into the courthouse.\nInterrogation of the head physician of the Cheboksary blood transfusion station L. M. Yakovleva. According to the expert, blood transfusion carries more dangers than the use of blood substitutes; refusing blood transfusions is not a violation of the law; she was not aware of Dutkin and Chesnokov forcing anyone to refuse a blood transfusion.\nA man, a former Jehovah's Witness, is being interrogated. He explains that the life position of Jehovah's Witnesses in various fields is based on the Bible. He admits that no one forced him to become Jehovah's Witness or refuse blood transfusions. According to the man, neither Dutkin, nor Chesnokov, nor Yakovlev called for a divorce. He explains that the Bible in the New World Translation differs from other translations only in that it restores the name of God in the places where it appears in the original.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20210824","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness, Irina Khutova, is being questioned. She repeatedly says that she cannot remember the circumstances of her acquaintance with Elena. As a result, Khutova declares that she sees the defendant for the first time.\nThe prosecutor notes that there are inconsistencies between Khutova's testimony given during the preliminary investigation and at the current hearing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20210824","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the secret witness \"Mikhailov\". Answering questions from the defense or the court, he refers to his own conclusions or to a source that he refuses to name.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Smelov in Kondopoga","date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kondopoga/index.html#20210824","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During interrogation, a minor prosecution witness retracts his preliminary testimony. He reports that he gave them under pressure and threats to \"imprison\" him and his mother.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20210824","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses. One of them reports that at the first meeting with the FSB officer Usoltsev, he himself asked for her phone number and called her, pretending to be interested in the Bible. The witness herself did not impose her views on him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Smelov in Kondopoga","date":"2021-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kondopoga/index.html#20210823","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of August 18, searches were carried out in Sochi at three addresses at least as part of a criminal case against 25-year-old Danil Suvorov. The believer was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. The next day, the court ruled to send him to a pre-trial detention center.\nAt 6:30 in the morning, law enforcement officers invaded Danil Suvorov. Electronic equipment was confiscated from the believer. At the same time, the security forces were looking for Danil at the house of other believers living in the village of Vesyoloye, Adler District, Sochi. There the search was carried out under the direction of the senior investigator of the RF IC for the Krasnodar Territory R. A. Shevriyev. Law enforcers were looking for religious literature. They confiscated electronic equipment, personal notes, postcards and a book about Jehovah's Witnesses, religious scholar Sergey Ivanenko. After the searches, the detainees were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. Everyone except Danil was later released.\nAnother search took place at the elderly woman's house. Law enforcement officers mistakenly believed that the woman was the mother of Danil Suvorov. Her son, Danil’s fellow believer, was summoned for interrogation.\nDanil Suvorov is accused of committing a crime under Part 1.1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Suvorov, “using his authority as a spiritual leader ... of Jehovah's Witnesses, took active steps aimed at persuading, recruiting and otherwise involving ... [a local resident] in the activities of a banned extremist ... [organization] on the territory Sochi \". This is how law enforcement officers qualified ordinary peaceful talk about the Bible. The criminal case is being investigated by the senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory A. G. Andrianov.\nThis is the third criminal case for faith in Sochi and the 12th in the Krasnodar Territory. Six Jehovah's Witnesses from the region have already been convicted and sentenced to between 13 months and 7.5 years in prison.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-08-20T10:38:47+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/08/201038.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","sizo","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1.1","families"],"title":"Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Again Held in Sochi. 25-Year-Old Believer Is Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of an FSB officer. When asked whether Dutkin behaved aggressively during the search, the witness answers in the negative and admits that he was pleasantly surprised that the believer behaved with dignity. The law enforcement officer adds: \"Your organization is still banned, but soon, perhaps, it will be resolved thanks to God's help, thanks to Jehovah.\"\nAn employee of the Center for Combating Extremism (CPE) is being interrogated. Counsel asks him to explain on what grounds he determined that the defendants continued the activities of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The only signs a witness can give are a mention of The Watchtower magazine and the singing of songs. Nor can he cite the facts of the rupture of family relations among believers.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2021-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20210820","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Kira Klisheva is being interrogated, on whose testimony the accusations against 5 more believers from Seversk are based.\nWhen asked on what grounds she determined that Jehovah's Witnesses are extremists, Klisheva gives the answer: \"Because they pronounce the name of God - Jehovah.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ershov in Seversk","date":"2021-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk3/index.html#20210820","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness K. E. Klisheva is being questioned. Judge Yalchin Badalov explains to the believer the nuances of interrogating a witness, explains how to ask questions correctly, suggests taking his time and allows him to ask the witness as many questions as Kolesnichenko sees fit.\nAnswering the defendant's questions, K.E. Klisheva explains that the materials that were discussed during the liturgical meetings did not encourage anything bad, they were \"useful and good.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kolesnichenko in Seversk","date":"2021-08-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk4/index.html#20210818","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Since 6:30 a.m. in Sochi, searches have been carried out at three addresses. Law enforcement officers invade Danil Suvorov, electronic equipment is seized from him.\nAt the same time, the security forces are looking for Suvorov at the home of other believers living in the village of Vesyoloye, Adler District, Sochi. The search is carried out under the direction of the senior investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory R. A. Shevriev. Law enforcement officers are looking for religious literature. They confiscate electronic equipment, personal notes, postcards and a book about Jehovah's Witnesses by religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko.\nAfter the searches, the detainees are taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee. Later, everyone except Danil Suvorov was released, and he was placed in a temporary detention facility.\nAnother search takes place at the home of an elderly woman. Law enforcement officers searching the house mistakenly believe that the woman is the mother of Danil Suvorov. Later, her son, Danil's fellow believer, is summoned for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danil Suvorov in Sochi","date":"2021-08-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi3/index.html#20210818","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Of all the witnesses for the prosecution, only the district police officer is in court. Anna Yermak says she first saw him on April 7, 2021, during a search of her home. However, the interrogation, in which the witness testified against the believer and identified her voice on audio recordings, was dated a month earlier, on March 15, 2021.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomareva and Yermak in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-08-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya4/index.html#20210812","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Not far from Belgorod, investigator Novikov and other police officers, dressed in civilian clothes, detain Sergei Lyulin. They push the believer into the luggage compartment of the minibus, handcuffing his hands to handrails under the ceiling on both sides of the cabin, and tape his legs to the seat. In this position, Sergey is taken to the Simferopol pre-trial detention center. The journey takes 16 hours. On the way, employees sometimes offer Sergey food or drink, but he refuses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20210811","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation","siloviks-violence","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yelena Menchikova expresses her attitude to the charge: \"Each faith has its own ways of expression: for some religions it is visiting temples, observing fasts, using the attributes of faith, and for the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses it is a joint discussion of the Bible with people, whether at home or on the street.\" The believer concludes: \"I am convinced that the reason for my being in the dock is an incorrect interpretation of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and not an alleged crime committed by me.\"\nFour prosecution witnesses are being questioned, with whom the defendant is practically not personally acquainted. Three of them had previously been witnesses in the case of Albert Batchaev. No one provides clear answers to specific questions, for example, \"under what circumstances did you meet the accused?\", and witnesses cannot testify on the merits of the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2021-08-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20210809","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the secret witness \"Shigapov\". According to him, he was one of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2020, but he previously claimed that he attended services until 2016. The defense draws attention to this contradiction and asks to read out his written testimony. The questioning of the witness is postponed as he leaves the courthouse during the break.\nThe case file states that Leysan Bochkareva, on her own initiative, communicated on religious topics with two women. However, at the court hearing, one of them, E. Gafetdinova, says that she was asked to meet with Leysan and pretend to be interested in the Bible. The witness also mentions that it was on their instructions that she introduced the defendant to another woman.\nTatiana's son Obizhestvit, who does not share his mother's religious views, gives her a positive characterization and reports that despite their different views, they have close family relations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2021-08-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20210809","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge attaches to the case file a description from Matrashov's place of work, signed by the company's employees.\nIn court, Matrashov's colleague says that Konstantin saved his life: when he had a heart attack, the believer took him to intensive care.\nVladimir Myakushin's neighbor is being interrogated. He positively characterizes the believer and emphasizes that as a university teacher, he communicates a lot with students and sees a striking difference between the highly moral lifestyle of Vladimir and today's youth.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210805","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 30, 2021 a search was conducted in the house of 68-year-old Aleksandr Shutov and his wife in the village of Kotikovo in Vyazemskiy district. During the raid, the believer's blood pressure spiked critically, but he was taken away for questioning 150 km away from his place of residence. Aleksandr was accused of extremism. He signed a not to leave the place.\nThe criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2 (participation in activities of a banned organization). The prosecution was initiated by lieutenant of justice S. V. Nemtsev, investigator of the Investigatory unit of Directorate of FSB of Russia for Khabarovsk territory. Nemtsev was joined in the search of the elderly couple's home by FSB officer Aleksey Svetochev, who organized the criminal persecution of other Jehovah's Witnesses in the town of Vyazemsky. After the search, Aleksandr Shutov was taken to Khabarovsk for questioning.\nEarlier, criminal cases were already filed against 68-year-old En Sen Li, 29-year-old Ilya Degtyarenko, 30-year-old Sergey Kuznetsov and 19-year-old Yegor Baranov, who is the only son of a single mother in the area.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-08-04T15:43:58+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_943a8332cba14e42.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_caffff98386a2f9a.jpg","webp":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_10d4e5329eff2378.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/constitution-upk_hu_543ff2e213e31665.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/08/041543.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","new-case","282.2-2","interrogation","health-risk","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"Another Search in Khabarovsk Territory. A Criminal Case Was Brought Against 68-Year-Old Aleksandr Shutov for His Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"A witness who communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses personally and attended their services is being interrogated. She says that despite the fact that she professes a different religion, she has never experienced hatred or hostility from Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210804","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Andrey Zhukov is also charged under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. As follows from the ruling, the unlawful actions of believers boil down to the fact that they \"conducted divine services consisting of sequentially performed prayers to Jehovah God, conducting a religious ceremony, and studying religious texts.\"\nAfter the decision is served, Zhukov is interrogated, he enjoys the right not to testify against himself and his relatives.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2021-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20210804","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["282.2-1.1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness is being interrogated. The lawyer asks whether he heard from Kabanov calls for incitement to religious discord, refusal of military service and medical care, whether he encouraged the severance of family and family ties, and whether he spoke disrespectfully about state bodies? The witness answers all questions in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2021-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20210804","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning 4 witnesses for the prosecution. They confirm that the defendants did not participate in rallies, protests and pickets against the state, racism or nationalism is unacceptable for them.\nThree of the witnesses state that the investigation exerted psychological and moral pressure on them. One of them, guided by delusions and propaganda against Jehovah's Witnesses, was called a \"spy\" and an \"American intelligence officer.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2021-08-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20210803","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Karachurin charges Ivan Sorokin under another article: Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (inducement, recruitment and other involvement of persons in an extremist organization), after which an interrogation is conducted. The believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2021-08-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20210803","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["282.2-1.1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning, the Shutov family is searched with the participation of the investigator of the investigation department of the FSB Directorate for the Khabarovsk Territory S.V. Nemtsev and the head of the FSB department for the Vyazemsky district Alexei Svetachev, as well as two detectives and witnesses.\nDuring the search, Aleksandr Shutov and his wife's blood pressure rises to dangerous levels. In this state, Alexander is taken away for interrogation, which lasts 2 hours. Investigator Nemtsev brings Shutov as a defendant in criminal case No. 12107080001000053. After interrogation, the believer is released on his own recognizance.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Shutov in Vyazemsky","date":"2021-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy4/index.html#20210730","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 21 and 22, 2021, about 10 searches were carried out in four cities of the Murmansk region. The security forces broke into the homes of local Jehovah's Witnesses mostly at night, interrogated them for many hours, and confiscated personal belongings. Criminal cases have been initiated against four believers.\nEvents in Snezhnogorsk\nIn Snezhnogorsk, searches were carried out at five addresses at least. Operational search measures were carried out at night \"in connection with the urgency of investigative actions.\" The operations were led by FSB Captain S. V. Polishchuk, Lieutenant Commander I. A. Meshchirikov and Major of Justice S. B. Mikheev. The following were confiscated from the believers: electronic equipment, personal records, information carriers, an album for drawing, bank card details. In one case, literature was planted, including a book not published by Jehovah's Witnesses and not on the federal list of extremist materials. Also, a search took place at 38-year-old Alexey Yeliseyev. After his arrest, he was placed in a temporary detention facility and then a recognizance agreement was taken from him, with some restrictions imposed. Presumably, a criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nYunona Iliasova, 36, a mother of three young children, was interrogated and placed in a temporary detention facility for a day. Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the IC Leshkov A. N. accused her of committing a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity) and demanded that the believer be placed under house arrest. Viktoriya Loginova, judge of the Polyarny District Court of the Murmansk Region, placed Yunona Iliasova under recognizance agreement. The believer was released from custody in the courtroom.\nSearches in Polyarny and Murmansk\nA night search in the city of Polyarny was carried out at the home of 47-year-old Roman Markin, who, together with fellow believer Viktor Trofimov, had already been convicted and fined a large sum for his faith in Jehovah God. All electronic equipment, a system unit, information carriers, a passbook, personal records and printed publications, including the Bible, were seized from Roman, his wife and daughter.\nAnother victim of unreasonable raids was a married couple, who, according to preliminary information, were witnesses in the case of Roman Markin and Viktor Trofimov. The law enforcement officers searched the apartment for 9 hours, starting on the evening of June 21. They confiscated equipment, postcards and the Bible in the Synodal translation from the believers.\nRaid in Apatity\nOn the other end of the Kola Peninsula, in the city of Apatity, security officials conducted searches and interrogated at least four people. In the apartment of 45-year-old Denis Merkulov and his wife, law enforcement officers broke down the iron front door and knocked out the double-glazed window. The security forces seized electronic devices, bank cards, personal records, photographs and the Bible in Modern Translation. On July 24, the judge of the Apatity City Court Vladimir Dyomin chose a measure of restraint for the believer in the form of house arrest until September 18, 2021. Denis Merkulov was charged under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities).\nThe security forces came to one of the residents of the city with a search during her communication with friends via videoconference. The woman, unsuspecting, opened the door, and a group of operatives broke into the apartment. One of them recorded conversations of believers about the Bible. The following items were seized: a laptop, religious literature, 2 telephones, audio cassettes, and a Bible. During the night interrogation, one of the operatives threatened the woman with a 10-year prison term. He claimed that because of her refusal to take the blame for extremism and incriminate fellow believers, she \"will have problems.\" Another believer became ill during a late interrogation and was unable to answer questions.\nJehovah's Witnesses are already being prosecuted in 68 regions of Russia. The Russian and international community emphasizes that the oppression of believers violates the norms of Russian and international law and fundamental human freedoms.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-07-29T17:40:16+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/omon_hu_cc21e0c1b202fec1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_ffc696cb236da5bb.jpg","webp":"/news/common/omon_hu_4c87d2ce782042cd.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_9c4da176cf33a608.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/07/291740.html","regions":["murmansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","plant","ivs","recognizance-agreement","interrogation","house-arrest","282.2-1"],"title":"A Wave of Searches in 4 Cities of the Murmansk Region. Roman Markin Convicted of Faith Is Among Its Victims","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 22, 2021, a 62-year-old electrician Yuriy Ponomarenko was searched in Luchegorsk (Primorsky Territory). Later, the believer was interrogated and placed on recognizance not to leave. A criminal case was initiated against him under an extremist article.\nOn July 16, 2021, the senior investigator of the Investigation Department for the city of Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Primorsky Territory N.A. Sorokina opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities). After 6 days, she, accompanied by three operatives and two attesting witnesses, came to search Yuriy Ponomarenko's apartment. A mobile phone, a hard drive and postcards with Bible verses were confiscated from the believer. The security forces also searched his garage.\nOn July 24, Yuriy was summoned for interrogation to Dalnerechensk, which is located 80 kilometers from Luchegorsk. As evidence of the \"crime\", the investigator used a recording of a telephone conversation with a co-religionist, made in 2018. According to Sorokina, she also has records of how the services were held in the period 2017-2019.\nYuriy Ponomarenko became the 37th believer in the Primorsky Territory who is persecuted for his religious beliefs. The case against two other residents of Luchegorsk, Sergey Sergeyev and Yuriy Belosludtsev, is pending trial .\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-07-28T08:33:46+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/07/280833.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","recognizance-agreement","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"New Search and Criminal Case for Faith in Luchegorsk. 62-Year-Old Yuriy Ponomarenko Was Placed on Recognizance Not to Leave","type":"news"},{"body":"The court is questioning a prosecution witness who has known the defendants for more than 12 years. She reports that they never coerced, intimidated or threatened her with anything. \"They are kind, sincere, decent guys,\" says the woman. She also reports that the investigation put pressure on her, resorted to threats, did not give her the opportunity to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which allows her not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2021-07-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20210727","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yuriy Ponomarenko is summoned for interrogation to the Investigative Committee of the city of Dalnerechensk, which is 84 kilometers from the place of residence of the believer. During the interrogation, Sorokin reproduces an audio recording of Ponomarenko's telephone conversation three years ago as evidence of the believer's \"guilt\". When asked by the investigator who is talking and with whom, Ponomarenko uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. After interrogation, the man is released on his own recognizance.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ponomarenko and Others in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-07-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk2/index.html#20210724","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning prosecution witness Alexei Maslov, head of the CPE department. He says that his department began to take an interest in the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2012. Maslov informs the court of information without indicating the source of his knowledge. He also has no evidence that the defendants kept banned literature for distribution. Neither discrimination on religious grounds nor religious hatred on the part of Jehovah's Witnesses was found by the CPE employee. Maslov did not hear calls for violent actions from the defendants. He confirms that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oniszczuk and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov3/index.html#20210721","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, senior FSB operative Captain A.S. Romanov, who was directly involved in operational-search activities and searches in 2018 and 2019, is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Omelchenko in Murmansk","date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/murmansk/index.html#20210720","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the hearing in the Partizansky City Court, a witness from the prosecution is questioned. According to the witness, she does not know the defendant personally. Her mother-in-law was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and she never heard hate speech from her, but she saw love for others.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Maltseva in Partizansk","date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk2/index.html#20210720","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. V. Ilchenko is being interrogated. He admits that the negative remarks about adherents of other religions actually belong to him, and not to Beltikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20210720","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 25 people come to support the believer. Only Anton's sister is allowed to be present in the courtroom.\nThe judge admits religious scholar Sergey Ivanenko to participate in the trial.\nThe defendant Ostapenko is being interrogated. He tells the court: \"I don't understand this [charge] because what I was doing was peaceful religious activity. And I don't understand why... I am equated with an extremist.\" Anton explains that his religion is expressed in reading the Bible together, singing songs, and studying the Scriptures.\nWhen asked by the court whether his religion prohibits him from communicating with people of other faiths, Anton explains that there is no such ban, and this proves his friendly and respectful communication with colleagues with different religious views.\nThe believer informs the court that during his detention he was subjected to pressure of various kinds. Also, according to Anton Ostapenko, he received threats to the health and safety of his loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2021-07-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20210715","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 7:00 a.m., the security forces wake up Sergey and Irina Skudayev with a loud knock on the door. Upon entering, they lay the believer face down on the floor, but then allow him to rise. Law enforcement officers conduct a thorough search, while behaving respectfully.\nElectronic devices, 50 wedding cards, a book by religious scholar S. I. Ivanenko about Jehovah's Witnesses, personal notes and a small amount of money received from the sale of honey were seized from believers, considering this proof of \"financing a banned organization.\" During the search, Irina becomes ill from the stress she has experienced, she is allowed to take medicine.\nSergey is detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. Investigator Astapov officially involves the believer as a defendant in a criminal case.\nLater, the believer recalls that he had previously noticed surveillance of himself: a woman came, who, posing as a bailiff, interviewed neighbors, asked \"in which direction the door opens\" from the Skudaevs.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20210714","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Isakovs' apartment and country house, as well as their daughter's apartment, are being searched with the participation of officers of the Border Guard Service of the FSB of Russia in the Kurgan and Tyumen regions. Bibles in various translations, Bible reference books and dictionaries, books by Russian religious scholars, autobiographies of Jehovah's Witnesses who were prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, as well as letters, photographs, notebooks with personal notes, bank cards and documents are seized from the believer. In addition, the security forces take away the printer, electronic devices and storage media.\nDuring the search, one of the security officials demands that the believer's wife, Tatyana, \"tell us about everything,\" threatening her and her daughter with dismissal from their jobs.\nThe believer is a disabled person of group II: he is struggling with oncology, needs regular hospitalization (approximately every 2 months) and constant intake of potent prescription drugs. Despite his diagnoses, he is left in custody in a temporary detention facility, where he spends the night.\nThat same morning, they came to the house of the Minsafin family with a search. The first unexpected guests are noticed by their minor daughter. Opening the door, Valery sees 10 people. Investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region, Alexei Tretyakov, presents a court order to conduct a search.\nThe security forces consistently search every room, as well as the basement, bathhouse, summer kitchen, car and land. They seize electronic devices, bank cards, flash drives, a printer, Bibles in various translations, a Bible game, an encyclopedia, and personal records. A technician tries to unlock smartphones and tablets.\nFrom stress, Valeriy's wife has high blood pressure. The security forces allow Valeriy to eat and pack his things, after which they take him to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. There he is provided with a lawyer.\nThe investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region, T. V. Kononova, detains and sends the believer to the temporary detention facility in Kurgan for 48 hours.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20210714","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","minors","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The house of the Minsafin family is searched. Opening the door, Valeriy sees 10 people. The security forces consistently search each room, as well as the basement, bathhouse, summer kitchen, car and land. They confiscate electronic devices, bank cards, flash drives, a printer, Bibles in various translations, a Bible game, an encyclopedia, and personal records.\nFrom stress, the couple Valeriy's blood pressure rises. The security forces allow Valeriy to eat and pack his things. After that, he is taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation and sent to the temporary detention facility in Kurgan.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan6/index.html#20210714","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","new-case","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of witnesses begins, among them - the agent of the special services Valery Ilchenko, who kept a secret record of conversations about the Bible with believers.\nIlchenko disagrees with some of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, but acknowledges that everyone has the right to practice their religion and consider it correct. The witness admits that he did not receive an offer from anyone to join the Local Religious Organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in the village of Pavlovskaya.\nThe court is interrogating Maksim Beltikov. He explains to the court that he met with Lyudmila Shchekoldina and Valery Ilchenko once. Valery talked about his family problems, and they discussed advice from the Bible on the subject. The topic of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses was not raised. He adds that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited by Russian law.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Shchekoldina in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya/index.html#20210714","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigators are conducting searches of at least 8 families of local Jehovah's Witnesses. Personal records, letters, photographs, electronic devices, money, bank cards, books and magazines are seized from believers. In the town of Shadrinsk, about 150 km from the regional centre, security forces detained at least 8 men and brought them to the Investigative Committee for questioning. Among them are Alexander Lubin and Ilya Ershov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20210714","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Local Jehovah's Witnesses are being searched in Kurgan and the city of Shadrinsk, about 150 km away. Among those detained and taken in for interrogation is Ilya Ershov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20210714","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of 14 July 2021, searches were conducted in the homes of at least 8 families of local Jehovah's Witnesses in Kurgan and Shadrinsk. According to preliminary data, at least 13 peaceful believers were detained; the location of most of them is not yet known.\nOne of the searches was of 43 year-old Sergey Skudaev from Kurgan. He was detained and taken to the temporary detention center, awaiting a court decision on pre-trial restraint. A criminal case under the article on extremism was initiated. The case is being led by Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Kurgan region. In the resolution signed by him, the reason for the raid is a meeting of believers via video conference. Investigator Ivan Bezborodov and six other officers took part in the search of Skudayev's apartment, garage and dacha. Electronic gadgets, Bibles, diaries and wedding photos were seized from the believer.\nIn Kurgan, 49-year-old Valeriy Minsafin and 56-year-old Anatoliy Isakov were also searched. Searches in Isakov's family were carried out at three addresses at once.\nThe search in the house of Minsafin took place under the supervision of lieutenant colonel of justice, A.V. Tretyakov, investigator of internal affairs department of Kurgan region Investigation Committee, with participation of local FSB and Centre for counteraction to extremism. Some security officers were armed with machine guns. Electronic devices, Bibles in various translations, personal records, and bank cards were seized from the Minsafin family. After the search, the believer was taken to the building of the Investigative Committee in Kurgan (132 Burova-Petrova St.).\nAccording to preliminary information, at least 8 men were detained and taken to Kurgan in the town of Shadrinsk, about 150 km from the regional center.\nKurgan region became the 68th region in Russia where Jehovah's Witnesses are persecuted. The international community and Russian human rights organizations unanimously condemn the actions of the Russian authorities against the followers of this religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-07-14T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_5c6cf220765f797a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_f83fda8b6d29ba90.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_c9c4066c83d218c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_285c2a837883ce7b.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/07/151648.html","regions":["kurgan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","new-case"],"title":"Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses Is Underway in 68 Regions of the Russian Federation. Security Officials Raided Believers in Kurgan and Shadrinsk","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 8, 2021, new criminal cases were filed against Jehovah's Witnesses living in the Vladimir region. Aleksey Kupriyanov, 48, from Kovrov, and Roman Adestov, 45, from the village of Ivanovo were interrogated and detained. The next day, the Oktyabrskiy district court of Vladimir put them in custody.\nIn the early morning of 8 July, law enforcement officers came with searches simultaneously to Kupriyanov and Adestov. Aleksey and Raman were taken for interrogation to the head criminal investigator D.A. Tyumenev. Then the search continued in the presence of the wives of the believers. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices. A few days before the searches, the Kupriyanovs and Adestovs noticed interruptions in the work of the home Internet and TV receivers.\nThe search in Kovrov was led by Captain Velichko, a senior FSB operative, and in the village of Ivanovo by junior FSB operative Polyakov.\nOn June 28, 2021, investigator Tyumenev opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Kupriyanov. According to the investigation, the believer \"took part in religious meetings ... actively participated in the collection of information on the amount of work done... on the implementation of... the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses ... to the civilian masses.\" This is how the investigation interprets peaceful discussions of the Bible among friends. Despite the fact that Aleksey has elderly parents who are dependent on him, the court ruled to detain the believer until August 26, 2021.\nAbout five months ago, a criminal case was opened in Kovrov against 66-year-old Boris Simonenko, who is still in jail for his faith in Jehovah God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-07-12T17:39:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/07/121739/image_hu_3dd4f75521370e17.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/07/121739/image_hu_ec41d7a35805223.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/07/121739/image_hu_43f35cb9a10562c2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/07/121739/image_hu_862f2f0ef78dc89f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/07/121739.html","regions":["vladimir"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","new-case","interrogation","282.2-2"],"title":"New Prisoners of Conscience in the Vladimir Region of Russia: Two More Jehovah's Witnesses Sent to Detention Centers","type":"news"},{"body":"In the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region, a defense witness who has known the defendant since elementary school is being interrogated. She speaks of Natalia as a \"cheerful, adequate, well-read person\" with whom she had no conflicts. According to the witness, who does not share Nataliya's religious views, the believer never imposed her beliefs on her or humiliated representatives of other religions, nor did she speak out against state power. \"She won't hurt a fly ... I can only say good things about her,\" the witness said.\nThe debate begins. The prosecutor requests a sentence of 4 years in prison and 2 years of restriction of freedom for Nataliya, with the obligation to report twice a month at the FSIN supervisory institution.\nAt the next hearing, the defense will take the floor in the debate.\n","caseTitle":"The Kriger Case in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-07-12T09:01:39+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan17/index.html#20210712","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["punishment-request","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Andriy Okhrimchuk. When asked by the lawyer whether the defendant called for the justification of terrorism, racial and national hatred and other violations of the rights of citizens, the believer answers: \"No, and never did it.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Okhrimchuk in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don9/index.html#20210712","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The security forces under the leadership of the senior FSB operative Captain Velichko come to the home of Alexei Kupriyanov in Kovrov. The believer is taken away for interrogation in Vladimir, and the investigative actions take place in the presence of Alexei's wife.\nKupriyanov is accused of participating in peaceful worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, which the investigation interprets as \"committing a deliberate grave crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the state.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2021-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20210708","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Kovrov and the Kovrov district, searches are being conducted in the homes of Aleksey Kupriyanov from Kovrov and Roman Adestov from the village of Ivanovo. The search in Kovrov is led by the senior FSB operative Captain Velichko, and in the village of Ivanovo - by the junior FSB operative Polyakov. The believers are taken away for interrogation to the FSB department in Vladimir.\nInvestigator Tyumenev presents Roman Adestov with a decision to bring him as an accused. According to the investigation, the man \"committed active actions aimed at continuing illegal activities,\" \"took part in religious meetings, participated in the collection and systematization of information on the amount of work done to introduce the ideology of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses into the civilian masses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Adestov in Kovrov","date":"2021-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov3/index.html#20210708","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Law enforcers are conducting searches at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Konakovo. Among them are the Kuznetsov and Naumenko families. At 8 a.m., people in firefighters' clothes knocked on Sergey Naumenko's door under the pretext that their neighbors had an emergency. As a result, investigator Aleksey Korshunov, district policeman Medvedev with weapons and two attesting witnesses enter the apartment. The law enforcers say that they \"try to act in accordance with the law,\" but in response to Sergey's refusal to give them the phone, they threaten to use force.\nIn addition, operatives are conducting a search at the home of Alexander Starikov in the city of Ivanovo. He moved there from Konakovo to take care of his 95-year-old father. FSB officers Sergey Yerofeev, Aleksandr Blinov and Vladislav Motorkin participate in the search. They take into account the believer's request not to frighten or disturb his elderly father and conduct the search without any violence or pressure.\nElectronic equipment and storage media, bank cards, personal records were confiscated from believers, and even school diaries were confiscated from Naumenko. Alexander and Sergey are taken away for interrogation. They are charged and released on recognizance agreement.\nOn the same day, law enforcement officers searched the garage and car of Alexander Starikov. In total, investigative measures against the believer last about 8 hours.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Starikov and Others in Konakovo","date":"2021-07-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/konakovo/index.html#20210706","regions":["tver"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Security Forces Search Jehovah's Witnesses in Konakovo. Among them are the families of Kuznetsov and Naumenko. At 8 am, people in firefighters' clothes knock on Sergey Naumenko's door under the pretext that the neighbors had an emergency. As a result, investigator Aleksey Korshunov, district police officer Medvedev with a weapon and two testifying witnesses enter the apartment. The security forces say that they \"try to act according to the law,\" but in response to Sergey's refusal to give them the phone, they threaten to use force.\nOperatives are also conducting a search of Aleksandr Starikov in Ivanovo. He moved there from Konakovo to take care of his 95-year-old father. FSB officers Sergey Erofeev, Aleksandr Blinov and Vladislav Motorkin participate in the search. They take into account the request of the believer not to frighten or disturb his elderly father and conduct a search without any violence or pressure.\nElectronic equipment and storage media, bank cards, personal records are confiscated from believers, and even school diaries are being confiscated from Naumenko. Aleksandr and Sergey are taken away for interrogation. They are charged and released on recognizance agreement.\nOn the same day, law enforcement officers search the garage and car of Aleksandr Starikov. In total, investigative measures against the believer last about 8 hours.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Naumenko in Konakovo","date":"2021-07-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/konakovo2/index.html#20210706","regions":["tver"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation","search","new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"More than 20 people come to support Ostapenko. Only three people are allowed into the courtroom.\nThe court examines the witness. He confirms that the Bible was discussed at the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses he previously attended. Believers, including Ostapenko, respect the state authorities and do not disregard the laws of the country.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2021-07-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20210702","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Mynochka interrogates experts: a religious scholar and a psychologist. They confirm that they did the examination on the basis of a transcript, not an audio recording.\nThe defense shall file a motion for a second phonoscopic examination.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20210630","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants testify. Arsen Avanesov explains that meetings of fellow believers are not extremist activities, but a peaceful confession of faith. In their dealings with authorities and people, Jehovah's Witnesses try to be correct, restrained, not to respond to rudeness, and to follow the example of the first Christians and Jesus Christ.\nWhen asked by the judge why Jehovah's Witnesses often use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Arsen Avanesov replies that the state itself guarantees a person the right not to testify against himself. And even if investigators and judges remind us of this constitutional right, Jehovah's Witnesses consider it really important.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210630","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court begins listening to audio recordings of worship services held in 2017-18.\nThe judge asks the witness Petrova questions: who owns the voices on the audio recording; What is at stake in the fragments for which there is a discrepancy between the audio recording and the investigator's memorandum.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2021-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20210629","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the hearing, volumes of the criminal case are read out, in particular, transcripts of records of divine services. It was expected that a secret witness under the name \"mother\" would be questioned at the hearing, but he did not appear.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2021-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20210629","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 23, 2021, in the city of Alatyr, located 200 km south of the capital of Chuvashia, Cheboksary, local residents were searched. Security officials suspect them of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. At least seven believers were interrogated.\nAt about 7 o'clock in the morning, one of the believers was searched by officers of the FSB of Russia for the Chuvash Republic, investigator R.O. They confiscated a tablet, a photo album, a wooden wall plate with the inscription \"Jehovah\", personal notes and drawings from the woman.\nA search also took place in the house of a married couple under the leadership of FSB Major Dmitry Baranov. Mobile phones were seized from the spouses, the head of the family was interrogated in the FSB department, and his wife was interrogated at home because of the child's illness.\nDuring interrogations of seven believers, law enforcement officers asked whether they were members of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, whether they participated in religious meetings and sermons, whether they made donations; if they know other Jehovah's Witnesses from Cheboksary and from Alatyr.\nAlatyr became the second city in the Chuvash Republic, where civilians are persecuted for their faith in Jehovah God.\nUpdate. On September 2, 2021, searches were carried out in the city of Kanash (Chuvashia), located 100 kilometers north of Alatyr. Investigative actions in both cities appear to be conducted within the framework of the same criminal case, which the FSB opened on June 16, 2021 against unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nOn August 31, the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Cheboksary, Yevgeny Egorov, having granted the request of investigator Baranov, issued a search warrant in Ivan Elagin's apartment. He was then interrogated. It is known that the interrogation of Ivan Elagin's brother is scheduled for September 6, 2021. It will be conducted by another investigator, A. G. Grigoriev.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-06-28T09:53:52+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_4aa589b81b87365e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_dc16356e31723ca3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_d442190f69a95cf6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/06/280953.html","regions":["chuvashia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Searches and Interrogations of Local Jehovah's Witnesses Were Again Held in Chuvashia","type":"news"},{"body":"The court is questioning two witnesses. None of them can confirm that Jehovah's Witnesses voiced calls inciting religious hatred against other religions. They have never heard believers urge them to disobey the authorities or to refuse to perform their civic duties. The men interrogated by the court admit that the believers did not force them to attend services or to make donations. When asked whether they noticed any aggression or bitterness at meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, the interrogated respondents reply that the believers, on the contrary, \"treated each other humanly, with understanding.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shmidt in Sevastopol","date":"2021-06-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol3/index.html#20210628","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Residents of the city of Alatyr are being searched. Security officials suspect them of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and interrogate at least seven believers.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Martynov and Others in Alatyr","date":"2021-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alatyr/index.html#20210623","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are being questioned. The first informs the court that she does not know the defendant, has no hostile attitude towards any of those present, has been to Jehovah's Witnesses services only twice, but does not remember exactly when and where they took place.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Maltseva in Partizansk","date":"2021-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk2/index.html#20210623","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Konstantin Moiseyenko testifies in his defense.\nA petition is filed to study the decisions of the ECHR regarding Jehovah's Witnesses, the Opinions of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the working group on arbitrary meetings of the UN, the conclusions of various expert institutions on the absence of extremism in the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses and refuting the arguments of the prosecution about the danger to the state of the practice of religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe defendant also draws the court's attention to the opinion of the Government of the Russian Federation that the decision of the Supreme Court of 20.04.2017 does not contain a ban on professing the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe positive characteristics of the defendant, which were provided by relatives and neighbors, are attached to the case.\nThe next meeting is scheduled for July 2, 2021 at 09:00. Debates of the parties are planned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moiseyenko in Zeya","date":"2021-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya2/index.html#20210623","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Matusevich, who attended religious services for about two years before the ban on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to Batchaev, the witness gives false testimony against him.\n\"I don't know Matusevich, I've never seen him, and he doesn't know me and he's never seen me,\" Albert explains, \"I completely disagree with Matusevich's testimony.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Batchaev in Cherkessk","date":"2021-06-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk/index.html#20210616","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 11, 2021, in the town of Asha, Chelyabinsk Region, several apartments of local believers were searched. After interrogations, the believers were released.\nUpdate. According to updated data, five families of Jehovah's Witnesses in Asha and neighboring Minyar (Chelyabinsk Region) were searched. On June 9, 2021, Oksana Makarenko, judge of the Tractorozavodsky District Court of Chelyabinsk, issued an order to search the home of 49-year-old Andrey Perminov, a disabled person, as part of a criminal case under part 1 Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code. The believer moves around in a wheelchair and can't do without assistance.\nAt 6:30 a.m. there was a knock at the door of Perminovs' couple. Guests introduced themselves as employees of the housing management company. Five people, headed by an investigator for particularly important cases Yevgeny Dolgayev and accompanied by two riot policemen and an employee of the management company, entered the apartment. The search lasted about two and a half hours, during which Andrey was forced to stay in bed. They confiscated electronic devices, bank cards, data storage devices, and personal records.\nOnly after the search, Andrey was allowed to get dressed and get into his wheelchair. Due to the believer's state of health, the interrogation was conducted on the spot. The law enforcers were asked, \"How can you explain the lectures found in your possession about the worship of Jehovah God?\" During the interrogation, the couple used Article 51 of the Russian Constitution, even though Natalia was threatened that she would be put in jail for it. The Perminovs experienced severe stress, a sense of helplessness, and fear for their family's future.\nAnother local believer, 28-year-old Andrey Fedorov, had his car alarm go off at 5:30 in the morning. When he went out to check if everything was all right, he was attacked from behind and laid face down on the pavement. Eight law enforcers, two of whom were FSB officers in camouflage and with guns, put Andrey, his wife, and his sister against the wall and read the search warrant. Electronic devices, data carriers, personal records, and bank card were seized from them.\nSimultaneously, law enforcers searched the neighboring house, where Andrey's father, 52-year-old Vadim Fedorov, lives. That morning there were only two underage children and their grandmother at home. One of the law enforcers threatened Andrey that if he did not report the whereabouts of his father, the children would be taken away by guardianship.\nVadim Fedorov soon arrived from a nearby town, where he was with his wife on business, worried that the family members were not in touch. Law enforcement officers were waiting outside the house for the believer. They reported that in his absence they searched the house and seized a Bible, a computer, a Bible game, and two walkie-talkies.\nAfter the search believers were taken for questioning to the Investigative Committee. They were asked if they knew Andrey Perminov, if they were members of Jehovah's Witnesses organization and if they conducted worship services with the help of Zoom. Vadim was threatened with the fact that if he did not cooperate with the investigation he would ruin his and his children's lives and the \"extremist\" article would become a \"stigma for life.\" The believers took advantage of Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and were released 20 minutes later.\nThe raid in Asha and Minyar is not the first case of harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses from the Chelyabinsk region. Dmitry Vinogradov was recently convicted for his belief in God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-06-11T14:03:39+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/omon_hu_cc21e0c1b202fec1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_ffc696cb236da5bb.jpg","webp":"/news/common/omon_hu_4c87d2ce782042cd.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_9c4da176cf33a608.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/06/111403.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","disability","interrogation","elderly","minors"],"title":"Police Raids Jehovah's Witnesses in Asha, Chelyabinsk Region","type":"news"},{"body":"In the town of Asha, Chelyabinsk Region, and neighboring Minyar, searches are being conducted at the homes of 5 families of Jehovah's Witnesses. A search warrant for a disabled person of group I, 49-year-old Andrey Perminov, was issued by the judge of the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Chelyabinsk, Oksana Makarenko. Operational activities are supervised by investigator Dolgaev.\nElectronic devices, storage media, bank cards, notebooks with personal notes, a Bible, a homemade Bible game, walkie-talkies, in one case a tape recorder and a CD with songs are seized from believers. During the searches, video is being filmed. Then the believers are interrogated by the Investigative Committee.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Perminov in Asha","date":"2021-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/asha/index.html#20210611","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","disability","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A defense witness, the defendant's former superior, is being interrogated. Earlier, representatives of law enforcement agencies forced him to dismiss Gubin without giving reasons. According to the witness, Gubin has always had a good reputation. When asked by the prosecutor whether the witness knows what religion Gubin professes, the interrogated replies that they have never talked about this topic. The court attaches all the positive characteristics of the believer.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gubin in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan18/index.html#20210611","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 8 o'clock in the morning in Krasnoyarsk, a search is being conducted at the place of registration of Alexander Kazakov. The operation is led by police captain Viktor Petrenko, an operative of the CPE of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Tuva, accompanied by two employees of the CPE, as well as the head of the investigation department, Olchi Okhemchik. The search warrant was issued by Kyzyl City Court Judge Yevgenia Bolomozhnova on May 21, 2021.\nAn electronic device, a bank card, a Wi-Fi router and a wireless mouse were seized from Aleksandr's relative, who was at home at the time of the search. She is later interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Kazakov's case in Kyzyl","date":"2021-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl2/index.html#20210611","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness V. V. Ilchenko is being questioned. He confirms that the words attributed to the defendant are in fact his own.\nOther witnesses interrogated say they have known Beltikov for about 20 years. They confirm that they have never heard him call for violence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20210611","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 8, 2021, in the city of Novokuznetsk law enforcement officers raided 3 houses of believing pensioners, as well as another apartment whose residents are not Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAt about 6 am the law enforcement officers broke into the home of a 74-year-old sister proceeding with the raid. They confiscated her Bible and the postcards, after that she was taken away for interrogation. The second victim of law enforcement officers was an elderly woman who does not leave home. Seven people invaded her home, nothing was confiscated.\nThe third search was carried out in the house of an elderly couple; a car of special police forces (OMON) was seen nearby. The couple was later taken to the police station for questioning. In the evening they were released, and the man was ordered not to leave his place.\nUpdate. According to 64-year-old Sergey Sushilnikov, he and his wife were woken up with long bells at the door. When the believer opened the door, three riot policemen burst into the apartment with machine guns, masks and bulletproof vests. Shouting \"everyone, on the floor!\" siloviki knocked down Sergey, and his wife was pushed against the wall. After that, two FSB operatives entered, accompanied by a specialist from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and attesting witnesses. The senior investigator of the Novokuznetsk Investigation Department, Pavel Nekhoroshev, read the order and began the search, which was carried out for 3.5 hours. By their actions, law enforcement officers have caused damage to property, in connection with which the apartment now requires repair. Electronic devices and data carriers were seized from the spouses.\nAfter the search, the Sushilnikovs were taken to the investigation department, where they waited for interrogation for three hours, guarded by riot police. From the stress experienced, Sergei's blood pressure rose.\nAnother search took place in the apartment where Jehovah's Witnesses used to live, but now other people live there.\nNovokuznetsk has become the seventh settlement in the Kemerovo Region where authorities have raided believers’ homes since the Supreme Court ruled to liquidate and ban all 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. At present, some believers from this region, namely 48-year-old Vadim Levchuk and 55-year-old Sergey Britvin, are already serving their sentences in the general regime colony No. 3 in the Novosibirsk region.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-06-10T08:23:30+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/sobr_hu_db6bdff650e64560.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_a86723e543e37699.jpg","webp":"/news/common/sobr_hu_e7599b6b61f18360.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_f2367077e24b439e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/06/100823.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"title":"Novokuznetsk: Law Enforcement Officers Search Elderly People, Suspecting Them of Worshiping Jehovah's God","type":"news"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice G. Y. Tarasenko, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Pervorechensky District of Vladivostok of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, within the framework of criminal case No. 11902050005000051, involves Yuri Redozubov as a suspect in committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) and interrogates him. Tarasenko is trying to find out whether Yuri believes in God, what religion he professes, whether he attends church, whether he knows Dmitry and Elena Barmakin, and whether he participated in the services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe believer refuses to testify, using Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2021-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20210609","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning 5 witnesses for the prosecution. They say that they have never heard calls against the overthrow of the government and the existing system from any of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2021-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20210608","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From 7:00 there is a 3-hour search of the Sushilnikov spouses. Breaking into the apartment, the security forces force the pensioner to lie on the floor, and his wife is pressed against the wall. By their actions, law enforcement officers cause damage to property, in connection with which the apartment now requires repair. From stress, Sergey's blood pressure rises. Electronic devices and data carriers are seized from the spouses. Later, they are taken to the investigation department for interrogation. Sergey is provided with a state lawyer and released on his own recognizance.\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2021-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20210608","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 5, 2021, searches were carried out in the working village of Solnechny (Khabarovsk Territory). A criminal case has been initiated. Boris Yagovitov, 49, was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. On June 7, Pavel Nesterov, a judge of the Solnechny District Court of the Khabarovsk Territory, chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of house arrest until August 4, 2021.\nA car drove up to Boris and his wife Natalia during a walk in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, from which two got out and invited the couple to get into the car. When Boris asked about the reason for the detention, he received the answer: \"This is due to your activities.\" Then the believers were taken to their place of residence in the village of Solnechny, which is 40 kilometers from Komsomolsk-on-Amur.\nLate in the evening, at about 10 p.m., their apartment was searched, and then the spouses were interrogated. Boris was placed in a temporary detention facility, and Natalia was released home at 2:30 a.m. The search and interrogation were conducted by the investigator for especially important cases Alexander Meshalkin.\nAt 9:30 p.m. on the same day, security forces from Amursk and Khabarovsk came to another local believer. During the search, they seized electronic devices and personal records of her late husband. Then the woman was taken for interrogation to the investigative department for the Khabarovsk Territory and the city of Amursk in the village of Solnechny, where she was interrogated. The believer was taken home at 4:30 in the morning.\nBoris Yagovitov became the 19th Jehovah's Witness persecuted for his faith in the Khabarovsk Territory. Another resident of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Nikolay Aliyev, was recently given a 4.5-year suspended sentence for reading the Bible.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-06-07T15:54:16+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/06/071554.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","house-arrest","new-case","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"New searches of believers in the Khabarovsk Territory. After 2 days behind bars, a 49-year-old Jehovah's Witness was placed under house arrest","type":"news"},{"body":"The testimony is given by the witness O. A. Shellova, a relative of Dmitry Terebilov, who does not share his religious beliefs. She characterizes Dmitry as a sympathetic person, ready to help free of charge. According to her, the defendant does not abuse alcohol, does not smoke, does not use obscene language and he has good relations with neighbors.\nShelling informs the court that Terebilov used to have a hard life, he even sat in prison, but then he became a believer and changed for the better. These changes in Terebilov also affected the life of his uncle, who until 2013 lived with a relative who mistreated him and regularly beat him. Upon learning of this, Dmitry Terebilov took his uncle to him, now he is no longer starving and looks well-groomed. Living with his nephew and his wife, he quit smoking. Obolochkova calls Terebilov \"a true Christian.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-06-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210607","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Meshalkin brings Boris Yagovitov as an accused.\nThe Solnechny District Court of the Khabarovsk Territory sends the believer under house arrest.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yagovitov in the village of Solnechnoye","date":"2021-06-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solnechny/index.html#20210607","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation","house-arrest"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Boris and Natalia Yagovitov are detained in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and taken for interrogation to the investigative department in the village of Solnechny. At the place of residence of the spouses, a search is carried out in their absence (the investigator takes the keys from the landlord).\nBoris Yagovitov is placed in a temporary detention facility for 48 hours.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yagovitov in the village of Solnechnoye","date":"2021-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solnechny/index.html#20210605","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"One of the witnesses reports that he is familiar with Dmitry Golik. He says that after 2016 he began to lead a \"wrong lifestyle,\" so he ceased to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. No certificate was issued to him. He explains that there is no hierarchy among believers; An elder is a believing man, but a more responsible shepherd.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2021-06-04T16:52:41+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20210604","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A man with whom the Bochkarevs had previously talked about the Bible is being interrogated. He is confused in his testimony and cannot cite facts that would prove that Andrei and Leysan did anything illegal. At the same time, he expresses his negative attitude towards believers: \"I immediately realized that they were sectarians.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2021-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20210603","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness for the prosecution, \"Ivanov Vasily Sergeyevich\", is being questioned, who says that he does not know the defendant personally. About the services that Ostapenko is accused of organizing, he knows that \"people just gathered, sang songs.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2021-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20210603","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating Olga Finogenko, a senior state linguistic expert. The witness reports that, according to her examination of telephone conversations, no calls or motives for prohibited and extremist actions were found in the defendant's statements.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2021-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20210601","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Since the morning of May 27, 2021, security guards have been searching the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Barnaul, the capital of Altai Territory, and Rubtsovsk, about 300 km away. At least eight people are being detained for interrogation. According to preliminary data, a criminal case has been opened against a 24-year-old believer.\nUpdate. It has become known that mass searches and detentions took place in the cities of Barnaul, Zarinsk and Rubtsovsk, the settlement of Telmenka and the villages of Troitskoye and Shakhi during a police special operation codenamed \"Armageddon\". Believers reported the use of physical force by security forces. At least 17 people were taken for interrogation to the UVS and the Extremism Combating Center. Ekaterina Popova, a judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Barnaul, issued a warrant for searches in Barnaul and four other locations. Police Major Yaroslav Medvedev was among the leaders of the operation.\nAt 6 a. m. the law enforcers burst into the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. Electronic devices, data carriers, biblical literature, books and personal records were seized from them. In some cases, law enforcement officers broke down the doors and forced believers to lie on the floor. During the interrogations there was psychological pressure. Investigators asked questions: \"How long have you been reading the Bible? What is written there? Is Jesus the son of God? How long have you been a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses \"sect\"? Have you participated in Zoom conferences? How do you preach? How do you attend meetings?\" The believers used Article 51 of the Russian Constitution.\nThe special operation was carried out within the criminal case that was initiated on May 11, 2021 against 24-year-old Pavel Kazadaev, a resident of Novokuznetsk. Senior investigator Evgeny Kozuchenko saw in the actions of the young man signs of a crime under part 2 of clause 282.2 of Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in activities of extremist organization). Pavel and his wife were detained and brought to Barnaul, 350 kilometers away from home. The believer was sent to custody. The next day, an investigator petitioned the court for a measure of restraint to be chosen for Pavel in the form of house arrest. As a result, he was released on his own recognizance not to leave.\nLaw enforcement officers also searched the place of registration of Pavel Kazadaev in the village of Lugovoi, where his relatives live. Presenting themselves as the police, the operation officers and OMON riot police entered the house. They also searched the garage, car, bathhouse, and yard. Due to the stress, the elderly woman had to call an ambulance.\nFour other families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched and questioned in Rubtsovsk. One of the worshippers had his notebook and cell phone hacked and then confiscated in his presence. According to him, the operatives also took his personal savings of 100,000 rubles.\nAltai Krai has become the 66th region of Russia in which law enforcement agencies prosecute Jehovah's Witnesses. Security officials perceive joint meetings of believers to read and discuss the Bible, as well as conversations about God, as the activities of an extremist organization, although no Russian court has banned the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, and the authorities have emphasized that believers are allowed to gather for collective worship.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-05-27T14:16:11+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/05/271415.html","regions":["altaisky"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","siloviks-violence","ivs","recognizance-agreement","282.2-2","elderly"],"title":"In Altai, in two cities, Jehovah's Witnesses are being searched, there are detainees","type":"news"},{"body":"Law enforcement officers are conducting a special operation codenamed \"Armageddon\" in Barnaul, Zarinsk, Rubtsovsk, the village of Telmenka and the villages of Troitskoye, Shakhi and Lugovoye.The search in the family of Andrei Danielyan is carried out by investigator S. A. Zavorin with the participation of FSB operative D. A. Davydov, an IT specialist and 2 witnesses. At 6 o'clock in the morning they come to the apartment of believers and open the door with their key. Danielyan and his wife wake up to the sound of the door opening. The search shall take place without the use of force.\nThe investigator seized electronic devices, a diary, bank cards, documents for an apartment and personal savings that believers were saving for the repair of the dacha. An IT specialist from the FSB opens the account on the believer's laptop and copies files and personal correspondence from it.\nAfter a 4-hour search of the spouses, the Danielyans are taken for interrogation to the FSB, where the investigator tries to put pressure on Andrey to incriminate himself and cooperate with the investigation \"for the sake of his wife's well-being.\" The investigator chooses a preventive measure against Andrey Danielyan in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danielyan in Rubtsovsk","date":"2021-05-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rubtsovsk/index.html#20210527","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The employer of several believers testifies as a witness. He reports that he has no complaints against them, no statements inciting religious or racial hatred, and he has not heard from them against the authorities. They did not use alcohol or drugs.\nThe testimony is given by the landlord who rented housing to the family of Dmitry Golik. He describes them as ideal tenants: \"They paid on time, always in order.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2021-05-25T16:51:14+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20210525","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the secret witness is being prepared. Bailiffs and CPE officers block the corridor, blocking access to the courtroom so that no one can reveal the identity of the secret witness.\nThe defense objects and files a motion to disclose the identity of the witness. The basis for concealment can only be a real threat to life. The case file does not confirm the existence of any threats on the part of the defendants.\nThe court decides to question the witness without the possibility of visual observation, his voice is changed. By the way the witness formulates phrases, the defense has the impression that he is a law enforcement officer. A secret witness claims to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses himself. However, the literature he names has not been used by believers for more than four years.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20210525","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Vorobyov. Answering questions about how he got to know the defendants and whether their meetings were friendly or within the framework of religion, the witness refers to the results of the examinations or to his forgetfulness. The prosecutor considers the oral answers inappropriate and requests that the written testimony of the witness be read.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2021-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20210523","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness \"Salov\", who repeatedly attended religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, made audio recordings and handed them over to law enforcement agencies, is being interrogated. The judge rejects the petition to declassify his identity.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gorbunov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2021-05-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk5/index.html#20210521","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates prosecution witness Zvereva. A number of inaccuracies were revealed in her testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Kriger Case in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan17/index.html#20210520","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a secret witness. Answering questions from the defense, he reports that he attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses. Although he and his relatives have not been threatened, he wants to be interrogated as a secret witness.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210520","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 18, 2021, security officials searched the house of Pavel Popov, 44, from Yemanzhelinsk, a city about 40 kilometers from Chelyabinsk. The believer was detained, but later released on recognizance agreement. A criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities).\nAt 7:00 am, Russian Guard officers knocked loudly at the apartment of the Popovs and ordered to open the door. They put Pavel against the wall with his hands up. Later, the investigator allowed the believer to move freely around his flat. The 5-hour search was conducted in the presence of attesting witnesses who said they were law college students and future police officers. Pavel's garage and car were also examined. Law enforcers seized the Popovs' phones, tablets, computers, as well as a registration certificate for a car, which, according to the investigator, would be a pledge in case of a fine for the believer.\nAfter the search, the entire Popov family, including their 13-year-old daughter, was taken to the Chelyabinsk Investigative Committee for interrogation. Investigator Aleksandr Chepenko acquainted Pavel with the preliminary materials of the criminal case initiated on April 22, 2021. The documents turned out to be very similar to the materials of the case of another believer from Chelyabinsk, Valentina Suvorova. Pavel does not consider himself guilty of a “crime” of simply practicing religion.\nTwo years ago, on March 26, 2020, Pavel Popov was already searched, but after interrogation he was released. The current criminal case against Popov was separated from the case of Valentina Suvorova, who was sentenced to 2 years probation for her faith. Also in Chelyabinsk, Vladimir Suvorov and Dmitriy Vinogradov are persecuted for their faith.\n","category":"trial","date":"2021-05-19T19:28:34+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/05/191928.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","minors","interrogation"],"title":"A Witness in the Suvorovs Case from Chelyabinsk Became an Accused. Pavel Popov will be in the Dock Because of His Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Anna Lokhvitskaya files a motion to declare inadmissible the testimony of the witness Zvereva, given during interrogation by the investigator. The judge states that he will take this petition into account when sentencing.\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20210519","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Five co-religionists of the defendants are being interrogated. They report that after the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, \"their faith has not gone away,\" they met to pray together, sing songs, study the Bible, and visit each other. One witness says that although her husband does not share her religious beliefs, she was not forced to dissolve the marriage by any of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210519","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anastasia Guzeva comments on the video fragments of the events imputed to her: \"Nothing extremist took place at religious meetings, but they talk about love and peace.\"\nA defence witness is being questioned. Tatiana expresses her attitude to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses as follows: \"I believe that this is everyone's choice. Man believes in God. I also have acquaintances with Muslims. I'm Orthodox.\"\nShe says about Anastasia: \"Kind, non-aggressive, never insulted anyone. I can only describe it on the positive side.\" She also emphasizes that for 20 years of their acquaintance, the defendant has not changed: \"Nastya remained kind, attentive, sympathetic. I've never even heard her raise her voice at anyone.\"\nThe witness confirms that she did not hear from Anastasia any calls for the overthrow of the government or violence, or proposals to change her religion.\nWhen asked by the prosecutor whether Anastasiya is a member of any organization, Tatyana replies: \"She is just a believer, she reads the Bible. I don't even know anything about the organization. Believers, well, believers.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzeva in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan16/index.html#20210518","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Popov family is being searched again. After the search, the entire Popov family, including their 13-year-old daughter, is taken to the Chelyabinsk Investigative Committee for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20210518","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Ivanenko, Doctor of Philosophy, a religious scholar who has been researching the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses for many years, speaks at the hearing. He speaks positively of the followers of this religion. The court shall attach to the case file a specialist's religious studies.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210518","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses from the defense are being interrogated: Valentin Osadchuk's sister, her husband and the believer's employer. They characterize Valentin as a kind, sympathetic, responsible and law-abiding person who can be relied upon. His sister says that she used to have a very negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses; After her brother's arrest, she decided to learn more about this religion and changed her mind.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2021-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20210518","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. Nikolay Karendov, an FSB operative, acknowledges that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not forbidden, but he believes it is against the law to gather for worship. He notes that at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses he did not hear any calls that violate the laws of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2021-05-17T16:50:32+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20210517","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness \"Ivanov\" is being questioned, whose voice has been changed. The prosecutor petitions for the disclosure of the witness's written testimony, seeing inconsistencies in Ivanov's answers. The judge grants the request.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2021-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20210514","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another witness explains that he knows the defendants, is friends with them, does not profess any religion himself, but in the past he read the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. He explains that he has never heard calls for violence or refusal to communicate with relatives. I didn't feel discrimination myself. According to him, believers follow the commandment to love one another.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-05-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210512","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness is being questioned by the prosecution. He states that the defendant organized all the services on his own. However, the witness may not repeat the information indicated in the record of his interrogation. After a series of clarifying questions from the defense, the witness insults the lawyer and refuses to answer his questions.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gorbunov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2021-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk5/index.html#20210511","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator S. V. Grigoriev summons four believers for interrogation and presents them with the final version of the indictment.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2021-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20210511","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning two more prosecution witnesses. One of them enjoys the right not to testify against himself, and also refuses to testify earlier. Another states that he did not sign the interrogation protocol due to distortion of facts, and some of the signatures in the document and the phrase \"from my words it is written correctly\" do not belong to him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210511","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The testimony is given by the prosecution witness Plastin, an embedded FSB agent who portrayed an interest in the Bible. He declares that Jehovah's Witnesses avoid associating with other faiths, although he immediately admits that although he is not a Jehovah's Witness, none of the believers have avoided communion with him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-05-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20210506","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses who are familiar with the defendants are being questioned. One of them says that the topics of love, kindness, and respect are usually discussed at Jehovah's Witnesses services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2021-05-05T16:49:44+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20210505","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of May 2, 2021, searches were carried out in the small town of Kaltan, Kemerovo Region. Two men, 49-year-old Vitaliy Syrykh and 53-year-old Aleksandr Tsikunov, were detained and sent to a temporary detention center.\nThe security forces searched the homes of at least four local residents. The believers themselves were taken for interrogation, two of them were later released. Law enforcers took Aleksandr Tsikunov to the neighboring town of Osinniki, and Vitaliy Syrykh was taken to the regional center, Kemerovo, more than 250 km from his home. In the near future, the court will determine a preventive measure for them.\nUpdate. On May 4, 2021, the judge of the Kaltan District Court, Yevgeniy Vanyushin, sent Vitaliy Syrykh under house arrest until June 22, 2021. He is charged under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in extremist activities). On the same day, Judge Vanyushin placed Alexandr Tsikunov under house arrest until June 27, 2021. The believer is in the status of an accused under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities).\nSome details of the incident have become known. For example, the security forces burst into the houses of believers shouting: \"On the floor, hands behind your back!\" The searches were attended by the investigators of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Stepan Tyshchenko and Maksim Somik, the operative of the Center for Combating Extremism A. V. Dydenko and representatives of the FSB, accompanied by armed riot police. After 4 hours of searches in the homes of civilians, electronic devices, bank cards, personal records and photographs were seized. Law enforcers were looking for forbidden literature, namely \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation.\" During the search at the Tsikunovs' house, a young grandson was present, who burst into tears from fear. Another family had three children at home, aged 4 to 8, who were very frightened by what was happening. As a result, due to stress, the family could not spend the night in their home, because they were afraid to stay at home.\nKaltan is already the sixth settlement in the region where peaceful believers are subjected to religious repression. Earlier, criminal cases for their faith were initiated against eight men from Kemerovo, Belovo, Berezovsky, Prokopyevsk and Taiga. Two, Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk, have already been convicted and are serving their sentences in a colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-05-04T08:23:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search3_hu_7ea1ce3a27574811.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_5d81dd4e85a32543.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search3_hu_66d4ea9dba81578c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_38f81ff3fa3ee2a0.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/05/1.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","282.2-2","282.2-1","house-arrest","minors"],"title":"New Searches in Kuzbass: Two Believers From Kaltan Town Were Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"The hearing is again held behind closed doors. At the request of Andrei Sazonov, four witnesses from the defense are interrogated - a colleague at work, mother-in-law, daughter and wife of the defendant.\nSazonov's colleague characterizes him positively and does not confirm any of the charges.\nSazonov's relatives speak of him as a caring husband, father and son-in-law. According to witnesses, the defendant has certificates and letters of thanks from the city authorities, he is respected by colleagues and neighbors.\nAndrei Sazonov filed three motions to declare some materials of the criminal case inadmissible, but the court rejected them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2021-05-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20210504","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The house of Vitaliy Syrykh, a resident of the city of Kaltan, Kemerovo Region, is being searched. Electronic devices are seized from the believer. After the search, he is detained and taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Syrykhs in Kaltan","date":"2021-05-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan/index.html#20210502","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness, a 31-year-old woman, is being questioned. She cannot recall her own testimony given earlier and asks the court to read it out. Also, the witness is confused in describing the circumstances and events related to the case.\nThe woman says that she never met Anatoly Vilitkevich in person, but only saw him in a photograph. To the question: \"Do you know the defendant?\" She points to his lawyer, thinking it's Anatoly. Vilitkevich is forced to clarify that the defendant is him.\nThe witness also states that she has not been to the services of believers, no one forced her to attend them, she has not heard any calls for illegal actions, and cannot even say what religion she is talking about. However, the interrogation protocols voiced during the meeting contain completely different testimonies. This raises suspicions among the lawyer that there is a fabrication of the testimony of a witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2021-04-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20210430","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them states that the defendant did not involve him in the activities of any religious organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seidkuliev in Saratov","date":"2021-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov2/index.html#20210429","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Court attaches to the case file the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the non-enforcement of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights.\nA prosecution witness, police officer Yulia Zvereva, who attended the worship building and meetings of believers in Birobidzhan even before the ban on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2017, is being questioned. When asked by Lokhvitskaya about where Zvereva was on the dates of the events imputed to the believer, the witness says that she was at work. Zvereva also explains that she only watched videos of joint meetings of believers in the FSB department. She admits that she has not heard from Lokhvitskaya calls for genocide or violence on religious grounds, as well as allegations of the superiority of one person over another depending on his religion.\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20210428","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a secret witness - a man who, on the instructions of FSB officers, conducted conversations with believers, trying to provoke them to criticize other creeds and the state. The provocateur was often the initiator of the meetings himself, but in court he claims that the meetings took place against his will. He hardly remembers his earlier testimony and says that he has a very negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses. At the same time, he admits that he has not heard any extremist appeals from them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210426","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As a follow-up to the previous hearing, the court reads out the written testimony of the prosecution witness. He explains that the investigator changed the wording of his words during the interrogation. Therefore, it is not clear from the testimony whether the witness is referring to legal entities or to a religious organization in the cult sense.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210426","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Vorobyov. He cannot explain how he met the defendants, whether their meetings were of a friendly or purely religious nature. The witness explains his answers by forgetfulness. The prosecutor considers the oral answers to be untrue and requests that the written testimony of the witness be read.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2021-04-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20210423","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor voices the essence of the criminal case - the participation of Alexander Kabanov in a banned organization. Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. According to their testimonies, there are no signs of illegal actions in Alexander's actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2021-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20210421","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, senior FSB operative Nikolai Korendov, is being interrogated.\nHe reports that the operational-search measures were carried out with the involvement of an agent, who was equipped with special equipment for audio and video recordings at the place of religious meetings, which made it possible to collect additional certificates and conduct searches.\nKorendov explains that the gatherings of Jehovah's Witnesses consist of chants and Bible reading. The witness confirms that the decision of the Supreme Court of the year does not prohibit the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\nHe also says that Jehovah's Witnesses are known to him for not resorting to violence in resolving conflicts and for adhering to high moral standards.\nThe witness confirms that he never heard from the defendant calls for the overthrow of state power, any violence or aggression against representatives of other religions or nationalities.\nIn addition, the witness knows that according to the law, the Bible, its content and quotations taken from this book cannot be considered extremist.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moiseyenko in Zeya","date":"2021-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya2/index.html#20210421","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 16, 2021, in the city of Maikop, the capital of the Republic of Adygea, searches were carried out supposedly at 5 addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses. Several men and women were questioned. 46-year-old Inver Siyukhov was placed in a pre-trial detention center for 2 months.\nAt about 6 o'clock in the morning in Maikop, armed representatives of the FSB and the Investigative Committee (about 12 people in total) arbitrarily entered a private household, waking up Inver Siyukhov and his elderly parents. During the 5-hour search, printed publications and electronic devices were seized. No copies of the minutes were provided. On April 17, the Maykop City Court ruled to detain Inver. Two days later, he was transferred to SIZO-2 in Tlyustenkhabl, an urban-type settlement in the Teuchezhsky district of the Republic of Adygea. The believer's elderly parents are under intense stress.\nAccording to the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Adygea, Inver Siyukhov is suspected of organizing and continuing the activities of a local religious organization in Maikop. According to the investigation, the unlawful actions of the believer were expressed in \"holding meetings using the Internet, coordinating speeches and services ..., ideological indoctrination of the residents of the Republic of Adygea in order to increase the number of followers of this religious extremist organization.\nOther believers, a married couple, were visited by 6 security officials, headed by investigator Murat Temzokov, in a rented apartment. All electronic devices, personal records and a bank card were seized from them, and then interrogated as witnesses in the criminal case of Siyukhov. The spouses were encouraged to cooperate with the investigation, threatening to change their status from witnesses to suspects: \"You are very young. Why do you need problems?\" The investigator inquired whether they knew Inver, whether they were members of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, and whether they held meetings. Around noon, the couple were released.\nAt 6:40 a.m., another believer was awakened by a loud knock on the door. A group of security officers with machine guns entered the house. Investigator Yuriy Chundyshko told the woman that she was being searched because she communicated with Inver Siyukhov. At the same time, another local believer was searched. After interrogation, both women were released.\nIt is noteworthy that after the 70th anniversary of the repressions in the USSR against Jehovah's Witnesses, searches of Russian believers are only becoming more frequent. During the week, the security forces staged 8 raids in 7 regions of the country. Several new criminal cases have been initiated.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-04-20T19:18:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/04/21/image_hu_a51ef0b1ebeea24f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/04/21/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/04/21/image_hu_c9b31a780bd206b9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/04/21/image_hu_616c23480332511d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/04/21.html","regions":["adygea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses Persecuted in 65 Regions of Russia: Mass Searches Took Place in Adygea, One Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center","type":"news"},{"body":"At the very beginning of the court session, Anastasia Guzeva explains to the court the meaning of the name of God \"Jehovah\". All participants in the process listen attentively.\nThe court is reviewing the video materials of the case. Prosecution witness Zvereva, who conducted operational-search activities together with the FSB, is being interrogated. She describes Guzeva \"as a participant [of worship], but not as active.\" The witness also confirms that she did not hear any extremist statements from the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzeva in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan16/index.html#20210419","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","video"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the case materials, including the transcript of prayers obtained using a listening device.\nThe court interrogates a prosecution witness, FSB officer Andrei Fedorov, who led the investigation into the case. In his testimony, he denies that Ostapenko called on anyone to violent actions against the state and extremism, to rallies, to create armed formations, to promote Nazi paraphernalia, as well as to incite national and religious hatred.\nThe court rejects the petition to return the case to the prosecutor.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2021-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20210419","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Yulia Dudina and FSB officers search the home of 58-year-old Yuri Belkov, where he lives with his wife and daughter. After a 3-hour search, the believer is taken for interrogation and then released.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2021-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20210419","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating professor, specialist in the field of religious studies and philosophy of religion S. N. Astapov. He is confused in his testimony, has outdated information about Jehovah's Witnesses, and declares that their worship services are banned, although no court in Russia has banned this belief.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Okhrimchuk in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-04-16T08:21:44+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don9/index.html#20210416","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness who has known Vladimir since childhood is being interrogated. The witness gives the defendant a positive characterization.\nA review of the 12 volumes of the case is made. The conclusion of the religious examination is read out. It notes that since the name \"Jehovah\" is heard at worship services, and not just \"God\", then this is a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses, and since Suvorov held a discussion of the Bible, he resumed the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-04-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20210415","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 7, 2021, as part of new criminal cases, at least 4 peaceful believers were searched in the village of Kholmskaya (Krasnodar Territory). The search warrants were issued by judge Aleksandr Kholoshin, who two months earlier had handed down a harsh sentence to Aleksandr Ivshin.\nAt 6:20 a.m., the house of 38-year-old Anna Yermak, who has a baby, was searched by FSB operative Lieutenant I.V. Govorukhin, accompanied by 3 officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and 2 witnesses. For 3 hours, the security forces tried to \"find items and documents testifying to the organization of the activities of the extremist organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Abinsk.\" As a result of the search, a tape cassette, CDs, 8 A4 sheets with the heading \"Jehovah's Witnesses in Eritrea are imprisoned for their faith\", a notebook with personal notes, and a photo album with postcards containing the mention of Jehovah's name were seized. The believer was summoned for interrogation.\nInvestigator Vitaliy Kuzmin came to Olga Ponomareva with a search that same morning. Not finding anything forbidden, law enforcement officers began to consult with someone by phone. As a result of an almost 2-hour search, a laptop and a notebook with personal notes were confiscated from the believer. The investigation interprets Olga's peaceful conversations with people about the Bible as committing a crime under Part 1.1 of Art. 282.2 (persuading, recruiting or otherwise involving a person in the activities of an extremist organization). After the search, the believer was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee, where the investigator Kuzmin offered her to incriminate her friends and threatened her with imprisonment in a pre-trial detention center. Olga signed a recognizance agreement.\n\"While I was being interrogated, my mother became ill with her heart, and there was no one to help her, since we live together,\" said Olga Ponomaryova.- After the search, she cried for several more days. Now we shudder at every knock and bark of the dog.\"\nTwo men were also detained and interrogated. Aleksandr Nikolayev, suspected of participating in extremist activities under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, had three addresses searched (his place of registration, actual residence and the apartment he rents). Electronic devices, a book on psychology, school notes of his child, a child's drawing with the inscription \"Father will protect us\" and a postcard were seized from the believer.\nIn total, 8 criminal cases were recorded in the Krasnodar Territory against 12 peace-loving believers. Three residents from the small village of Kholmskaya with a population of about 20 thousand people have already received harsh sentences (from 3 to 7.5 years in prison) just for their faith in Jehovah God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-04-14T09:45:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/omon_hu_cc21e0c1b202fec1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_ffc696cb236da5bb.jpg","webp":"/news/common/omon_hu_4c87d2ce782042cd.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_9c4da176cf33a608.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/04/15.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1.1","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","minors"],"title":"A New Wave of Religious Persecution in Kholmskaya. Another Criminal Case for Faith Opened","type":"news"},{"body":"In Izhevsk, searches are being conducted at least 12 addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses. Officers of the FSB and the Investigative Committee detain 6 men aged 31 to 56 years. Investigator of the Investigative Committee Aleksey Rodionov interrogates Sergey Ashikhmin for 7 hours. After that, Aleksandr Kutin and Maksim Derendyaev were sent to custody.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2021-04-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20210414","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The lawyer asks the defendants questions about their attitude to the testimony of a secret witness. Konstantin Samsonov points out that the witness has incorrect ideas about the structure of the Christian congregation and legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses and therefore makes erroneous conclusions.\nA woman who does not know any of the defendants is being questioned as a witness. Her words significantly contradict the testimony she gave during the preliminary investigation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-04-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210414","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the prosecution witness. She claims that she did not hear any extremist statements from the defendant.\nWhile watching the videos of the worship services, Irina draws the court's attention to the fact that there are no extremist actions or statements on them.\n","caseTitle":"The case of I. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan14/index.html#20210413","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Shikhov states that he did not give the first two sheets of testimony contained in the interrogation protocol, they were entered by the investigator. He adds that the interrogation lasted 3.5 hours and his blood pressure rose, it became bad, so he was ready to sign any documents, just to leave as soon as possible.\nZlobin's prosecution witness, a neighbor of Yevgeny Udintseva, also explains that a lot of things were added to her testimony that she did not say. For example, the fact that people went to Udintsev, he printed literature and received some boxes. Zlobina refutes these claims and says that Jehovah's Witnesses are good, smiling people. She would like everyone to be like that.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20210413","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witnesses is underway - detective Y. N. Gaifullin and embedded agent E. A. Petrova.\nThe witnesses repeat the testimonies given during the preliminary investigation. They allege that the defendants secretly continued the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Vladivostok. Petrova does not hide her negative attitude towards believers because of their religion.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20210413","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, security forces come to Andrey Glazov and his wife with a search. SNILS, several Bibles, work records related to carpentry, a computer, SIM cards and electronic devices are seized from the believer. The search is also carried out in the garage.\nThe interrogation in the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Yaroslavl Region is carried out by the investigator for especially important cases Azamat Imangulov. He states that Glazov has no right to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The investigator is interested in how the believer treats atheists, whether he was engaged in missionary activity, and what relation he has to the legal entity of local Jehovah's Witnesses. After the interrogation, Andrey is not given copies of the protocol.\n","caseTitle":"Glazov's case in Yaroslavl","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl3/index.html#20210413","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 13, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted searches at 17 addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tula and the neighboring city of Kireevsk (Tula Region). Gurami Lobadze, 58, was placed under house arrest and a case was initiated against him for his faith under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity).\nAccording to preliminary data, cases have also been initiated against three other believers - 35-year-old Yevgeniy Godunov, 39-year-old Angela Putivskaya and 42-year-old Yuliya Popkova. All three are placed in the temporary detention facility.\nUpdate. On April 14, 2021, the court ruled to send Yuliya Popkova and Angela Putivskaya to a pre-trial detention center # 1 located at ul. Maurice Toreza, 11 B, Tula, Tula region, Russia, 300012. They are deprived of their liberty at least until May 15, 2021, unless the appeal court decides to release them earlier. On April 16, the Central District Court of Tula ruled to place Yevgeniy Godunov into the same pre-trial detention center. He will spend 1 month and 11 days in custody. Most of the rest of the believers were released after the interrogation. They are witnesses in criminal cases against the above-named four accused. It is reported that during the searches the FSB officers behaved correctly and tactfully.\nAlso, on April 13, searches were carried out for the first time against law-abiding believers in the Yaroslavl Region. During this day, the number of regions that launched the persecution of citizens for believing in Jehovah God increased by 2 and reached 64.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/04/17/image_hu_bea2fac12737dda1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/04/17/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/04/17/image_hu_aa008de480c9a3aa.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/04/17/image_hu_5cd8c0921408473b.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/04/17.html","regions":["tula"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","ivs","sizo","interrogation"],"title":"Raids and Criminal Cases for Faith in the Tula Region. Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses Gripped Another Region of Russia","type":"news"},{"body":"Detective R. A. Burtsev is interrogated as a witness. He answers questions hesitantly and in general phrases.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2021-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20210409","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates FSB operative A.V. Kharisov, who reports that he is not aware of any evidence that Jehovah's Witnesses have ever been prosecuted for crimes such as drug trafficking, violent acts, and damage to someone else's property.\nThe court continues to study the case materials. It is established that at least 10 examinations of audio and video materials were carried out with the participation of witnesses who were not warned of criminal liability under Articles 307-308 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation.\nThe Court has rejected a number of defence motions to identify the identity of a secret witness and to question him normally. The participants in the trial believe that he is an FSB agent A. R. Sagiyev, who portrayed an interest in the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-04-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210408","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An online interrogation of the secret witness \"Agafonov\" is underway. The defense's motion to disclose the identity of the witness was denied.\nThe Witness reports that he has been one of Jehovah's Witnesses for several years and talks about his understanding of the beliefs and lifestyle of the followers of this denomination, as well as what he disagrees with them. For example, he blames Jehovah's Witnesses for disapproving of divorce, not participating in hostilities, and not engaging in combat sports. The witness admits that none of the defendants threatened or used violence against him or any other believers. From the testimony of the witness \"Agafonov\" it becomes clear that he confuses legal terms and canonical concepts.\nAt the end of the interrogation, Konstantin Samsonov addresses the witness, calling him Lyudmila Mikhailovna. It becomes obvious that the defendants are familiar with the witness. Nevertheless, the prosecutor and the judge require the use of a pseudonym.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-04-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210408","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The state prosecutors in the case are E. N. Lizunov and I. N. Davletshin. The court examines the materials of the case.\nS. E. Zheleznyak, an employee of the Episcopal Metochion of the Holy Ascension Cathedral, a graduate of St. Tikhon's University, is interrogated as a witness. He informs the court that he does not personally know the defendants. He claims that the Orthodox faith is true, and the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is false.\nThe former head of Vladimir Myakushin characterizes the defendant as a good worker, an honest and conflict-free person.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2021-04-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20210407","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness is being questioned who is a police officer at the administrative station where the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses was located. He, like his colleague, informs the court that there have been no complaints of violation of order at the address of the worship building.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-04-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210407","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Farida Akhunzyanova, an employee of Kostroma State University, who carried out an examination of audio recordings of conversations of believers, is being interrogated. Commenting on Dmitry Terebilov's remarks, she explains that she did not find any words or expressions in them that would indicate the inferiority of citizens professing another religion. With regard to other materials that were provided for examination, Akhunzyanova states that they do not relate to Dmitry Terebilov, but to the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses as a whole.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210406","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A court hearing is held, during which Stupnikov first answers questions from the defense and prosecution. He explains that he was never a member of the LRO or the author of religious literature, did not call for the refusal of medical intervention, did not speak negatively about people of other faiths. On the contrary, he is very respectful of friends and acquaintances of different nationalities and cultures.\nThe next court hearing is scheduled for April 12, 2021. It is planned to continue the interrogation and review the recordings of Stupnikov's speeches.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stupnikov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2021-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk4/index.html#20210406","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the case of Yevgeny Kozak, the Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg ordered a search of a family of Jehovah's Witnesses in Maikop (Republic of Adygea). Then the spouses are taken for interrogation and released in the evening.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2021-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20210406","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning another prosecution witness. He speaks negatively about those who profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the same time, he points out that Jehovah's Witnesses continue only those activities that are not related to legal entities. He also notes that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210406","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 2, 2021, a series of searches took place in Jehovah's Witnesses homes in the city of Taiga (Kemerovo Region). Yuriy Usanov, 29, was arrested and sent to a pre-trial detention center in the city of Anzhero-Sudzhensk. A criminal case was opened against him under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation; three pensioners are witnesses in the case.\nEarly in the morning on April 2, a search took place in Yuriy Usanov's apartment, after which he stopped communicating. His worried friends came to his house and found that the bars had been removed from the window, and the glass had been broken. Police was on duty at the entrance. As seen from the case files, the believer \"committed actions of an organizational nature aimed at the continuation and renewal of the illegal activities of the banned organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' in the form of convening meetings with the participation of residents of the city of Taiga.\"\nOn April 2, the judge of the Taiga City Court of the Kemerovo Region F. V. Timofeev chose a preventive measure for Yuriy Usanov in the form of arrest until May 30. He is currently held in SIZO-4 of Anzhero-Sudzhensk.\nIn the apartments of 72-year-old Nataliya Kozlova and 65-year-old Zinaida Vasina, visually impaired, law enforcement officers entered under a disguise of their neighbors. Once inside, they announced: \"We are looking for everything connected with your God Jehovah.\" The searches lasted about 3 hours. Electronic devices, Bibles in various translations, personal notes, postcards with the words \"God\" and \"Jehovah\", bank cards and a Wi-Fi router were seized from Nataliya and Zinaida. The women were then taken to the investigative committee for questioning. The security forces were waiting for 69-year-old Lyudmila Gorovaya near her house, from where she was taken for interrogation, which lasted 3 hours.\nThe investigator was interested in whether the women knew Yuriy Usanov, whether they gave him money, whether he offered them literature, whether he involved them in any organization. The siloviki threatened the pensioners that their relatives would have problems at work. Older women have experienced severe stress.\nThe searches were carried out by officers of the FSB and the Investigative Committee on the basis of a decree issued by the Deputy Head of the Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Major of Justice Y. V. Dudin. Yuriy Usanov became the 8th citizen of the Kemerovo region who was subjected to religious discrimination for believing in Jehovah.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-04-05T15:41:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_c1ba1fe0fba8de81.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193.jpg","webp":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_6352a6d9befce345.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_7dda90e3b5ffe468.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/04/4.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","disability","elderly","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"A new wave of raids against Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Kemerovo Region. Yuriy Usanov, 29, is arrested in the town of Tayga","type":"news"},{"body":"During the court hearings, one of the prosecution witnesses is questioned. He tells the court that he has known the Beltikov family for 15 years and only from the good side.\nThe lawyer petitions to listen to the audio recording of the conversation between the defendant and the main witness for the prosecution Ilchenko. Beltikov claims that in the transcript of the audio recording, the words spoken by Ilchenko are attributed to him. These statements are imputed to the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20210405","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Obukhov makes decisions on bringing believers as accused. All four are charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and Bukin, Yuferov and Slashchev are also charged with involvement in it (part 1.1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nThe believers are accused of holding worship services and \"home-based Bible studies\" in 2018-2019. The investigation considers the conversations of Bukin, Yuferov and Slashchev with informant D. Nurakov, who in 2018 expressed a desire to become Jehovah's Witness and was collecting information about believers, to be involved in extremist activities.\nBelievers are being interrogated. Obukhov notifies them of the end of the investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda","date":"2021-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tynda/index.html#20210405","regions":["amur"],"tags":["282.2-1","282.2-1.1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness speaks, who is not familiar with the defendants and cannot explain anything specific about the circumstances of the case. After that, the lawyer asks the court to remind the prosecutor of the need to present only the evidence that is relevant to the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210401","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning two more witnesses. They have long been familiar with the defendants, who are characterized as \"peaceful, good, law-abiding people.\" Witnesses also explain the difference between meetings of a legal entity and worship services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210401","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From April to July, investigative actions are underway. The investigator summons Taras Kuzio's wife for questioning, and also appoints him to conduct several examinations - three handwriting and psychological and psychiatric.\nThe believer remains under house arrest. Even the Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea does not satisfy his appeal to mitigate the measure of restraint. Taras explains: \"Being under house arrest, I am separated from my family and deprived of the opportunity to take care of them.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2021-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20210401","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation","house-arrest"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court shall attach to the case the sentences handed down to two previously convicted prosecution witnesses on several occasions.\nSeveral other witnesses are being questioned, one of whom is not familiar with the defendants and cannot explain anything on the merits of the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210331","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the operative, a former employee of the Center \"E\" A. Chaikin. Chaikin finds it difficult to answer most of the defensively's questions about the continuation of the activities of the banned organization, about the receipt and use of literature included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.\nThe lawyer asks the witness questions, trying to find out what he meant, for example, by \"continuing the activities of a banned organization.\" Chaikin says it's just a guess.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210331","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Kuznetsov comes to the FSB for interrogation, where he learns that he is a suspect in a criminal case. He uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which gives him the right not to testify against himself and his loved ones.\nDuring the interrogation, investigator Nemtsev tries to establish a connection between Sergey and other believers. His phone is seized. Kuznetsov is taken to sign a not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Kuznetsov in Vyazemsky","date":"2021-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy3/index.html#20210331","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Believers testify. Sergey Sergeyev says: \"The fact that I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses cannot be regarded as a sign of a crime. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians. My beliefs are based on the commandments of God, the norms and principles of love and justice of Jehovah God. Therefore, for me, being an extremist and a terrorist is simply unthinkable.\nYuriy Belosludtsev explains: \"I never had any intention to commit a crime, including the continuation of the activities of a liquidated religious association. I have only one intention: to remain a Christian. [...] Learning about what the Bible says is an increase in a person's personal education and cultural level, not a crime. [...] The prosecution confuses legal and canonical concepts, does not distinguish between the economic activity of a legal entity (LRO) and the religion of individuals. According to him, if a believer discusses God with relatives or acquaintances, he does not continue the activities of any banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20210330","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer is formally charged on the basis of video recordings of worship services made by K. E. Klisheva from her home computer. The woman pretended to be interested in the Bible for about a year, collaborating with the FSB.\nThe investigation accuses Aleksey Ershov of \"taking part in a secret meeting in the form of a collective religious service ... consisting of audio and video playback... sequential singing of songs from a special collection of religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and prayers to Jehovah God.\"\nThe believer does not admit guilt and calls the criminal case \"repression for faith, since religion is the only reason for criminal prosecution.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ershov in Seversk","date":"2021-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk3/index.html#20210330","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["interrogation","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. One of them cannot explain anything about the defendants, as he has never met them. Another witness, a police officer, said that prior to the ban on Jehovah's Witnesses legal entities, he, as a district police officer, received complaints from residents whose homes were visited by Jehovah's Witnesses to talk about the Bible. He explains that no action was required on these complaints, since it is the right of citizens to come to others. According to the policeman, there were no complaints or reports of disorderly disturbances from neighbors at the Kingdom Hall (the worship building of Jehovah's Witnesses).\nAnother witness is a woman convicted of theft twice. According to her, her ex-husband, whom she divorced in 2011 and who has already died, once came to religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses and representatives of other faiths, and, according to her, from time to time communicated with Sultanov. The woman does not hide her negative attitude towards believers, is confused about the dates and, not being an eyewitness, testifies allegedly on the basis of the words of her deceased husband and other, unnamed persons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210326","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alyona Vilitkevich, Anatoly's wife, is being interrogated. She says that she has never heard from her husband statements that would humiliate the dignity of people, calls for the overthrow of state power, etc. According to her, \"on the contrary, the Bible teaches that Jehovah's Witnesses should respect state authority and love one another.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2021-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20210326","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator E. M. Skuridina interrogates Anatoly Lyamo. The believer does not admit his guilt and uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The interrogation lasts 20 minutes.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20210325","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Major L. N. Retunskaya summons Sergey Belousov and Andrey Kolesnichenko for interrogation to the investigative department as suspects in a criminal case.\nSenior investigator E. A. Yolokhova summons Alexei Ershov and Andrey Ledyaikin for interrogation to the investigation department as a suspect in a criminal case.\nA. G. Kolpakov, Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee, notifies believers Aleksey Ershov, Andrey Kolesnichenko, Andrey Ledyaykin and Sergey Belousov that a criminal case has been opened against them on the grounds of a crime in accordance with Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Korotun case in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk2/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["interrogation","new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned. In court, she gives contradictory testimony that is at odds with those she gave earlier. The judge warned that she would be legally responsible for the defendant's slander or false information. As a result, answering the lawyer's question, the witness admitted that she had developed a hostile attitude towards Vladimirova. \"Yes, she is a sectarian!\" the woman declared.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2021-03-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20210324","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge of the Abinsk District Court Olga Khomchenkova begins to consider the criminal case against Oleg Danilov. The believer expresses his attitude to the accusation, in which he notes that his religious views are exclusively peaceful in nature and \"directly opposite to what is called extremism.\" He believes that the charges against him do not meet the requirements of the law. \"I am actually accused of believing in God and remaining Jehovah's Witness,\" the believer declares.\nWitnesses for the prosecution are being questioned, including the ataman of the village of Kholmskaya, where Danilov lives, and a district inspector. Both have nothing bad to say about the defendant. FSB officer Bochin cites a poster with biblical quotes and homemade postcards as proof of \"extremism\".\nAbout 50 people come to the courthouse to support Oleg Danilov, whose police officers rewrite their passport data.\nThe final debate of the parties is scheduled for the next meeting, on March 29. Thus, the judge allocated no more than a week for the entire process.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Danilov in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-03-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya2/index.html#20210323","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court shall not allow public defenders to participate in the hearing.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. FSB officer Ignatiev, who conducted operational-search activities (ORM), cannot explain to the court for what actions local religious associations of believers were banned. He learned about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses from the Internet, did not check the accuracy of the information, since this was not part of his duties.\nV. B. Israpilov, an employee of the Center for Countering Extremism in the Republic of Dagestan, not being an expert in the field of phonoscopy, insists that the voices of the defendants are heard on the audio recording provided in court.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2021-03-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20210323","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness shall be questioned at the next closed court session. The state prosecutor asks the witness questions about the structure of the organization and hierarchy of Jehovah's Witnesses, printed literature, as well as Olga Ganusha's participation in religious meetings. The witness cannot confirm either the defendant's participation in specific religious meetings or the facts of her \"extremist\" activities.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ganusha in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-03-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don4/index.html#20210322","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A journalist from the local branch of the Kommersant publishing house is allowed to attend the meeting.\nThe landlord who rented the apartment to the Vilitkevich family is being interrogated. He says that he has no complaints against the tenants, there have been no complaints from neighbors about them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2021-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20210319","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Court hearings begin in the Abinsk District Court of the Krasnodar Territory, chaired by Sergey Mikhin.\nAleksandr Shcherbina expresses his attitude to the charge of participation in extremist activities: \"I do not plead guilty and believe that the charge against me is illegal. [...] In fact, I am accused of believing in God and remaining a Jehovah's Witness, that is, using the right guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. [...] My religious views are based on the Bible, so they are the exact opposite of what is called extremism. The materials of the criminal case do not prove the opposite. [...] [I] am being prosecuted solely for my peaceful religious activities.\" The believer also refers to the resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which called for the termination of criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe court interrogates the prosecution witness, FSB operative Stanislav Bochin.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shcherbina in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya3/index.html#20210317","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defense witnesses are being questioned.\nThe first to be interviewed is the head of the canteen of the gymnasium where the defendant worked. She has known him for five years, since she got a job. The witness describes Vitaliy Popov as \"a kind and sympathetic person, he never spoke negatively about the state authorities, representatives of other religions, never adhered to any extremist views, never called for undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and state security.\" To the lawyer's question, he adds: \"A good person. With a capital letter \"Good\". There are simply none, in fact. Without any falsehood. A kind man...\".\nFurther, Vitaly Popov's neighbor, who previously worked as a farm manager in the same organization with him, speaks in court. She calls him a modest, hardworking and benevolent person: \"The team always respected him, the gymnasium under him was one of the best ... He never imposed his views.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2021-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20210317","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of the employee of the CPE Potekhin continues. He cannot explain why, during the investigation phase, copied paragraphs from Wikipedia were included in his interrogation protocol.\nPotekhin also talks in detail about the work of an agent named Plastin, introduced by the special services, who recorded and provided information about what was happening at the services.\nLater it becomes known that Plastinov petitioned for the application of state protection measures against him as a witness for the prosecution. On this fact, Andrei Shchepin declares: \"From the materials of the case, in principle, it is clear that we do not have any victims ... There can be no real threat from us.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20210316","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Relatives of the defendants are present in the courtroom. Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them has been convicted four times. A number of witnesses state that they do not know the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2021-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20210316","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The FSB investigator brings final charges against Oleg Postnikov under Parts 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the investigation, communicating with a resident of Birobidzhan L. P. Kabak, the Postnikov spouses \"with the tacit consent of each other, that is, a group of persons, while each, acting intentionally ... persuaded her to participate in the activities of the banned religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20210315","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1.1","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court does not allow listeners, citing the epidemiological situation.\nThe defender submits a petition for re-interrogation of the detective A. A. Chaikin, the court refuses.\nWitness A. V. Okhrimchuk is invited to the courtroom. After answering some questions, he refuses to testify in accordance with Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The judge threatens the witness with the institution of a criminal case. Ohrimchuk signs a waiver to testify and leaves.\nThe testimonies of prosecution witnesses who did not appear for questioning in the courtroom (a total of 6 people) are announced.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ganusha in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don4/index.html#20210315","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the initiative of the prosecutor, the court interrogates the FSB investigator Stanislav Kuznetsov, who conducted the investigative actions. He cannot explain why the testimony of witness Ekaterina Leičunas, which he compiled at different times, is absolutely identical, but at the same time contradicts the video recordings. He also claims that he conducted the interrogation alone.\nA colleague of the investigator, FSB officer Andrei Kusov, is invited to the courtroom. He refutes the testimony of investigator Kuznetsov and states that in reality two people were present at the interrogation of Leichunas: Kuznetsov and the head of the FSB department, Alexei Svetachev. Kusov also explains that the investigation was carried out against Leichunas only because she professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nWitness Leičunas also adds that during the interrogation, investigator Kuznetsov raised his voice at her and held in front of her a piece of paper with ready-made answers that she had to read on camera.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210315","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness, a woman who attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses in order to gather information about believers, is being interrogated. She admits that she has a negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses and is interested in them ceasing their \"activities\" in Ussuriysk. At the same time, the woman never heard threats from believers against her, as well as calls for violence, genocide or overthrow of state power.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ilinych in Ussuriysk","date":"2021-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk/index.html#20210312","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 11, 2021, one more series of searches took place in Yalta in at least 9 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. Four people were detained for interrogation, one of them was taken by the security forces to Simferopol.\nUpdate. At least five people were interrogated in Yalta on March 11. Taras Kuzio was sent to the temporary detention facility in the city of Bakhchysarai. The court should soon choose a measure of restraint for the believer. During the search, all electronic equipment and a large amount of money were seized from 42-year-old Taras Kuzio. The security officials did not wait for the believer to open the door and broke it open. Previously, he had already been searched twice.. Then the security forces sought connections with Artyom Gerasimov, one of Jehovah's Witness, who was later sentenced to 6 years in prison for his faith.\nAccording to preliminary data, the reason for the raid was a new criminal case \"on the financing of an extremist organization.\" The searches were sanctioned by Viktor Krapko, judge of the Kievskiy district court of Simferopol. Details are being clarified.\nAs follows from the materials of hundreds of criminal cases initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, the security forces consider peaceful gatherings of believers to be a crime when they jointly study the Bible, listen to biblical speeches and participate in joint chants and prayers. Investigators automatically interpret this religion as a continuation of the activities of the liquidated organizations. The criminal prosecution continues, despite repeated assurances from the Russian authorities that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-03-11T17:50:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/03/7/image_hu_bb99be8a891e4bf9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/03/7/image_hu_e6725abec819635e.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/03/7/image_hu_fd66507be1f9a401.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/03/7/image_hu_b2cd1c54fd14612c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/03/7.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","ivs","interrogation","282.3-1"],"title":"A wave of searches in homes of believers in Yalta. A new criminal case was initiated","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Yulia Sibirtseva, religious scholar, is being questioned. She submits to the court the results of a comprehensive examination conducted by her according to the methodology of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. In her examination, Sibirtseva gives an overview of the history and doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, and also draws attention to the fact that the followers of the association do not smoke, do not abuse alcohol, and do not use drugs. She notes that Jehovah's Witnesses refrain from participating in political movements, parties, and celebrations of state symbols, and this is their legal right. She also confirms that the Supreme Court did not ban the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their worship services consist of reading and discussing the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2021-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20210311","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["first-instance","expert-conclusions","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Yalta, a series of searches are taking place in at least 9 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the home of Taras Kuzio. Electronic devices and Bibles are seized from the believer. After a search and interrogation, he was sent to the Bakhchisarai temporary detention facility.\nA search is also taking place in the home of Sergey Lyulin.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2021-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20210311","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Fedorov makes a decision to bring Agnessa Postnikova as a defendant under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and places her under recognizance not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-03-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20210310","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Volumes 21--23 of the case are heard. The judge reads out the positive characteristics of the defendants. Andrey Shchepin received references from the gymnasium, from the place of alternative civilian service, from work and from the senior housekeeper. \"Andrey is a person who is always ready to help, non-conflicting, non-aggressive, sociable,\" says one of the characteristics.\nWitnesses for the prosecution of Bratukhin, an operative who participated in the fabrication of cases against believers, and an employee of the CPE Potekhin, are being interrogated. The latter explains that he has already retired. He answers the prosecutor's questions vaguely, vaguely, saying that he has already forgotten many details. He emphasizes that Jehovah's Witnesses take great care of the elderly, are ready to take them by car to the hospital, bring food, and much more.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2021-03-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20210310","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Galina and Sergey Kobelev are summoned for interrogation. They choose a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-03-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20210310","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that as part of the investigative actions, an examination of the materials seized during the searches was carried out. After that, about 10 people were interrogated.\nIt also turns out that for more than a month the case of Sorokin and Zhukov has been led by another investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2021-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20210306","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses are being questioned. In their speeches, they confirm that Suvorov never encouraged the severance of family ties, and also did not call for undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and state security.\nThe testimonies of three other prosecution witnesses are read out despite the fact that they do not directly mention the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20210305","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Voroshilovsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, hearings begin in the case of Olga Ganusha. Judge Viktor Trofimov does not allow listeners into the hall due to the epidemiological situation.\nThe indictment is read out, the defendant expresses her attitude to the criminal prosecution and accusation. Ganusha considers this criminal case to be persecution for faith.\nDetective A. A. Chaikin is interrogated as a witness. The witness does not answer the prosecutor's questions about which actions of the defendant were extremist in nature and whether she called for illegal actions, spreading her beliefs.\nWhen asked by Ganusha whether the witness is familiar with the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and what exactly was prohibited by this decision, Chaikin answers in the negative. The witness also reports that his task is to prove her relationship to the banned organization.\nThe prosecutor requests the disclosure of the testimony of the witness Chaikin, since after a while he cannot remember some details. The court ascertains the position of the parties and orders the testimony to be read.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ganusha in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don4/index.html#20210304","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another court hearing in the case of Viktor Stashevskiy. The appointed lawyer of the defendant is absent due to participation in the appeal in the Supreme Court of Crimea. The believer's defense is represented by another lawyer appointed the night before.\nThe court hears the testimony of the specialist Panischev and the witness on the part of the defense.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2021-03-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20210303","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB operative Prokhor Vasin, who participated in the ORM, is being questioned as a witness for the prosecution. Pretending to be interested in the Bible, he secretly filmed conversations with the defendants.\nAccording to the prosecution witness, the \"extremism\" of the believers lies in the fact that they discussed the Bible with him. At the same time, for such conversations, he safely let home strangers who came with one of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20210302","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Galina Pechko is being interrogated as a suspect. She is chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2021-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20210302","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"15 people come to support the believer. They continue to stay outside the courthouse, despite the cold weather and darkness.\nThe prosecutor reads out the indictment. The defendant declares that he does not understand the essence of the charge, and wants to express his attitude to the charge. The judge refuses.\nA witness is being questioned. He confirms that the defendant read the Bible along with other believers at the services of Jehovah's Witnesses. There were no statements about the superiority of his religion over other faiths from Beltikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2021-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20210302","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witness Gerasimenko, the administrator of the café where the friendly meeting of believers took place, is being interrogated. Of the defendants, she recognizes only Dmitry Tishchenko. She cannot confirm that she was interrogated in May 2019, although the documents bear her signature. Gerasimenko also explains that she was not in the café at the time of the meeting of believers, so she does not know what happened there.\nDuring the interrogation, the judge again tells the prosecutor which petitions are better to file.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Korolchuk in Ussuriysk","date":"2021-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk2/index.html#20210301","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The key witness for the prosecution, Ekaterina Leichunas, is being questioned. She completely refutes the testimony signed during the preliminary investigation. According to her, she gave them under pressure: investigator Kuznetsov and FSB officer Alexei Svetachev threatened her with deprivation of parental rights.\nCatherine points out that neither she nor the defendants had anything to do with the activities of the banned organization, but simply professed the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses together.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210301","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"12 people come to the courthouse to support Anatoliy Vilitkevich, but they are not allowed to attend the hearing due to quarantine.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. The first to be questioned is the director of the House of Culture of the city of Ufa, where believers rented premises for worship even before the Supreme Court banned the activities of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. She notes that when she heard about the ban, she did not believe it, since the administration never had any complaints about the behavior of believers. She also states that she does not believe the accusations of any illegal actions of Jehovah's Witnesses, and calls them rumors.\nAnother prosecution witness says that he has never heard from Anatoliy Vilitkevich calls for action against the state, the Constitution, human rights, etc. He is also aware that the denomination of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited and believers have the right to practice their religion.\nProsecution witness Tereshkin states that he never met with the accused and at the hearing took Vilitkevich for a lawyer. The witness admits that although he does not like the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, he does not understand why they are being persecuted. After the prosecutor reads out the minutes of Tereshkin's testimony, the witness confirms them only partially, saying that he could not say what was recorded in them. According to him, what he said in court should be considered accurate testimony.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2021-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20210226","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 17, 2021, believers from the Kovrov city reported searches that had taken place at least at 6 addresses. 14 people were detained and taken away for interrogation, including elderly ones. Details are being clarified.\nUpdate. According to updated data, searches and inspections in Kovrov began at 7 am on February 17 and took place at 7 addresses. One of the believers was picked up straight from work in the morning at about 9 o\u0026rsquo;clock. Electronic devices were seized from the majority of citizens. The security forces interrogated 23 people, one of the women needed emergency medical attention, and she was taken to the hospital. During interrogations, FSB officers from Vladimir and Kovrov presented screenshots taken in the summer of 2020. They show that believers communicate with each other via video link. Most of those interrogated were released on the same day. One of the believers was released only the next morning. 65-year-old Boris Simonenko was sent by a court decision for 2 months to a pre-trial detention center (a room operating in the mode of pre-trial detention centers) at the Correctional Colony No. 7 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Vladimir Region. The Vladimir Region has become the 62nd region of Russia where criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses is being conducted under the guise of fighting extremism. Law enforcement officials consider peaceful religious services, during which believers read the Bible, pray and discuss Christian teachings, as a \"crime\". Despite the fact that the Russian courts did not prohibit the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, its confession is equated by the security forces as a continuation of the activities of the banned organization. Currently, 81 out of almost 200 initiated criminal cases are in courts. 26 sentences entered into force, 49 people were placed in places of detention, 9 of them - in colonies. There are no victims in any of the criminal cases and no harm had been caused to a person or any of the state structures.\nThe world community unequivocally classifies the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia as unjustified religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-02-19T12:08:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/02/13.html","regions":["vladimir"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","sizo"],"title":"Vladimir region siloviki join in religious persecution. A series of searches took place in Kovrov","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Piskunov, whose wife, who died in 2018, was one of Jehovah's Witnesses, is being questioned. He cannot say anything specific about the circumstances of the criminal case and cannot even say with certainty whether he has ever seen Albert Batchaev.\nWitness Ogareva, who attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in the past and now professes Orthodoxy, answers when asked about the differences between these two confessions: \"There [Jehovah's Witnesses] do not hang icons, they are not baptized there, they believe in the resurrection of the dead on earth, Jesus is considered the son of God who came to earth to take sins upon himself.\" She admits that she does not have the latest information, since in 2013 she stopped communicating with Jehovah's Witnesses. Albert Batchaev expresses complete disagreement with the testimony of the witness Ogareva, stating that he does not know her. He notes that Ogareva did not bring a single fact or evidence of his \"guilt\".\nAnother witness for the prosecution, Sereda, among other things, says: \"As far as I know, all Jehovah's Witnesses are equal before each other, there is absolutely no headship there, as in Orthodoxy. Elders too, there is no such thing: you are the chief elder, you are the secondary elder.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Batchaev in Cherkessk","date":"2021-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk/index.html#20210217","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Search and interrogation of Boris Symonenko.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2021-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20210217","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Since 7:00 a.m., searches have been carried out in Kovrov at 7 addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses. 23 people are being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2021-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20210217","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witness Martynov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2021-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20210217","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During interrogation in the courtroom, the witness retracts the testimony in the case. A video recording of his additional interrogation is being watched, in which the witness practically does not say anything. However, the record of this interrogation contains information that the witness did not report.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2021-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20210216","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants are being interrogated. Valery Rogozin draws the court's attention to the discrepancy between the charges and the real actions of believers. Denis Peresunko talks about positive examples of Jehovah's Witnesses' behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2021-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20210216","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of witnesses are ongoing. One of them declares that he has a negative attitude towards any religion. However, he has a positive characterization of Jehovah's Witnesses because they helped him get rid of foul language and smoking.\nAnother witness for the prosecution expresses an extremely negative attitude towards the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses and confirms that he is interested in stopping their activities. According to him, he works closely with the FSB.\nWhen other witnesses are questioned, it is found that their written testimony is either wholly or partially untrue, it was compiled by the investigator. At the same time, they point to strong psychological pressure and threats from law enforcement officers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210216","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, who was also searched, speaks positively of the defendant: \"As a person, he is good, trouble-free, you will not hear a bad word.\"\nThe witness says that no one forced him to discuss the Bible, he himself was interested. The witness confirms his testimony given during the preliminary investigation only partially. When asked by the judge what, in his opinion, the defendant's activities were, the witness replies: \"He lives according to the Bible.\"\nHe and another witness claim that Dmitry Terebilov did not call for religious extremist activities, disobedience to the authorities, refusal of medical care and military service, and also did not express the superiority of Jehovah's Witnesses over other religions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210215","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A judicial interrogation of the neighbors of the believer, in whose apartment the services were held, is underway. One of the neighbors indicates that she cannot fully confirm the written testimony drawn up earlier by the investigator.\nThe court interrogates a witness who once attended worship services. Despite the fact that she does not agree with the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, the witness characterizes them positively. She also explains to the court that the religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses have a biblical basis.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2021-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20210215","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After a wave of searches that took place in Moscow and the Moscow region on February 10, 2021, 43-year-old Aleksandr Serebryakov and 43-year-old Yuriy Temirbulatov were detained. On February 12, 2021, the Savelovsky District Court of Moscow is scheduled to select a deterrence measure for the two men.\nWhat are the believers accused of? In its press release, the Investigative Committee announced that a criminal case had been opened under the article for organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization (parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Believers are accused of the fact that in the north of Moscow “conspiratorial gatherings were held in one of the apartments located on Dybenko Street, where the followers studied religious literature and information contained in other sources of information propagating the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, and carried out other actions typical of this associations. In addition, the organizers held online meetings via video link. \" The case is being investigated by the Investigation Department for the North Administrative District of the Main Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow. It is not known whether this case is related to other criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in the capital, for example, the case of Tchaikovsky and others in Moscow or the case of Nikiforov and others in Chekhov.\nThe scale of the February roundup. In the early morning of February 10, 2021, representatives of law enforcement agencies with attesting witnesses and camera operators began to gather at some entrances of residential buildings in Khovrino and Levoberezhny district of Moscow, as well as Khimki and Chekhov. In a press release from the Investigative Committee it is said that the searches were carried out at 16 addresses of the believers' residence together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the FSB of Moscow and the Moscow Region with the support of the National Guard. Beginning at 5:30 am, families of Jehovah's Witnesses began to inform friends and family about the incursions into their homes. At least 14 searches have been confirmed. After the raids, at least 18 believers were interrogated until late in the evening in the buildings of the Investigative Committee on Kuusinen Street in Moscow.\nBeatings and bullying. The TV channels were flown around the footage of the invasion of the believers by law enforcers dressed in helmets and body armor and armed with machine guns. The believers who have been lifted out of bed lie on the floor with their hands behind their heads. One of them is taken away with handcuffs fastened behind his back. During one of the searches, the security forces beat two men, although they did not offer any resistance. After that, their hands were tied with plastic mounting straps. When one of the believers was pushed and fell onto the bed, the tie broke. For this, his hands were tied with three more clamps. The men were in this position while the search was going on. In addition, the security forces used gross obscene language and expressed derogatory comments about the religion of the apartment residents. At the end of the search, the family noticed that a large amount of personal savings had been stolen from them.\nThe logic of the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses is based on the assumption that faith in God is \"a continuation of the activities of an extremist organization.\" \"Proving\" the religion of the accused, which they do not hide anyway, the investigation automatically interprets this fact as the activity of a banned legal entity. Foreign leaders and organizations also unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. These include the European Union's foreign policy service, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. 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 teaching individually.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-02-11T17:18:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/02/4/4_2_hu_78c8c0ab55ef5557.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/02/4/4_2_hu_5da581da6d58a86f.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/02/4/4_2_hu_38893fd1bfa0f661.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/02/4/4_2_hu_c6aaa4e6f292f4d5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/02/4.html","regions":["moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","siloviks-violence","282.2-1","282.2-2","interrogation"],"title":"Two Jehovah's Witnesses are detained in Moscow and a criminal case for practicing their faith is initiated. Some believers are reporting beatings","type":"news"},{"body":"Witness Ruslan Alyev tells what a local organization is as a legal entity and who the elders are. They are not congregation leaders or organizers, they are ordinary believers who meet the requirements recorded in the Bible. According to him, there is no need to specifically convene anyone for worship, nothing illegal is happening either in forms or in actions.\nAnother witness, Lyudmila Ponomarenko, states that she will use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and will not answer questions from the prosecutor, because she realizes that she, an elderly person, is being tried, like the Avanesovs and Parkov, solely for her faith in God, although both the Russian Constitution and the Supreme Court reserve her the right to practice any religion.\nAt the next court session, it is planned to interrogate witnesses who did not appear.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210211","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator Alexander Chumakin summons 6 people for questioning. They use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The investigator claims that by doing so they obstruct his work. For some of the men, Chumakin writes out summonses for several days at once, forcing them to spend their time and money on the road from Sevastopol to Simferopol and back (160 km).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhukov and Others in Sevastopol","date":"2021-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol2/index.html#20210211","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing.\nThe first to be interrogated in the secret room is the secret witness \"Ivan Petrov\".\nThe defendant requests the exclusion of his testimony, as it was taken in violation of the law, namely Part 5 of Article 278 and Part 9 of Article 166 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. According to these articles, the materials of the criminal case must be accompanied by an envelope with the true identity of the secret witness and the judge must open it before interrogation. But the envelope is not in the case file, there is no data about it in the indictment, the defense did not see it, and the judge did not open it in front of everyone. At the hearing, it turns out that the envelope has been found, and the secret witness is interrogated.\n\"Ivan Petrov\" gives a general description of the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses and talks about their beliefs, as well as how they conducted divine services. The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that \"Ivan Petrov\" is being interrogated not as a specialist, but as a witness, and cannot tell the court anything specific about the case.\nThe second to be interviewed is FSB officer Denisov. He informs the court that he does not know the defendant personally, but saw his name in documents seized during a search of another believer. The lawyer is trying to find out why the witness decided that Yakku is the organizer of the group, because in the documents opposite his name only \"No. 3\" is written and no explanation is given.\nThe last to be interrogated as a witness is the Orthodox priest Theodosius Nesterov. He has never met the defendant, but expresses the opinion that in the magazines published by Jehovah's Witnesses \"there is clearly a motive for inciting intolerance ... especially to Orthodoxy. Although it is not on all pages and encrypted. You have to read between the lines.\"\nThe next meeting will be held on February 26. It is planned to interrogate the linguist Sibirtseva.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20210210","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator V. A. Drakin rejects Elena Menchikova's petition to terminate the criminal case, arguing that the believer explains her actions by quoting the Bible. According to the investigator, it is the use of biblical texts that confirms the criminal nature of Elena Menchikova's activities.\n\"Based on the content of the petition of the accused E.A. Menchikova, she asks to terminate the criminal case on the grounds provided for in paragraphs 1-2, part 1 of article 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. At the same time, describing her actions, she justifies them based on religious teachings and excerpts from the Holy Scriptures, which reveal the objective side of the unlawful act she committed, \"the decision to refuse to dismiss the case says.\nAt the same time, an unlawful act, as follows from the documents of the criminal case, means that the believer discussed the Bible with the guests at home. The security forces consider this to be \"active participation\" in the legal entity liquidated by a court decision, although Yelena Menchikova has never been a member of it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20210210","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant Vinogradov gives a detailed account of what Jehovah's Witnesses believe. A petition was also filed for an additional comprehensive examination of the only audio recording where his voice is present.\nSergey Makarenko, an agent of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who imitated interest in the Bible in order to denounce believers, is being interrogated. He confirms that the defendant did not incite religious discord, did not undermine the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, did not encourage the severance of family relations and refusal of medical intervention, did not promote the activities of any organizations.\nVinogradov once again emphasizes that it is not forbidden to practice the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. \"I have my flaws, but I certainly can't be called an extremist,\" he says.- Biblical truth and the example of Jesus Christ help me not to become embittered even now in the current circumstances, when I am unreasonably persecuted and labeled as an extremist.\"\nThe next hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Vinogradov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk2/index.html#20210208","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them claims that he has not heard extremist statements and appeals from Dmitry Terebilov. He notes that the believer, on the contrary, called for obedience to the authorities. The witness describes Dmitriy as \"a rather positive, sympathetic person ... ready to help others without any obligation or personal gain.\" As an example, he cites two cases when, together with the defendant, he helped an elderly woman and a large family.\nSergey and Valeria Rayman are being interrogated. Sergey says: \"[Dmitry] has changed his life for the better and is trying to be a law-abiding citizen. He said that in the past his life was not very prosperous, but now I know him well. He's a good family man. I know I care about my uncle. [...] He helps others when they turn to him.\" Valeria Rayman describes Dmitry Terebilov as a \"kind, good person\" who helped her family more than once.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210208","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witnesses Kravchenko and Gavrilenko. Kravchenko's answers are of a general nature, in some cases he does not know what to answer. Gavrilenko's testimony at the trial is at odds with his written testimony from the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2021-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20210205","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the hearing, the judge refuses to satisfy the defendant's request to terminate the criminal case. Aleksandr was also denied the admission of ECHR decisions.\nA prosecution witness, a woman who lives near the site where religious meetings were held, is being questioned. She gives Alexander a positive characteristic: he does not smoke, does not drink, is polite and helps her in solving various issues.\nAnother witness, from whom the FSB filed a statement, when asked if he knew the defendant, replies that he did not know him, but only saw him from afar. He reports only about his guesses that Alexander is the head of the LRO.\nThe prosecutor shows a photo of Aleksandr with his fellow believers, without explaining how, in his opinion, it proves his involvement in the organization of the extremist community, given that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ivshin in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya/index.html#20210204","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses are being questioned in court. One of them states that the interrogation during the preliminary investigation was conducted under pressure and retracts his testimony.\nThe lawyer asks to soften the measure of restraint for the defendants, providing several addresses where they could be under house arrest. He also reminds the court of the norms of international law and asks that the Third Opinion of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe be attached to the case file. Nevertheless, the judge grants the prosecutor's request to extend the detention of the defendants in the pre-trial detention center until May 10, 2021.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2021-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20210202","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of witnesses is ongoing. Sergey Sergeyev's former boss describes him as a good, executive worker. The testimonies of 2 more witnesses interrogated during the investigation are being announced.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20210129","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses shall be questioned at the next hearing. They characterize Yevgeny Yakku extremely positively. About the defendant's family, one of them says: \"They are always smiling, good-natured people. People with open hearts.\" Witnesses confirm that they have never heard from Yevgeniy calls for something illegal or for refusal of medical care. One of the witnesses comments on the prosecutor's questions about the refusal of believers from a specific medical manipulation - a blood transfusion as follows: \"Here is a victim of a blood transfusion. In 1986, during an extensive operation, I received a blood transfusion, and I am still registered in the first city [hospital] in the infectious diseases [department].\" Another witness, a medical professional with a higher education, talks about the dangers of blood transfusions, based on scientific research.\nAt the next meeting, it is planned to continue the interrogation of witnesses, including secret ones. The defendant petitions for its declassification. The interrogation is scheduled for February 10.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2021-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20210128","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Yevhen Stefaniuk interrogates 3 witnesses in the criminal case. One of them, a former colleague of Sergeev, gives him a positive characterization and calls him a responsible employee.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20210128","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, by order of the chairman, from January 20, 2021, visits to listeners have been opened, but with a distance of 1.5 meters. However, after 2 hours of waiting, the judge does not allow anyone who came to the hearing.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them, a dance teacher who rented out the dance halls, cannot identify Arsen Avanesov among the three defendants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210128","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. The defense is interrogating witness Kochurov, a former prisoner with whom Dmitry Terebilov has been in correspondence since 2015. During the interrogation, it turns out that Kochurov's testimony completely contradicts his own letters, which he wrote to the believer from prison.\nAs can be seen from Kochurov's letters voiced in court, he was keenly interested in biblical teachings, assured Terebilov of his faith in Jehovah God and his desire to serve him. He also told Dmitry that he was pleased to communicate with him. However, at the trial, Kochurov stated that \"correspondence with Terebilov did not give [him] any pleasure.\" The witness cannot answer the believer's question: \"Why did you communicate with me?\" To the lawyer's questions whether Terebilov made insulting statements about other religions, whether he called for inciting interreligious hatred, disobedience to the authorities or refusing medical care, Kochurov answers in the negative.\nAnother prosecution witness says that this is the first time she has heard the name \"Terebilov\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2021-01-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20210126","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Oksana Ivanova partially satisfies the petition of Alevtina Bagratyan: she is allowed to communicate with her mother, but walks are still prohibited.\nInterrogation of a witness. When asked by her lawyer if she was aware of any cases where Jehovah's Witnesses had been prosecuted for committing violent crimes, she replied: \"I am not aware, I believe that Jehovah's Witnesses have solved the problem of crime in their midst.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2021-01-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20210125","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Due to quarantine measures, only the wives of the defendants are allowed to attend the hearing.\nSergey Yavushkin testifies. The criminal case against the believers is based on the testimony of a prosecution witness who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses services since 2016. As it turned out later, since the spring of 2017, the witness had been covertly filming the services, cooperating with the investigating authorities. Sergey Yavushkin draws the court's attention to the fact that most of the witness's testimonies are false and contradict each other. The believer notes: \"The worst thing is that these testimonies had a negative impact on the course of the investigation, and, unfortunately, can negatively affect the court's decision.\"\nSergey Yavushkin draws the court's attention to the fact that he has never been a member of the LRO and has not received any material benefit from his fellow believers. \"I worked for 40 years at state enterprises,\" says the believer, \"I worked as an electric and gas welder, earned a pension, and I can say with confidence that I never lived at the expense of anyone, and did not receive money, except for my earnings at my place of work. [...] I tried to do only good and did not call on anyone to violate the rights and freedoms of others, also tried to work honestly, never took part in protests against the government, did not participate in strikes and did not support such events, and, moreover, did not act against the constitutional order.\nJudge Vera Ulyanyuk grants the defendants' request to watch the film \"Alternatives to Blood Transfusion\", as lawyers believe that it contains information in favor of the clients.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2021-01-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20210124","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"This is the second time that three invited prosecution witnesses have not appeared at the hearing, despite the fact that they have been forcibly summoned.\nThe next hearing will be held on February 16 at 10:00 a.m. The remaining witnesses will be questioned and the written case file will be examined.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2021-01-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20210122","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the secret witness \"Osokina\". Answering the questions of the defendants and the defense counsel, she cannot explain what exactly the Supreme Court banned in 2017, she cannot remember exactly how many times and when she attended the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, what topics were discussed there, and at what address they took place. According to her, the believers did not cause any harm to either her or her property. The witness cannot give examples of unlawful actions on the part of A. Pryanikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2021-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20210121","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the city of Votkinsk, security forces conduct searches in 7 homes, as well as in the workplaces of Jehovah's Witnesses. After that, the believers and their family members are interrogated. Among them is an 80-year-old woman who has a stroke due to the stress she has experienced, she is taken to the hospital by ambulance.\nSergey Gobozev's apartment, where he lives with his wife and mother-in-law, is being searched in his absence. Operatives seize Sergey's personal belongings: driver's license, car documents, veteran's certificate. In addition, they take electronic devices, an album with photographs and various translations of the Bible, including the Synodal edition.\nOperatives detain Sergey in a hospital in the city of Izhevsk, where he brings his wife to the reception. He is taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, a personal search is conducted and sent to a temporary detention facility.\nMikhail Potapov's home is also searched, after which he is handcuffed for interrogation at the Investigative Committee, and then left in custody.\nFSB investigator Ponomarev prosecutes Gobozev and Potapov as accused of organizing extremist activities. This is how the investigation interprets conversations on biblical topics using video and audio communications.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2021-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20210121","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A defense witness who has known the defendant's family for more than 15 years is being questioned. He testifies that he has never heard extremist appeals from Yelena Reyno-Chernyshova. According to him, Yelena is a cheerful and sociable person, always ready to help people regardless of their religion and distinguished by decent behavior and speech. A witness for the defense, who does not share the convictions of Jehovah's Witnesses, notes that while working in a penal colony, he saw how convicted criminals changed, starting to study the Bible there, and were released as completely different people.\nYelena reads out her written notes, as well as the speech of lawyer Omelchenko. It is clear from the speech that not all lawyers in Russia are incorrectly applying anti-extremist legislation. Further, the defendant refers to the response of the President of the Russian Federation to his letter and to the direct line, where the president said that in Russia \"there were no repressions for religious reasons ... There was no selective persecution for any particular religion.\" At the same time, Jehovah's Witnesses are now being persecuted throughout the country for their religious beliefs, not for crimes.\nAfter 8 court hearings on the merits, the judge sets the date of the final stage of the trial, the debate, on January 29.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Reyno-Chernyshova in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan5/index.html#20210120","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates the witness E. A. Bakulina, who says that the defendant is \"a wonderful mother, a caring wife, one raises a sick husband, a wonderful comrade.\" According to the witness, Lyudmila Ponomarenko never called anyone to extremist actions, religious hatred or refusal of medical treatment. \"It's hard to imagine,\" she adds.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20210120","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness, police officer Yulia Zvereva, is being questioned in court. She cannot say anything about the services, participation in which is imputed to Tatiana Scholner, since on these dates she was at work or on vacation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Scholner in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-01-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan13/index.html#20210119","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness is being questioned who, at the request of police officers, videotaped Jehovah's Witnesses services on several occasions. He notes that the believers were friendly to him. At these meetings, the witness did not hear the defendant propagate the exclusivity and superiority of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2021-01-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20210119","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the defense, Judge Vera Ulyanyuk attaches to the case file the resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.\nInterrogation of defense witnesses. All 9 people confirm that they have never heard from Bondarchuk and Yavushkin calls for extremism and undermining the constitutional order or negative statements about state power. Also, according to witnesses, the defendants never demonstrated the superiority of their religion and did not force others to talk about biblical topics. \"A person chooses what he wants,\" added one of the witnesses.\nAleksandr Bondarchuk's mother-in-law, who does not adhere to his religious beliefs, refutes the accusation of inciting the severance of family ties. She speaks warmly of her son-in-law and notes the beneficial influence of the Bible on her daughter's family life.\nAn employee of Yavushkin notes: \"I have never met a more loyal and friendly person.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2021-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20210118","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witness Vladimir Tyomny, who communicated with Nikolai Aliyev, pretending to be interested in the Bible. He is asked, \"How was the Bible study? How was Aliyev contacted? How did you arrange the meeting?\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Aliyev in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2021-01-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk/index.html#20210115","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating detective Aleksandr Chaikin, an employee of the Center for Countering Extremism, who participated in hidden ORMs from November 2017 to May 2019. During the observation of believers, it was established that Lyudmila Ponomarenko was present at divine services, discussed the Bible with fellow believers, sang songs and prayed. An employee of the Center for Counteracting Extremism cannot cite any specific facts of the unlawful activity of the believer.\nChaikin explains to the court that, in his opinion, prayers, singing psalms and reading the Bible are forms of participation in an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-01-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20210115","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing on the case continues in the Leninsky District Court. Due to the epidemiological situation, listeners are not allowed to attend the court hearing.\nThe prosecutor examines the prosecution witness. He asks her general questions about the defendants' religion and their worship meetings. The woman positively characterizes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, referring to the believers themselves as \"good people.\" He explains that \"they do not drink alcohol before services, as this is a sacred service.\"\nFrom the words of the witness, it becomes clear that water baptism does not mean membership in a local religious organization - a legal entity.\nAt the request of the defense, the charter of the local religious organization shall be read out. When asked about the LRO, the woman replies that \"she knows nothing about membership in the LRO, and she saw its charter for the first time here, in court.\" She explains that the defendants simply \"profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nThe interrogation lasts 2.5 hours.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20210114","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The key witness for the prosecution, FSB officer Rusakov K.V., is being interrogated. In this regard, the defendants declare that they cannot build a line of defense.\nDuring the interrogation, the fact of perjury on the part of Rusakov is revealed. The defense makes another statement that the court cannot trust the testimony of this witness. Judge Babushkin makes both observations in the record and declares that he will take them into account when sentencing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Korolchuk in Ussuriysk","date":"2021-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk2/index.html#20210113","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates a secret witness \"Petrova\", who believes that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is prohibited. According to her, peaceful topics were considered at the services, and Pegasheva did not call anyone to illegal actions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Pegasheva in Yoshkar-Ola","date":"2021-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yoshkar-ola/index.html#20210113","regions":["mari-el"],"tags":["secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky District Court is holding a hearing in the case of Galina Parkova. Investigator Mikhail Antipov, who, according to witnesses Andrey Okhrimchuk and his wife Ekaterina, falsified their testimony in the cases of other Jehovah's Witnesses accused of extremism, is being questioned as a witness.\nA secret witness \"Andrew\" is being interrogated. He says that he saw the defendant only 2 times and they talked on abstract topics not related to the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nDuring interrogation, Galina Parkova notes that she has nothing to do with the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in Rostov-on-Don, and denies using the banned publication.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Parkova in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2021-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don5/index.html#20210112","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["punishment-request","first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses do not appear at the hearing. In this regard, the judge reads out the protocols of their interrogations made during the preliminary investigation, as well as the protocols of searches and examinations of material evidence from the defendant and witnesses in the case. The judge also reads out transcripts of wiretapping witnesses in the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Reznichenko in Zeya","date":"2021-01-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya/index.html#20210112","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of defense witnesses. A total of 6 people with different religious views, including colleagues and neighbors, who characterize the defendants exclusively on the positive side, were questioned. They explain that neither Bondarchuk nor Yavushkin spoke insultingly about other religions, did not talk about the superiority of their religion or nationality, did not impose their religion, did not conflict with others, did not call for the severing of family ties, did not speak disrespectfully towards the state, did not refuse medical care and did not call on others to do so.\n\"I can't say a single bad word about your whole family. Very responsive. They always come to the rescue,\" said one of the witnesses in response to a request from Sergei Yavushkin to describe his family.\n\"Oleksandr [Bondarchuk] is very responsible, executive. Relations with colleagues at work are good. I have never noticed any aggression, nothing like that, \"said Bondarchuk's boss.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2021-01-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20210111","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant is being interrogated. Dmitry Maslov draws attention to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, which did not assess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, but banned the activities of legal entities. But discussing the Bible with other people, praying to God together, and singing songs are not extremist. I lead a peaceful life, respect the law and authority.\"\nHe explains that the prosecution mistakenly interprets the ordinary life of a believer as illegal actions. Unlike the local religious organization as a legal entity that was engaged in economic activities in Minusinsk, Dmitry Maslov, as a private person, exercised his constitutional right to freedom of religion.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Maslov in Minusinsk","date":"2020-12-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/minusinsk/index.html#20201229","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the next court session, a petition for attaching a resolution to the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is considered, and witness Andriy Okhrimchuk is also being interrogated. He states that he refuses the testimony that he had previously given during the interrogation, explaining this by the state of shock and the fact that the investigator put pressure on him. The witness claims that his testimony was falsified (for example, about an \"organization\" that he did not even mention). Interestingly, a similar situation was described by Okhrimchuk's wife, acting as a witness in another criminal case against believers.\nWhen asked by the judge about the pressure exerted, the witness explains that investigator Antipov, as well as operative Chaikin, threatened him and instilled a sense of guilt in him.\nThe next court hearing is scheduled for January 14, 2021 at 14:00. It is planned to interrogate prosecution witnesses and examine material evidence.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20201225","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four prosecution witnesses are questioned during the trial. The investigator denies that he exerted pressure on the witness during the interrogation. He confirms that he supervised the examination, according to which the believer allegedly gained access to a prohibited resource through third-party sites. At the request of the lawyer to demonstrate how this is possible, the investigator refuses. According to him, this procedure was carried out by specialists without his direct participation.\nYevgeniy Yakku's wife, Irina, is next to be interrogated. She notes that Jehovah's Witnesses do not refuse medical treatment or call for the overthrow of the constitutional order or the severing of family ties. When asked why they continued to meet after the liquidation of the LRO, Irina cites the example of graduates: even after school, they remain friends and sometimes get together. The witness notes that her husband did not organize official events, but helped to hold friendly meetings without forcing anyone to come to them. \"Even God didn't drag anyone by the hand into Noah's ark,\" adds Irina.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2020-12-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20201224","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["first-instance","fabrications","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning, at least 19 searches of believers take place in Kirsanov. One of the searches takes place at Anton Kuzhelkov's home in the town of Lukhovitsy, Moscow Region. He was taken for interrogation 350 kilometers from his home - to the investigative department of the Investigative Committee in Tambov. After the interrogation, the investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee, Major of Justice Ivan Morozov, detains the believer.\nThe investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation P. Salnikov, in the presence of witnesses and a lawyer, seizes a mobile phone and a laptop with a charger from Nikolai Prokhorov. The seizure is carried out in the office at the address: Tambov, st. Karl Marx, 156. Photographs are taken during the seizure.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2020-12-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20201224","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Galina Parkova is being interrogated at the next court hearing. The believer tells the court how the Bible has changed her life for the better, and how she herself manages to maintain good relations with relatives who do not share her beliefs. She also informs the court that she is unable to use a bank card, and because of this, she lost her job.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Parkova in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don5/index.html#20201223","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Updated December 24, 2020.\nOn December 21, 2020, at least 9 searches were conducted in the apartments of local believers in the town of Bikin and the village of Lermontovka (Khabarovsk Territory). A few people were detained for questioning, but were released the same day. Sergey Kazakov, a 46-year-old resident of Bikin, was arrested and sent to pre-trial detention center in Khabarovsk.\nSergey Kazakov came to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to take care of his mother after a stroke. There, in her apartment, he was found by investigators. A search was conducted, Kazakov was taken from Kamchatka and placed in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Khabarovsk. His mother was left without help. Moreover, three days later she started to show symptoms of covid. It is probable that she was infected during the search. Sergey Kazakov's state of health in the pre-trial detention center is unknown.\nThe house of 48-year-old Vladimir Agarkov was broken into by the FSS officers early in the morning. The search was carried out by investigator of Vyazemsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Khabarovsk Krai and EAD Yakimov N. E., as well as three officers of the local FSB. A search warrant was issued by the court on 10 December 2020. Four telephones, a tablet and a laptop were seized. Immediately after the start of the search the believer's wife became ill, an ambulance was not called. During the interrogation, the investigator offered Vladimir to voluntarily surrender the items related to the \"crime\". Then Vladimir was taken for interrogation to the commandant's office of the Border Troops on Matronin Street. Vladimir notes that his wife was being watched because she often noticed the same car nearby.\nDuring other searches, bank cards, phones and flash drives were seized from the believers. Their relatives were also deprived of their bank cards. During interrogations, believers were asked questions such as: \"Are there Jehovah's Witnesses in your area and in neighboring villages?\" \"What time do you gather?\" \"Do you have a conference connection?\" \"Is there printed literature?\"\nIt later became known that in addition to Kazakov, at least one other woman from the town of Bikin was among the suspects in the criminal case for her faith.\nUpdate. At 06:00, a woman knocked on Olga Mirgorodskaya's apartment in the village of Lermontovka (50 km from Bikin) and asked to call an ambulance. When Olga's husband opened the door, law enforcement officers burst in and pinned him to the wall. They searched the apartment in the presence of a 9-year-old child for four and a half hours. Spiritual books, personal records, electronic media and a telephone were seized. Investigator A. Khanin said that a criminal case was opened against Olga. After the search the believer was taken for interrogation.\nLaw enforcement officers took advantage of worshippers' compassion, trying to get into their homes: they pretended to be people who were involved in car accidents, asking for help, etc. In search of \"extremist\" words, they searched for sheets of personal notes in trash cans and trays of kitty litter, confiscated Bibles in the Synodal translation, explaining this by the fact that it contained the name of God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-12-21T16:19:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search3_hu_7ea1ce3a27574811.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_5d81dd4e85a32543.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search3_hu_66d4ea9dba81578c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_38f81ff3fa3ee2a0.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/12/7.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation"],"title":"A New Wave of Searches in Khabarovsk Region, One Believer Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"Since early morning in the town of Bikin and the village of Lermontovka, officers of the local FSB and the Investigative Committee have been conducting searches at 9 addresses. Believers' homes are infiltrated using various tricks. So, Olga Mirgorodskaya was knocked on at 6 am and asked to call an ambulance. She is later interrogated as a suspect.\nSergey Kazakov from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where he cared for his mother, who suffered a stroke, is taken to Khabarovsk for interrogation as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2020-12-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20201221","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned, including CPE employee Alexander Igumnov. During the interrogation, Igumnov cannot give specific testimony on any of the charges. He refers to the fact that he has forgotten a lot, although there is a protocol of his interrogation dating back to May 2020 in the file. \"I know it all kind of superficially,\" he explains, \"it's just my opinion.\" Igumnov has nothing to say about Terebilov as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe lawyer also draws attention to the fact that the same witnesses participated in the investigative actions for several years.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2020-12-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20201217","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky District Court is questioning a prosecution witness who attended Jehovah's Witnesses services more than 20 years ago. He explains that Vitaly Popov did not hold any special position, there were no appeals or agitation from him. With regard to funding, the witness points out that the literature was free of charge and all expenses were covered exclusively by voluntary donations.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-12-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201217","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky District Court is holding hearings on the merits behind closed doors. Prosecution witnesses are being questioned. Andrey and Ekaterina Okhrimchuk claim that the investigator distorted their testimony. Investigator Antipov is trying to prove that the Okhrimchuk spouses are active members of the LRO and that this is allegedly confirmed by their words during the investigation. Ekaterina claims that during the investigative interrogation, operative Chaikin attributed to her a whole paragraph of hearsay from other testimonies.\nThe specialist is a religious scholar from the Southern Federal University. According to him, the essence of religion is impossible without believers gathering together and performing their rites. The specialist notes that it is impossible to determine from the video recordings that they are an ordinary worship service or a meeting of the LRO.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20201217","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeny Golik testifies in court. He says that 25 years ago he participated in hostilities in Chechnya, for which he was awarded by the state. And today the same state accuses him of extremism. The unlawful actions, according to the prosecutor, consist in the fact that Golik took part in religious services, which are regarded by the prosecution as \"illegal religious events of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" However, according to the law, Golik continues, after the liquidation of the LRO, even its former members have the right to worship or worship.\nThe believer also says: \"According to the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, the crime imputed to me can only be committed with direct intent and must have a specific purpose. I had no extremist goals. I have not committed any actions of an extremist nature, for example, aimed at inciting hatred or enmity.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Golik in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan/index.html#20201215","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hearings continue in the Minusinsk City Court. Dmitry Maslov petitions for the termination of the criminal case on the basis of the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, as well as for a review of some of the material evidence seized during the search: the film \"The Courage of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Face of Nazism\" and the book about Jehovah's Witnesses by religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko. Judge Viktor Fomichev rejects the first motion and allows the defendant to use only the seized book.\nThe court is interrogating 3 defense witnesses who have known Dmitry for a long time (some have known him for more than 10 years). They state that the defendant never imposed his beliefs on them, did not introduce himself as a member of the Local Religious Organization, did not invite them to its meetings and did not offer them any literature. Also, they did not hear from Dmitry any criticism of the state authorities or other faiths. Although the witnesses for the defense profess other religions, they speak of the believer as an honest, kind, sociable, punctual person and an impeccable worker.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Maslov in Minusinsk","date":"2020-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/minusinsk/index.html#20201215","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The next witness, a police officer, says that during the operational-search activities he did not hear from Andrei Sazonov calls for violence, the overthrow of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation or discrimination against people on the basis of religious religion. The witness also admits that he has not read the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and cannot say what exactly was banned.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20201215","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another prosecution witness says that she does not know the defendant and sees him for the first time. The prosecutor interrogates her about renting an apartment, finding out facts that have nothing to do with the merits of the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201210","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 9, 2020, at least three searches in the apartments of local followers of religion Jehovah's Witnesses take place in the city of Oryol. It is reported that criminal proceedings have been initiated against three believers.\nThree believers were detained and sent to a temporary detention center: Vladimir Piskaryov, 64, Artur Putintsev, 50, and Vladimir Melnik, 54. A married couple was also taken in for questioning, but were later released. According to updated information, searches were carried out at 7 addresses. During the search of Artur and Lyudmila Putintsev's home, an investigator pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot the dog. Electronic devices, books and personal records were seized from the believers. In one of the apartments, law enforcement officers seized a collection of poems, explaining that they were looking for anything that contained the name Jehovah.\nOn December 11, the Sovetsky District Court of Orel sent Vladimir Melnik and Vladimir Piskarev to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. Artur Putintsev was left by the court in the temporary detention facility.\nUpdate. On December 14, the judge of the Sovetsky District Court of Orel, Andrei Tretyakov, decided to send Artur Putintsev to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. According to the official press-release of the Investigative Committee, the case was initiated under part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. It is reported that the believers in Oryol and Naryshkino were identified by FSB and MVD officers. The believers are accused for \"convening meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, in which they personally participated and formed their summons.\"\nTwo local Jehovah's Witnesses have already been convicted for their faith: Dennis Christensen and Sergey Skrynnikov.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-12-09T16:58:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search3_hu_7ea1ce3a27574811.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_5d81dd4e85a32543.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search3_hu_66d4ea9dba81578c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search3_hu_38f81ff3fa3ee2a0.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/12/3.html","regions":["oryol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2","elderly","ivs","sizo"],"title":"In the City of Oryol a Wave of Searches in the Apartments of Dennis Christensen’s Fellow Believers","type":"news"},{"body":"On November 24, 2020, Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow had a total of about 20 searches. In some cases law enforcers broke down the doors, two people were beaten up. Five of them spent two to six days behind bars, now under house arrest. During interrogations, believers were intimidated by the prison and threatened with taking their children away.\nArmed security forces broke into homes of pensioners and young families with children, trying to find extremism in their faith. Most raids took place in Moscow and one in the Tula region. The special operation was organized as part of a criminal case being investigated by Dmitry Smadich from the first Department for Investigation of Special Cases of the Russian Federation SCS Moscow. For many months, law enforcement officers have been spying on believers.\nThe storming of Chernyshev's apartment started at about 6 am. The family awoke from the sounds of broken glass. Armed security guards in balaclavas and camouflage broke down the front door, threw Yuriy, the head of the family, to the floor, and his wife, Yekaterina, was placed facing the wall. The spouses and their minor daughter were then taken to different rooms and banned from communicating. The search at the Chernyshevs lasted about 9 hours in the presence of the film crew of the state TV channel. Electronic devices and all their savings were seized. During the interrogation in the Investigative Committee, the Chernyshevs were prompted to engage in self-incrimination, threatening that otherwise their daughter would be sent to an orphanage, and they \"will not be helped.\" They were asked questions: \"What if your daughter is wooed by a Muslim?\", \"How do you feel about Christ?\" and the like. After the interrogations, Yuriy was detained and sent to the temporary detention facility. Footage of the storming of Chernyshev's apartment was posted on the news channels.\nAnother search took place in the apartment of A.'s family, where the law enforcers first twisted the hands of their neighbor, but when they realized that they had made a mistake, they started breaking the door to the apartment of believers. The hands of а the head of the family were twisted, he was put on the floor and hit on the back with the butt of an automatic rifle. During the search electronic devices, flash drives, bank cards, and cash, documents and personal records, a tape recorder, cassettes, and even a calculator were seized. Later, the believers were taken to the local police station, where they were photographed and fingerprinted. They were then taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. Investigator Dmitry Smadich asked them questions, among them: \"Do you believe in Trinity?\", \"On what was Christ crucified?\", \"Do you go to the elections?\", \"Do you recognize the president?\", \"Do you transfuse blood?\" and \"Would you cheat on your wife?\".\nThe search lasted about 5 hours for 33-year-old Y. M. The law enforcers looked through the correspondence of the believer in the messengers and threatened her with the jail. During the search, Bible and postcards were seized. After the search, the believer was taken first to the local police station, and later to the Investigative Committee building for questioning.\nIn another case, law enforcement officials insulted two female believers, threatening to strip them and put them out on the street.\nViktor Tchaikovsky, 34, was also the victim of the search. Early in the morning of 24 November he was awakened by a strong knock on the door and shouts: \"You are pouring us! The search in his apartment under the direction of investigator Valeria Bashaeva lasted 5 hours. Electronic devices and data carriers were seized. After the search, Victor was taken to the local police station for fingerprinting and then to the Investigative Committee for questioning. In total, the investigation lasted more than 12 hours.\nBefore the search of 49-year-old Vardan Zakaryan's head was smashed by law enforcement with an automatic rifle buttstock. The believer was hospitalized and was under heavy guard, no one was allowed to see him except doctors, and he was unable to move freely. Two days later, he was discharged and taken to an investigator for interrogation, then to the TDF. Several copies of the Bible were seized from his family. On 30 November, after 6 days of detention, the court released the believer under house arrest. He appealed the illegal detention and beating to the prosecutor's office.\nAll detained believers were sent under house arrest by court order.\nSearches and detentions took place in Moscow, despite calls from international organizations to stop the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses and assurances from the authorities that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses was not forbidden in Russia.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-12-09T09:48:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/12/2/image_hu_db41bd9b536dce10.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/12/2/image_hu_97f66f1019a93e13.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/12/2/image_hu_68800a2d6c7cd1e2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/12/2/image_hu_19751c8ae49484c8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/12/2.html","regions":["tula","moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation","hidden-surveillance","house-arrest"],"title":"Beating with buttstocks, threats and questions regarding Christ's crucifixion. Details of the raid on Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow","type":"news"},{"body":"Prosecution witness Shevtsov, who does not agree with the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, testifies. He, however, characterizes Vitaly Popov on the positive side \"as a kind, sympathetic person, ready to help.\" Shevtsov in his answers distinguishes between the concepts of the LRO and the Christian congregation. He tells what Jehovah's Witnesses preach, that \"since 1914, Jesus began to reign in heaven as a king, is an invisible, spiritual person. People, if they obey God, will live forever in paradise on earth. The rest of the people will perish in Armageddon, who are disobedient to God.\" Shevtsov also mentions that donations have always been voluntary, and \"in this Jehovah's Witnesses imitate Christ and the early Christians.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201208","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A religious scholar from the Department of Religious Philosophy and Religious Studies at the Southern Federal University is being interrogated. He emphasizes that the propaganda of religious superiority is inherent in any religion that considers its teachings to be true. Regarding military service, he said that \"Jehovah's Witnesses are consistent pacifists, but they do not refuse alternative service.\" The specialist declares that violence is alien to Jehovah's Witnesses. On the contrary, they are focused on good deeds.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Parkova in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don5/index.html#20201208","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Vladimir Strokov reads out the 8th volume of the materials of the criminal case and satisfies the request for interrogation of Ruslan Alyyev. The defendant gives explanations regarding the charge: \"Extremism in any form contradicts my religious and personal beliefs. Over the years of studying the Bible and Bible principles, I have acquired a negative view of violence and any manifestation of disrespect for authority.\" He explains that his parents are of different nationalities and religions, so since childhood he respected different views and cultures.\nAlyev also read out several statements by the Russian authorities that by the decision of the Supreme Court of 20.04.2017, they \"do not assess the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually.\" He further noted that in order to exercise his constitutional right to freedom of religion, he did not need a legal entity, either active or liquidated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alyev in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don6/index.html#20201204","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witness V. Urakov answers the questions. He speaks positively of Jehovah's Witnesses, noting that their teachings are based on love for one's neighbor and the meetings he once attended called only for good deeds. He also mentions that there was no pressure on him, the literature was useful, the donations were voluntary, no one forced anyone: \"There was just an urn for a voluntary donation. We did not pay any specific amount. If I have money, I could voluntarily put it there, if not, well, I came and listened to the report and left, goodbye. Therefore, the donations were voluntary.\" In addition, he gives a positive description of Vitaly Popov.\nProsecution witness Lyudmila Timshina is next. She speaks positively of the Christian meetings, where, she says, \"there was good communication, quiet, calm, there were no conflict situations.\" She also speaks of the defendant as \"a good person who always gave useful advice, very kind, qualified, very rarely there are such people.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-12-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201203","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman who feigned interest in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and collaborated with the FSB is being interrogated. She reports how the services of Jehovah's Witnesses were held and calls Ilya Olenin a \"leader.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2020-12-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20201202","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of the prosecution witness. The witness explains that all the time she attended the services, she did not hear anything about the legal entity or its activities. At religious meetings, believers discussed the Bible, not the activities of a legal entity. The presence was voluntary and was not controlled by anyone. When asked by the prosecutor whether anyone had established prohibitions for believers, she replied that each Jehovah's Witness determines for himself how to take care of himself in terms of health and what decisions to make in other areas of life.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20201201","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 24, 2020, during raids in Moscow, law enforcement officers hit the head of 49-year-old Vardan Zakaryan with an automatic rifle buttstock. After the strike and blood loss, the believer was hospitalized and was in custody. On 30 November the court released Zakaryan under house arrest and he appealed against the law enforcement officers' actions to the prosecutor's office.\nThe family did not make any attempts to resist.\nFor 49-year-old Vardan Zakaryan the way to the TDF was through the hospital. A loud knock on the door of the apartment, where the believer lives with his daughter and wife who do not share his religious beliefs, was heard at 6 am. As soon as Vardan Zakaryan managed to open the door, one of the law enforcers knocked him down with an automatic rifle buttstock. Zakaryan's wife was ordered with a scream to lie down. Seeing blood on Vardan's head, she fell to the floor in terror, trying to cover her husband with her body, and asked the law enforcers not to hit her husband again.\nDuring the search, Vardan Zakaryan felt bad, his blood pressure rose, and an ambulance team arrived. \"They asked me to give my father some help. Entering the living room, I saw a 10-centimeter blood stain on the floor, and Dad lying on the sofa with a fresh bloody wound on his forehead. He was pale and trembled with his whole body,\" the daughter of a believer told about the circumstances of the raid.\nVardan Zakaryan was taken under escort to the 20th city clinical hospital with the diagnosis \"traumatic encephalopathy. At the same time, relatives were not allowed to visit the believer and food products were not handed over to him.\nOn November 26, at the insistence of the security forces, Zakaryan was discharged from the hospital - he was taken to investigator D. Smadich, who interrogated him at night and charged the believer. On November 27, he was taken to court to decide on the measure of restraint, the judge extended the period of detention. From the court building, the weakened Zakaryan was taken to the temporary detention center, where he was subjected to strong psychological pressure, trying to force him to incriminate his fellow believers and take the blame for extremism.\nOn November 30 Presnensky district court of Moscow ordered to release Vardan Zakaryan from prison and to send him to house arrest till January 23. As soon as a believer was released he filed a complaint to the office of public prosecutor against illegal use of force by law-enforcement agencies.\nAccording to Zakaryan's lawyer, the criminal case under which the believer was detained was initiated under Part 1 and Part 1.1. Article 282.2. of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and is under investigation by the investigator for especially important cases of the first investigation department of the first investigation department of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Moscow Smadich D. V. Attempts by the lawyer to ask for explanations about the violence against Vardan Zakaryan Smadich ignored and stopped answering calls. The lawyer filed a complaint with the Moscow prosecutor's office.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-30T18:10:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/11/11/image_hu_aac902114fee0dd4.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/11/11/image_hu_d67182522fd67de8.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/11/11/image_hu_c5a09b90758b9e45.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/11/11/image_hu_c3fb23f7b6f722b7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/11.html","regions":["moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","health-risk","interrogation","house-arrest","ivs","282.2-1.1","282.2-1"],"title":"\"With the rear of a rifle to the head.\" After being released from a detention center, a Moscow-based detainee filed a complaint about experiencing severe beatings by law enforcement officers","type":"news"},{"body":"The Presnensky District Court of Moscow decides to release 49-year-old Vardan Zakaryan after 6 days of detention and send him under house arrest until January 23. As soon as a believer is released, he submits an application to the prosecutor's office stating that during his detention on November 24 he was hit on the head with the butt of an automatic rifle, he lost consciousness and was hospitalized in the 20th city clinical hospital. According to the defender of the believer, during his detention in the temporary detention facility, Zakaryan was subjected to strong psychological pressure in order to force him to give out information about his fellow believers, as well as to confess to extremist crimes that he did not commit.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2020-11-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20201130","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["house-arrest","ivs","interrogation","siloviks-violence"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Searches are carried out in four houses of Snezhinsk residents early in the morning. Investigator Chepenko comes to Lyudmila Salikova, accompanied by riot police, a technical specialist and witnesses.\nDuring a 3-hour search of the apartment, the security forces seized electronic devices, the Bible, personal records, postcards and photographs. They then search the believer's garage and workplace. Lyudmila's colleagues are asked if she has talked to them about the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk","date":"2020-11-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk/index.html#20201130","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses are being questioned. To each of them, the judge, among other things, asks the question: \"You did not quarrel with him [the defendant], did not swear, do not experience hostile relations?\" All three answer in the negative.\nThe judge reads out the testimonies of witnesses who did not appear from the interrogation protocols.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Reznichenko in Zeya","date":"2020-11-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya/index.html#20201130","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 12, 2020, armed officers of the FSB and the Investigative Committee roughly invaded at least six families of believers in the towns of Maiskiy and Tyrnyauz (Kabardino-Balkaria). Among the victims was the family of a believer, Yuriy Zalipaev, who was acquitted by the court only a month ago.\nEarly in the morning in Tyrnyauz there was a knock at the door of a believing woman diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. Through the door, she was told that they had come to help her fight the virus. When she opened the door, eight security officers entered the apartment. Despite the hostess's bad health, a search was conducted in her apartment to find 'drugs, weapons and prohibited items'. In another apartment, a 61-year-old believer was prevented from approaching her bedridden mother for several hours to give her medicine and food. In another case, a 54-year-old man with a high fever was forced to stand half-naked in a draught facing the wall. Finally, a 15-year-old boy was kept in a separate room with two members of the armed forces at his side.\nAt the same time, in the town of Maiskiy, Vadim and Mariya Zalipaev woke up from a heavy noise and saw their yard filled with people. Some of them were wearing weapons, camouflage and balaclavas, while others wore black civilian clothes. Among the people in black, Zalipaevs could see Sergey Svetikov, an FSB officer who had been repeatedly found guilty of falsifying operational materials against Jehovah's Witnesses, in particular against their father and father-in-law Yuriy Zalipaev, who had been acquitted a month earlier by a court of first instance. The law enforcers did not explain the purpose of the visit, so the believers did not open the door. Then the law enforcers broke the window and broke the iron entrance door with a sledgehammer. They justified their actions with the words: \"We come to you with all our hearts, but you...\". For six hours under the leadership of Svetikov and with the active assistance of two witnesses, the operatives were looking for smartphones: they scattered things, turned the bed over, trampled it with dirty shoes. From time to time, they made derogatory remarks about the Zalipayevs. After the search of the spouses, they were taken for questioning to the police station in Maysky, and then to the Investigative Committee of Tyrnyauz, 120 kilometers away from home.\nThe searches were initiated by Shamil Gyatov from the Investigative Department for Elbrusskiy District of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. (The same person, working as deputy head of the Investigative Department in the town of Maysky, previously participated in the initiation of an illegal criminal case against Yuriy Zalipaev). The order for searches in Tyrnyauz was issued by the judge of Elbrusskiy district court Tahir Gergokov at the request of the investigator for especially important cases A. Nashapigov.\nA criminal case was opened against the believers under part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. The investigator interpreted the peaceful meetings of believers as 'inclination of residents to participate in an extremist organization by providing them with religious literature of extremist character, conversations and beliefs during secret meetings.'\nThe searches lasted 5-10 hours each. Electronic devices, personal records, postcards, photos and flash drives were seized. After the searches, believers were taken to the police station and then to the Investigative Committee, where they were interrogated by Major Zalim Kenetov. Attempts of the believers to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation caused irritation of the law enforcement officers: 'You learned about Article 51, now I will not be so polite with you.' Some heard mockery and threats to themselves and their loved ones. In addition, the believers were not provided with copies of court orders and protocols of searches and interrogations.\nUpdate. The Zalipaev family spent the whole day in the corridors and offices of law enforcement agencies. Few days later all family members showed signs of coronavirus infection: loss of smell, fever, chest and kidney pain. Doctors refuse to make the diagnosis officially. It is not known whether the organizers of mass events with the number of participants of about 100 people were brought to responsibility for neglecting the anti-quarantine requirements.\nIn connection with Yuriy Zalipayev's illness, the appeal hearing in the Supreme Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, scheduled for November 27, 2020, did not take place. The hearing was postponed and scheduled for December 11, 2020 10:00.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-27T18:55:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_24ad70e1aa0e2a2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao.jpg","webp":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_f1aae88eb07ca8e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_d2d4237a735db5c7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/10.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","families","health-risk","minors","interrogation","282.2-1.1"],"title":"After Yuriy Zalipayev acquittal, law enforcers raided peaceful believers across towns of Kabardino-Balkaria","type":"news"},{"body":"On 27 November 2020, law enforcers searched at least 3 civilians in Cheboksary and Novocheboksarsk. A 40-year-old believer was detained for questioning and later released. Criminal proceedings were instituted against another man, 57-year-old Vladimir Dutkin for his beliefs.\nA series of searches began in the morning. The formal basis for the special operations was the criminal case opened on 25 November 2020 against Vladimir Dutkin, a resident of Cheboksary. He was accused of organization of extremist activity (part 1 of article 282.2 of the RF Criminal Code). Electronic devices and personal records were seized from believers.\nChuvash Republic became the 58th region of Russia, where the authorities prosecute Jehovah's Witnesses, despite the fact that the Supreme Court did not prohibit believers from practicing their religion.\nThe news is being supplemented.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-27T18:15:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/sobr_hu_db6bdff650e64560.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_a86723e543e37699.jpg","webp":"/news/common/sobr_hu_e7599b6b61f18360.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_f2367077e24b439e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/9.html","regions":["chuvashia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Chuvashia became a 58th region where Jehovah's Witnesses were searched and detained for their faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Searches are being conducted in the homes of 7 civilians in Cheboksary and Novocheboksarsk, including Vladimir Dutkin. Six believers were taken away for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2020-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20201127","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A hearing is being held in the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don.\nThe testimony of a secret prosecution witness who never appeared at the hearing is being announced. The testimony of Semyon Baibak, who was declared as a witness for the prosecution, is not disclosed, since he used Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\nA witness for the defense, the founder and former member of the board of the liquidated LRO, says that Aliyev was never a member of the LRO. When asked about the reasons for the creation of this legal body, the witness replies that the main purpose was the construction of a worship building in Rostov-on-Don and the import of literature. According to the witness, after the liquidation of the LRO, he holds worship services at home with his wife and does not meet with fellow believers, fearing that because of him they may face criminal prosecution. Pointing to Alyyev, the witness explains: \"Even if people who are not associated with the LRO are tried, then what can the former founders expect?\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alyev in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don6/index.html#20201127","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Presnensky District Court of Moscow orders Sergey Shatalov to be placed under house arrest for 2 months after he spent 2 days in a temporary detention center. For other detainees, the court extends the period of detention to 72 hours.\nAt the insistence of the security forces, Vardan Zakaryan was discharged from the 20th city clinical hospital and taken under escort to the isolation ward at 38 Petrovka Street. There, investigator D. Smadich conducts an interrogation at night and charges the believer.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chaykovskiy and others in Moscow","date":"2020-11-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow/index.html#20201126","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["house-arrest","ivs","interrogation","siloviks-violence"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Leninsky District Court judge Snezhana Fedorova interrogates a prosecution witness. He explains that none of the believers used the forbidden literature. Monetary donations are only voluntary.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Parkova in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don5/index.html#20201125","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witnesses. They talk about discussing religious issues with the defendant. \"She was talking about good things, she was talking about God,\" one said. Another witness could not recognize Pegasheva as the woman with whom she had communicated earlier. The third witness rents an apartment to the defendant. \"I like Katya. She is disciplined, she pays for everything, there were no complaints from her neighbors, \"she says.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Pegasheva in Yoshkar-Ola","date":"2020-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yoshkar-ola/index.html#20201119","regions":["mari-el"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of 18 of November 2020, several families of local believers were searched in Nizhnekamsk (Tatarstan). Law enforcers seized electronic devices from at least 4 men. Seven people from 36 to 47 years old, including one woman, were taken for questioning. The news is being supplemented.\nUpdate. FSB officers accompanied by OMON soldiers armed with assault rifles searched 12 apartments of believers and their relatives. There were minors in several families of the house. In one apartment they shouted: \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t move! - The law enforcement officers pointed their weapons at the sleeping woman, and in the other one, a married couple was thrown to the floor, their husband was handcuffed and taken away for questioning. During the searches, electronic devices, foreign passports, bank cards and personal records were seized. 12 people, including 3 women, were interrogated. One man was kept for more than 12 hours during interrogation. It is known that a criminal case was initiated under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. Believers are charged with continuing the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah\u0026rsquo;s Witnesses in Kazan. Employees of the Federal Security Service of Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny participate in the investigation. Oleg Zorin, an employee of the Center to counteract extremism in the Republic of Tatarstan, participated in the interrogations. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-18T17:17:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/11/6/image_hu_d180cf8eaa25be2d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/11/6/image_hu_dff36d433176607.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/11/6/image_hu_17f7a8579e895a96.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/11/6/image_hu_d1abe535aa65a790.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/6.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"In the City of Nizhnekamsk, After a Series of Searches, Law Enforcers Took 7 Believers for Interrogation","type":"news"},{"body":"2 prosecution witnesses are being questioned. One of them is a police officer Zvereva, who participated in 2015-2016 in the formation of cases of administrative offenses against the Local Religious Organization. Courts found believers guilty of possession of extremist materials, although they were planted on them. She also testified at the hearings in the cases of Evgeny Golik, Anastasia Sycheva and Tatiana Zagulina. Zvereva does not know anything about the episodes imputed to Konstantin Guzev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzev in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan11/index.html#20201118","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Experts from the Ural Federal University are being questioned in court. Starostin Alexei Nikolaevich, candidate of historical sciences, Islamic scholar, reports that he examined materials seized during the searches: books, disks with videos and photos. Almost all of the materials he examines contain quotations from the Bible. The expert confirms his cooperation with the Orthodox Academy in St. Petersburg, and refuses to explain what research he did about Jehovah's Witnesses, citing a non-disclosure agreement. Starostin confirms that Jehovah's Witnesses do not call for undermining the constitutional order, for rallies, etc.\n4 prosecution witnesses are also being questioned.\nDuring the interrogation of witnesses, the prosecutor asks questions about whether the witnesses understood the purpose of the defendants' arrival, whether they remember well the essence of the conversation, the date of the meeting, the fact of being invited to any religious organization. None of the witnesses can give a definite answer, since no one can remember exactly who, why and when came to them.\nOne of the witnesses says that he identified the defendant by the color of her hair, and at the same time he states that he does not remember well the events of that day and the interrogation of the investigator, where the investigator showed him black and white photographs of the suspects. Also, he cannot confirm his testimony, since he did not read them, but simply signed the document, relying on the honesty of the investigator.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20201118","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Nizhnekamsk, FSB officers and riot policemen armed with assault rifles raided 12 apartments where believers and their families live. During the searches, law enforcers seize electronic devices, passports, bank cards and personal records. 12 people, including 3 women, are being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2020-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20201118","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 16, 2020 the Investigative Committee and OMON officers conducted searches at 9 addresses of believers in Gryazi town in Lipetsk region. Five believers, including a pensioner, had already spent the night in the detention center. The court will decide on their further restraint. Another 7 people were released by the law enforcers after the interrogation.\nOn November 17, the day after their arrest, 42-year-old Sergey Kretov and 46-year-old Yevgeniy Reshetnikov were charged under Article 282.2(1) of the Criminal Code. The Gryazinsky City Court chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention for peaceful believers. Information on the situation of the remaining detainees is being clarified.\nUpdate. On November 18, 67-year-old Natalia Perekatiy, as well as Svetlana Vyrezkova and Tatyana Morlang, were released from custody, against whom the case was initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2. The searches were carried out on the basis of 5 criminal cases initiated by an investigator of the first department for investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Lipetsk region under part 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization and participation in activities of an extremist organization). Electronic devices and personal documents were seized from believers. In the nearest future the court will decide on the measure of restraint in relation to the detainees.\nAccording to the investigation, believers, professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, conducted worship services and sermons. The police interpreted such peaceful religious activity as continuation of the banned religious organization, although the Jehovah's Witnesses religion is not banned in Russia. An official report from the Investigative Committee states that \"during the meetings, the suspects discussed religious intolerance towards representatives of other faiths with those who came\". In the near future, the court will either require the investigator to prove the allegation - and then release the believers from custody, or take his word for it - and impose a preventive measure on the believers.\nThe security forces interpret such peaceful religious activity as a continuation of the activities of a banned religious organization, although the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia.\nPreviously, three local residents had been prosecuted for their faith in Lipetsk region and held in a detention center for almost a year. At the end of October 2020, the court released them on their own recognizance.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-17T18:04:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/11/5/image_hu_38cb693d06ccb8a8.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/11/5/image_hu_9bd7a28d489bb10.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/11/5/image_hu_9074776eda44a1a4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/11/5/image_hu_21a7dc5e789fe7a3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/5.html","regions":["lipetsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","282.2-1","282.2-2","ivs","sizo"],"title":"In Gryazi Town 5 Believers Imprisoned for Talking About God, Among Them a 67-year-old Woman","type":"news"},{"body":"The hearing on the case continues in the Birobidzhan District Court. The court skims through videos from worship meetings.\nA witness for the prosecution Zvereva, a police officer who carried out operational-search measures against Yevgeny Golik, speaks. In her testimony, she claims that no banned literature was found in the defendant's possession, and she did not hear extremist slogans at the meetings. When asked why she considers Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremists, Zvereva replies: people are unhappy with the preaching.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Golik in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan/index.html#20201111","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendant's neighbors are being interrogated. Both witnesses state that they do not know Sazonov and cannot confirm that he committed anything illegal.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-11-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20201106","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines prosecution witnesses. According to one of them, at the services she attended, people \"talked about God\" and Pegasheva never called on those present to \"commit violent acts, overthrow state power and change the constitutional order.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Pegasheva in Yoshkar-Ola","date":"2020-11-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yoshkar-ola/index.html#20201103","regions":["mari-el"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the volumes of the criminal case containing transcripts of telephone conversations of believers. Andrey Gubin draws the court's attention to the fact that he did not participate in them.\nTwo prosecution witnesses are being questioned. They claim that they do not know the defendant. According to them, before the investigation, law enforcement officers told the witnesses that \"the search will be for peaceful and calm people, so there is no need to take aggressive measures.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gubin in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan18/index.html#20201030","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them tells the court that a believer in another criminal case ordered her to hold a wedding and a friendly meeting. When asked by Anna Lokhvitskaya what she can say about the dates imputed to the defendant, and personally about her, the witness answers: \"Nothing, I don't even know you.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20201028","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of a prosecution witness who was present at the search of the house of other believers. After the interrogation, he says that he sees Irina Lokhvitskaya for the first time.\n","caseTitle":"The case of I. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan14/index.html#20201027","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Traktorozavodsky City Court is interrogating FSB officer Vasily Gul, who claims that local believers were part of the Administrative Center and does not see the difference between legal entities and individual believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2020-10-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20201027","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Due to the epidemiological situation, only participants in the trial are allowed into the courtroom. As an exception, the judge allows the defendant's wife to attend this and all subsequent hearings.\nThe court refuses to merge the cases of Konstantin Moiseenko and Vasily Reznichenko into one. At the meeting, transcripts of video recordings of worship services are announced. On the instructions of the FSB, they were made by a woman who pretended to be interested in the Bible.\nA witness is being questioned by the prosecution. He confirms that Konstantin Moiseyenko never advocated the overthrow of state power or violent change of the constitutional order, did not call for genocide and deportation of citizens on religious grounds, and did not call for any other illegal actions against them. The witness also says that the defendant never claimed the natural, biological superiority or inferiority of a person in connection with his social, racial, national, religious or linguistic affiliation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moiseyenko in Zeya","date":"2020-10-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya2/index.html#20201027","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The trial in the Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region begins with the interrogation of prosecution witnesses. The first witness is an employee of a café where believers held weddings and vacations with children, which the prosecution is trying to present as one of the meetings of members of a banned organization. The witness confirms that the believers spent friendly evenings in the café, behaved \"decorously and nobly, ate, drank tea, danced, no problems arose.\"\nThe second witness for the prosecution is that of another believer from Birobidzhan, Larisa Artamonova, who was witnessed during a search in the apartment of elderly parents. Looking at Tatyana Zagulina and her lawyer, he asks which of them is the defendant.\nThe witness talks about the circumstances of the search in the Artamonovs' apartment, noting that there were no calls for extremism or incitement to religious hatred from the believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan15/index.html#20201022","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of October 19, 2020, at least 5 searches of the residences of local Jehovah's Witnesses took place in the town of Beryozovsky near Ekaterinburg. The 38-year-old Konstantin Zotov was detained, but after 3 hours of interrogation was released. Details are being clarified.\nOne of the searches was led by A. Babeshko, an employee of the Investigative Committee of the RF. He was accompanied by FSB officer R. Gainullin, Center for Counteracting Extremism officer V. Bauer and the expert of the Central Committee of the Interior Ministry's Main Directorate T. Chistyakova, who was taking photos and videos. The search warrant was issued by the Berezovsky Town Court of Sverdlovsk Region.\nUpdate. Investigative actions against believers were initiated by the head of the department of the FSB of Russia for the Central Military District of Yekaterinburg, Colonel Andrei Kalashnikov. On October 14, 2020, Alexey Zyryanov, head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, opened a criminal case against Konstantin Zotov and Natalia Kochneva, who live in Berezovsky and are not related to the liquidated LRO Jehovah's Witnesses of Yekaterinburg. The investigation interprets conversations about the Bible among friends as \"participation in the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nMore than 10 believers living at 5 addresses became innocent victims of the raid. The searches lasted 3-5 hours. Bibles of various translations, bank cards, electronic devices and other media, personal records, photographs and postcards, SIM cards, cash receipts, a city map and watches were seized from civilians.\nNatalia Kochneva's house was searched by the deputy head of the investigation department, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Snigirev, with the participation of the detective of the CPE of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Sverdlovsk Region, Police Major Vladimir Yarochevsky, senior FSB detective, Major Alexei Filatov and chief expert of the forensic center Marina Egorova.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-10-21T08:10:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/10/9.html","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-2"],"title":"The Center for Counteracting Extremism, the FSB and the Investigative Committee conducted a joint raid on believers near Yekaterinburg","type":"news"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment, after which Anna Lokhvitskaya expresses her disagreement with it. The judge attaches the attitude to the accusation of the defendant to the case file.\nThe questioning of witnesses begins. The testimony is given by a soldier who participated as a witness in searches of other believers from Birobidzhan. He explains that the searches were peaceful and calm, he personally participated in the search of an elderly married couple.\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20201019","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Gagarinsky District Court of Sevastopol, in connection with the change of judge in the case, hearings begin anew. (Judge Valentin Norets resigned, Pavel Kryllo was appointed the new judge.) The prosecutor announces the essence of the charge. Judge Kryllo interrogates a witness for the prosecution, an employee of the Sevastopol FSB, detective Dmitry Shevchenko.\nThe court attaches to the case documents confirming that the 85-year-old mother of Viktor Stashevskiy needs constant care, which only her son can provide her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2020-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20201019","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another local believer is being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2020-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20201019","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Presumably a police officer comes to one of the residents of the city of Sovetskaya Gavan. He tries to get her to talk about how local Jehovah's Witnesses meet to discuss the Bible and preach. Later, the woman is interrogated at the police station.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2020-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20201016","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The testimony is given by the spouse of the accused. She notes the positive qualities of Vitaly as a husband and employee, which were appreciated by everyone around him: \"When he quit his job - he was forced to quit there - the employees at work cried that he was leaving, because they could always rely on him, he would never steal anything from them, he would always fulfill all their wishes for work. He was very conscientious.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-10-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201015","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Sychevsky District Court of the Smolensk Region, the hearing on the criminal case continues. The state prosecutor does not ensure the appearance of witnesses for the prosecution. The only witness who is brought to court for questioning is a woman, a disabled person of group I. She says that she was familiar with the defendants, sometimes called them and asked them to explain to her incomprehensible passages in the Bible. She stopped calling because FSB investigators came to her. Answering questions, she explained what, in her opinion, is the difference between individual believers and the organization: \"For example, Masha and Natasha. They can help in a human way: to tell something, and to suggest something, and to convey something. I never associated them with any organization.\" The trial will continue in a month, and a study of the remaining volumes of the criminal case is planned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sorokina and Troshina in Sychevka","date":"2020-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sychevka/index.html#20201013","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, senior FSB investigator D. S. Varkentin, accompanied by 2 officers and 2 witnesses, searches the house of Yevgeniy and Nadezhda Bitusov \"in order to find and seize items and documents indicating the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses LRO in Zeya.\" The search is carried out in the presence of the minor son of the believers. Security forces seize electronic devices, storage media and personal records. The investigator does not provide copies of the court order for the search.\nOn the same morning, law enforcement officers come to another local believer, Leonid Druzhinin, but he and his wife are at work. The FSB officers waited for the believer at his house, where he returned 2 hours later to change his clothes to testify in court in the case against Konstantin Moiseenko. The security forces took Druzhinin away for interrogation to the FSB department, and after 2 hours they returned to search his house. The search is led by investigator V. S. Obukhov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Druzhinin and Bitusov in Zeya","date":"2020-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya3/index.html#20201013","regions":["amur"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A prosecution witness is being questioned in the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don. During the interrogation, the state prosecutor uses pressure tactics, including forcing the witness to disclose information about his religious affiliation and beliefs. Judge Vladimir Strokov ignores the protest from the defense and also asks questions about the convictions of the witness. He speaks negatively about the religious views of the interrogated in a raised voice and erroneously claims that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has banned Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe judge admits comparing religious groups of Jehovah's Witnesses with a terrorist organization, although the international community considers this denomination to be exclusively peaceful and condemns the repression of believers.\nThe defendant and the defense counsel regard the judge's behavior as an undisguised bias towards the religious views of Ruslan Alyyev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alyev in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don6/index.html#20201012","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is questioning another prosecution witness who speaks positively of Vitaly, describing him as an honest and decent person. Although he did not communicate with the defendant for several years, he remembers him as a peaceful, hardworking man, always ready to help.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-10-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20201009","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. One of them had previously recorded conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses and passed them on to an investigator. Another witness during the interrogation characterizes the defendant as a good and talented person.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-10-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20201007","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Updated 10/06/2020\nOn October 1, 2020, in Sevastopol, security forces searched at least 9 local residents. The next day, the court sent Vladimir Maladyka, Yevgeniy Zhukov, Vladimir Sakada and Igor Schmidt to the pre-trial detention center. A few years ago, law enforcement officers unsuccessfully tried to plant a banned book on believers.\nThe raid began early in the morning and lasted several hours. During a search of the Maladyka spouses, the investigator found a bag of milk powder in the refrigerator. Stating that the inscriptions on the package resemble the formula of a narcotic drug, the investigator unexpectedly sent the spouses for compulsory examination in a neuropsychiatric dispensary. (Later the examination confirmed that the package contained milk.)\nAfter the searches, the security forces took 5 believers for interrogation to the branch of one of the local law enforcement agencies. In the evening, Natalia Maladyka was released, and Vladimir and three of his fellow believers were sent to a temporary detention center.\nThe next day, October 2, 2020, the Leninsky District Court of Sevastopol sent 4 believers into custody in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Address: 4 Lenin Blvd., Simferopol, 295006). 50-year-old Yevgeny Zhukov, 57-year-old Vladimir Maladyka and 50-year-old Vladimir Sakada were arrested until November 30, 48-year-old Igor Schmidt - until November 23, 2020. A criminal case was opened against them under the article \"organization of the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nAt least one of the arrest decisions was made by Judge Viktor Klimakov. He did not heed the arguments of believers that after the liquidation of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, they did not take part in it, and the FSB accuses them of ordinary religion.\nCriminal prosecution for belief in Jehovah has been going on against the residents of Sevastopol for more than a year. Sevastopol resident Viktor Stashevskiy defends his beliefs in court. The 10-minute film tells about how the persecution cripples the lives of innocent Crimean citizens.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-10-02T14:27:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/10/1/1_1_hu_f27eb250635cb8ae.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/10/1/1_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/10/1/1_1_hu_256690efee477926.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/10/1/1_1_hu_a5f751154a004374.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/10/1.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","sizo","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"After the searches in Sevastopol, four peaceful believers were sent to a detention center for at least two months","type":"news"},{"body":"Referee: Yulia Tsykina. Birobidzhan District Court of the Jewish Autonomous Region (Pionerskaya Street, 32).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan15/index.html#20201002","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Sevastopol, since 6 a.m., security forces in camouflage have been invading the homes of believers at three addresses, searches are being conducted. Two men are taken away for interrogation to the department of one of the local law enforcement agencies. It is not yet known whether the special events are related to the case against Viktor Stashevskiy.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2020-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20201001","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of witnesses. Prosecution witness Yulia Gorshkova works in law enforcement. Confirms that the defendants did not commit unlawful acts, and the law does not prohibit them from preaching their religion. Another employee, Yevgeny Podoynitsyn, finds it difficult to explain what the believers' guilt is.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-09-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20200930","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A witness for the prosecution, an 83-year-old believer, is being questioned in the Leninsky District Court. She points out that the defendant never called for extremism or violent change of the constitutional order. \"It's just a fiction, how can a Christian call for bad things,\" she says. An elderly woman characterizes Vitaly Popov as a kind person, always ready to help. The witness also explains that the record of her interrogation contains corrections made by the investigator, and this is the first time she has heard much of the record.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-09-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20200929","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor, the judge shall make the trial closed. At the hearing, a witness for the prosecution, police officer Zvereva, who knows nothing about the events of which Sycheva is accused, is interrogated. In 2015-2016, Zvereva was involved in the formation of administrative offense cases against the LRO and its leaders, who were found guilty by the courts for possession of extremist materials, although they were planted by believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sycheva in Obluchye","date":"2020-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan3/index.html#20200924","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don continues to consider the criminal case of Ruslan Alyyev. During the court session, a religious scholar engaged by the investigator is interrogated. The state prosecutor asks the specialist questions about the structure of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The prosecutor is interested in whether it is common for believers to be intolerant towards other people, to incite discord, to oppose the state and to treat state power with disrespect. The specialist answers these questions in the negative.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alyev in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-09-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don6/index.html#20200922","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A preliminary hearing of the case is underway. The believer makes a number of petitions. Judge Yulia Tsykina gives the prosecutor time to prepare her comments on these motions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-09-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan15/index.html#20200917","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The state prosecution again failed to ensure the appearance in court of an anonymous witness whose name, face and voice were unreasonably classified, which violates the believer's right to full defense. Judge Kashina issues a private ruling against the prosecutor in connection with the abuse of procedural rights and the delay in the consideration of the case. However, at the same time, the judge satisfies the request of the state prosecutor to read out the testimony of an anonymous witness from the case file. The defendant and his lawyer object, since the testimony of the secret witness \"Ivanova\", given at the preliminary investigation, is the main evidence of the prosecution, and Yuri Savelyev cannot even ask this witness any clarifying questions. All this grossly violates his right to a fair trial. The defense challenges Judge Ekaterina Kashina. The judge rejects the challenge and accepts the written testimony of the classified witness.\nAfter the break, the court interrogates the \"specialist\" Oleg Zaev via conference call. He speaks on behalf of the anti-cultist center by proxy signed by Alexander Dvorkin. The defense draws attention to the fact that Zaev does not have a special education, but at the same time he was a teacher of the discipline \"sectology\" at the Novosibirsk St. Makariev's Orthodox Theological Institute (the institute closed in 2019). The specialist does not hide the fact that he professes Orthodoxy, treats Jehovah's Witnesses deliberately negatively, considering them a priori dangerous for the Russian constitutional system and state power.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-09-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20200916","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The first hearing in the case of Semyon Baybak is being held in the Leninsky District Court. A prosecution witness is being questioned. He says that he has known Semyon for about 13 years, they read the Bible together, but were not in any legal entity.\nThe witness explains that the donated funds were used to help fellow believers, and not to finance a banned organization and the needs of a legal entity.\nThe witness retracts some of the preliminary statements, stating that the investigator entered the wording in them at his discretion. According to him, the term \"organization\" appears several times in the protocol, although he did not use it during the interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baybak in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-09-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don2/index.html#20200915","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the meeting of the Zavodsky District Court, prosecution witness Vadim Shiller, an expert of the Council for State Religious Expertise of the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region, is being interrogated. Schiller does not agree that the Witnesses' belief in the truth of their religion can be invoked as an accusation, since representatives of other religions hold a similar position. He also notes that he has not seen any calls for extremism in the literature of the Witnesses. A manifestation of extremism, according to the expert, is the use of the Bible by believers in the New World Translation. At the same time, however, he notes that this edition is not fundamentally different from other translations of the Bible. It turns out that the competence of an expert is not enough to see the difference between the meetings of fellow believers and the work of a local religious organization (LRO).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2020-09-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20200914","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court begins the interrogation of officers of the FSB of Russia in the Smolensk region. Judge Arkady Likhachev reads out their previous testimony, as they do not remember them. During the subsequent interrogation, FSB officer Vladimir Vanisov states that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has banned the practice of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia (which is not true). FSB officer Yuri Amelin gives similar testimony and also does not see the difference between ordinary believers and a legal entity. The head of the local FSB division, Mikhail Dorochenkov, says that all the information is contained in the case file, and it is difficult to answer the question of which organization was banned by the Supreme Court. Judge Arkady Likhachev, however, repeatedly asks the defense not to delay the trial.\nThe next court hearings will be held on October 13-15, 2020. It is planned to bring witnesses who have repeatedly failed to appear in court on summons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sorokina and Troshina in Sychevka","date":"2020-09-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sychevka/index.html#20200914","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officer A. S. Valov was interrogated, who had to admit that the video did not show the meeting of the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Ulyanovsk, although he stated this in the inspection report drawn up during the preliminary investigation.\nThe judge refuses to satisfy the petition for the replacement of defense counsel by appointment with a defense counsel by agreement, as well as the petition for the study of the case materials. The judge believes that these materials have already been announced by the court and rejects the objections of the lawyer.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-09-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200914","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Defendants Khoren Khachikyan, Mikhail Zelenskiy, Oleksandr Ganin and Natalia Mysina read out their testimony before the court. Zelensky in his speech gives an assessment of what is happening: \"The accusation against me is vague and has no clear boundaries. If I am tried for participating in the continuation of the activities of the LRO, then this is one circumstance, and I am ready to defend myself and provide evidence of my non-involvement in this activity. But if I'm on trial for participating in religious life within a religious group under the guise of a banned LRO, then whatever I say to you now is likely to be meaningless, and the verdict is likely to be guilty.\"\nThe judge grants the lawyer's request to summon the FSB officer Valov for questioning.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200911","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Mysin and Andrey Tabakov read out their testimony before the court. Mysin focuses the court's attention: all the defense witnesses said that they profess their faith not because he or someone else gives them instructions to do so, but because \"they perceive this instruction from the pages of the Bible itself.\" Tabakov says: \"It is obvious that the accusation invented by me is passed off as reality, probably counting on the fact that no one understands this and will not understand it.\" He concludes that Jehovah's Witnesses are not persecuted for a crime, but for the ways in which they express their faith in God.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-09-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200910","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tishkov is summoned for questioning to the FSB department in Lipetsk as a witness.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2020-09-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20200907","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of prosecution witnesses continues behind closed doors in the Urai City Court. They characterize Andrey Sazonov positively. In particular, one of them notes that she likes the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and their highly moral Christian way of life. At the next hearing, it is planned to continue the questioning of prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-09-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20200903","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The infiltrated agent Ekaterina Petrova, who attended services in Vladivostok and Moscow several times in 2016-2017, is being interrogated. Petrova bases her testimony on materials about Jehovah's Witnesses from the Internet and cannot cite any specific facts proving the illegal activities of believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2020-09-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20200903","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Pavel receives a photo of the summons for interrogation from the investigator. Later, the believer learns from the Birobidzhan media that he has been put on the federal wanted list. In the same year, it was included in the \"List of organizations and individuals in respect of which there is information about their involvement in extremist activities or terrorism\" (Rosfinmonitoring list).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shishenko in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-09-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan29/index.html#20200901","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","rosfinmonitoring"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexei Dyadkin, a resident of Gukovo, who has recently been living in Kursk, comes to the investigator for questioning. There they are trying to convince him to incriminate himself - to confess to extremist actions that the believer did not commit. The security forces are also interrogating Alexei's wife.\nThe believer is detained and sent to a temporary detention facility. On the same day, the court issued a decision to detain Aleksey for a period of 1 month and 16 days. After that, Aleksey was imprisoned in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Rostov region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2020-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20200821","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of August 19, 2020, law enforcers invaded at least four dwellings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the towns of Ugorsk and the neighboring Sovetskiy. No information about the detainees had been received so far. As new information becomes available, this news item will be updated.\nUpdate. According to updated data, on August 19, searches were carried out at 9 addresses - 8 in the city of Yugorsk and 1 in the city of Sovetsky. 16 people were taken away for questioning. After the interrogations, two believers — 48-year-old Ugra resident Andrey Zhukov and 42-year-old Soviet resident Ivan Sorokin — were sent to a temporary detention center for 48 hours. During this time, the court had to decide on the choice of a preventive measure against them. However, late in the evening of August 20, the believers were unexpectedly allowed to go home on their own recognizance. A criminal case was initiated against Zhukov and Sorokin under Part 1 of Article 282.2. It is being investigated by the investigator of the Control and Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation N. Y. Tatarnikov. (Header updated to reflect information received on August 21.) This is not the first time that raids against believers have taken place in the region. In Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District 23 believers have already been prosecuted, 5 of them went through detention, several people were tortured by law enforcers, and one — Timofei Zhukov — was illegally placed in a psychiatric hospital.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-08-19T15:24:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/08/6/image_hu_dbc914b06161b68e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/08/6/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/08/6/image_hu_17e76329b6c487f7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/08/6/image_hu_3d8248ae793b4780.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/08/6.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"Law enforcers once again search the homes of believers in the Yugra region. After being detailed for two days, two men were released on a condition that they sign a recognizance agreement","type":"news"},{"body":"In the early morning, security forces invaded 9 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yugorsk and neighboring Sovetsky. 16 people are taken away for interrogation. Andrey Zhukov and Ivan Sorokin are placed in a temporary detention facility.\nThe representative of the Investigative Committee A. A. Solovyov searches the apartment of Sergei Pushkin for 3 hours with the participation of 2 armed SOBR officers, 2 witnesses and a technical specialist. Flash drives, hard drives, audio cassettes and electronic devices are seized from the believer. After the search, Sergei Pushkin and his wife are taken to the police station for interrogation and testimony. Law enforcement officers are trying to persuade the spouses to cooperate with the investigation.\nOn the same morning, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Alekseev searched Ivan Sorokin's home for 4.5 hours with the participation of a second investigator, the deputy head of the CPE, 2 witnesses, 3 detectives and a forensic investigator \"in order to find and seize literature and other sources of information aimed at professing and disseminating ideology and faith promoted by the extremist organization Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center in Yugorsk.\" Electronic devices, flash drives, passports and bank cards were seized.\nInvestigator N. Tatarnikov issues a decision to bring Ivan Sorokin and Sergey Zhukov as defendants under Part 1. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2020-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20200819","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer comes for interrogation to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where he is summoned by telephone by the UEEX investigator Urbezov. The investigation is interested in the lease agreement, which Evstigneev concluded in 2019. The believer uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-08-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod6/index.html#20200818","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Artyom's acquaintances and friends report calls from the FSB with persistent offers to \"talk\". Two security officials come to one of Artyom's acquaintances right at the workplace. For half an hour, they ask her questions about whether she knows Jehovah's Witnesses and whether her family and friends are believers. She is also asked questions about Gerasimov and the circumstances of their acquaintance.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gerasimov in Yalta","date":"2020-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta/index.html#20200816","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The witness is being interrogated by L. Timshina via video-conferencing. The lawyer draws attention to the circumstances of the investigative actions - a search in her home and subsequent interrogation at night. The witness explains that at about 11:00 p.m., officers of the Investigative Committee and the police came to her work, picked her up from work and took her to her home, where a search was carried out, which lasted until 1 a.m., after which she was taken to the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where she was interrogated, the interrogation continued until about 5 a.m. The witness reports that she was under extreme stress, was frightened, and had difficulty understanding what she was signing, including her testimony. The witness says that the liturgical literature she read encouraged her to show love and respect for people, to respect authority, to be honest and law-abiding. She also explains how she began attending meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, emphasizing that she did so voluntarily, of her own free will, without coercion. She does not know what the Zarechnaya Novosibirsk MRO of Jehovah's Witnesses is. The witness gives a positive description of the accused Savelyev and confirms that she has never heard from him statements that incite hatred or enmity towards other people, or statements against state power. She never noticed any manifestations of extremism behind him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-08-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20200813","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Believers Yuriy Galka and Anatoliy Yagupov reported about the inhumane treatment through a lawyer, who visited them in the detention center. On the day of their detention they were strangled with bags and beaten, demanding a confession. Earlier, believers Bokov, Katyrov and Korol described the beatings.\nLawyers tried to get to Yagupov and Galka from the moment they were taken to pre-trial detention center #1 in Voronezh region, but the lawyer was allowed to see them only after 2 weeks, July 29 and 30.\nIt became known that 44-year-old Yuri Galka had a broken rib. The torture began during the search and continued during the interrogation. The FSB officers twisted his hands behind his back and put the bag over his head, tightening until Yuri began to suffocate. At this time, he was beaten, breaking a rib. He was required to confess to extremism and links with Jehovah's Witnesses. Upon admission to the pre-trial detention center, a rib fracture was revealed, but the staff of the institution, taking advantage of Yuriy's state of shock, wrote in the documents that he received injuries by household.\n51-year-old Anatoliy Yagupov was tortured in a similar way: he was put a bag over his head and beaten on a chair, on which the interrogators put a Voronezh resident.\nA total of five Voronezh Jehovah's Witnesses are now complaining about torture by law enforcement officials. Despite the torture, the Voronezh believers refused to admit guilt for crimes they had not committed. They recorded injuries in a medical facility to protest the actions of law enforcement officers.\nOn July 13, 2020 more than 110 searches of Jehovah's Witnesses houses were conducted in Voronezh and the region.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-08-06T13:41:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/08/2/image_hu_d743890388eb1282.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/08/2/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/08/2/image_hu_6e320afd3ad9608f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/08/2/image_hu_88b90d2dfd06aa3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/08/2.html","regions":["voronezh"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["torture","sizo","health-risk","siloviks-violence","search","interrogation"],"title":"Two additional Voronezh-based believers reported being tortured during detention. Both are imprisoned and one has a broken rib","type":"news"},{"body":"The testimony is given by the mother of the previously interrogated victim. She informs the court that she herself asked Dmitriy Golik to study the Bible with her son, as she had recently suffered a stroke and could not fully raise her son. She is not familiar with Alexei Berchuk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2020-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20200730","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court is interrogating the following witness – Kristina Zhovtun. She points out that Kurpas invited her to take part in the search, but finds it difficult to answer whether Kurpas was the second witness. Since 2019, Zhovtun has been working in the National Guard.\nThe defence shall file motions to exclude evidence and to clarify the charges, as well as challenge the judge. All applications are rejected.\nKonstantin Bazhenov testifies to the court.\nThe next meetings are scheduled for August 3 and 4, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The defendants Snezhana Bazhenova and Vera Zolotova are scheduled to testify. On August 4, the debate of the parties will take place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2020-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20200730","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aleksandr Korol, 29, who was detained during a mass raid on Jehovah's Witnesses on July 13, was tortured during interrogation, demanding to identify his fellow believers: he was strangled with a plastic bag and beaten. This was revealed after his release from the temporary detention facility where he was held for 48 hours.\nThe most massive raid against Jehovah's Witnesses in the history of modern Russia was conducted by law enforcement agencies in the Voronezh region on July 13, 2020. Searches were conducted at more than 100 addresses, dozens of civilians were detained and taken to interrogations. 10 people were arrested and thrown into the pre-trial detention center. According to more detailed information, three men were beaten and tortured. One of them is 29-year-old Aleksandr Korol.\nAfter the search in Aleksandr's house, he was taken to the building of the Main Department of the Russian Interior Ministry in Voronezh region on Sredne-Moskovskaya Street. There he was interrogated several times. For the first time the interrogators tried to convince the believer to incriminate himself and threatened to torture him. Aleksandr refused, so one of the officers put a plastic bag over his head and began to tighten it around his neck, blocking the air access and asking who among the believers is the elder. The torture was repeated several times until the bag was torn. Simultaneously, Aleksandr was punched in the face several times. The silovik also threatened to use needles for torture.\nThe interrogation with the use of force lasted about 15 minutes, after which Aleksandr was taken to another address, where he was interrogated again.\nAt about 5:30 p.m., handcuffed, he was taken to the Interior Ministry department in Khokholsky district, located about 40 km from Voronezh, and placed in a temporary detention facility for 48 hours.\nAt 5:00 p.m. on 15 July Aleksandr was released without any explanation or apology. Since Aleksandr had no money, and the police seized the means of communication, he had to ask passers-by to borrow money to get home to Voronezh. At the moment it is unknown whether a criminal case has been initiated against the believer. Aleksandr Korol is preparing to appeal against the illegal actions of law enforcers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-29T15:13:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_5c6cf220765f797a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_f83fda8b6d29ba90.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_c9c4066c83d218c.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs5_hu_285c2a837883ce7b.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/21.html","regions":["voronezh"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","torture","siloviks-violence","health-risk","ivs","interrogation"],"title":"\"They placed a bag over my head, strangled and beat me.\" A Voronezh believer tells about being tortured after being detained","type":"news"},{"body":"A minor victim is being questioned. He testifies that he enjoyed studying the Bible with Dmitry Golik. Dmitry did not agitate him to join the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses, did not incite hatred towards others. The witness notes that the believer taught him the manner of communicating with his parents, how to treat his relatives correctly so that there would be no quarrels.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2020-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20200729","regions":["amur"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Poltoradnev is charged with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. During interrogation, the believer denies his guilt.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2020-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20200729","regions":["perm"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"State prosecutor Artur Adamko files an objection to the motion. The court refuses to terminate the criminal case.\nVladimir Kurpas, who participated in the search of the defendants on August 19, 2018 as a witness, is being interrogated.\nAccording to Part 1 of Article 60 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, \"a witness is not an interested person\" and \"employees of executive authorities empowered to carry out operational-search activities and (or) preliminary investigation cannot be called as witnesses.\"\nIn 2016-2017, Kurpas had a professional internship in law enforcement. During searches of believers, he was directly involved in investigative actions: he helped to draw up and print a protocol, adding a list of seized items to it under dictation. To date, Kurpas works as a senior investigator in the same SO that conducted the search. The witness explains his cooperation with law enforcement agencies by the fact that \"after the search, he became interested in the work of an investigator, and therefore he began to often come to the investigation department.\"\nThe Court attaches to the case another Decision of the UN Working Group and examines the written materials of the case, including linguistic expertise, as well as material evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2020-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20200729","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 28, 2020, law enforcers searched three addresses in Solikamsk. Five citizens of Russia, including women, were taken to the Investigative Committee building. After the interrogations, two believers were detained, as well as the husband of a local woman who does not share his wife's religious views. The news is being supplemented.\nIt became known that criminal investigation was initiated against 51-year-old believer Vladimir Timoshkin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. The case is under investigation by the Solikamsk investigation department of the Perm Region Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. Vladimir Timoshkin remains a suspect.\nThe special operation took place in the homes of spouses Timoshkin, spouses A., and A. S. The searches started early in the morning and lasted about five hours. Senior Investigator S. Kanafyev issued at least one of the search orders on the day of the search.\nUpdate. According to updated data, searches were carried out at 4 addresses, six people were taken to law enforcement offices. Three men, including 58-year-old Vladimir Poltoradnev and 51-year-old Vladimir Timoshkin, were sent to the temporary detention facility by the security forces. The wife of a local believer and two women were released on the day of detention after interrogation. On July 30, the court placed Vladimir Timoshkin under house arrest. On another believer, the court imposed a measure of restraint in the form of a ban on certain actions. On July 31, the court chose house arrest for Vladimir Poltoradnev as a measure of restraint. Earlier two Perm residents — Aleksandr Solovyov and Aleksei Metzger — were sentenced to a fine for talking to others about God and going to religious meetings with believers. Criminal proceedings were also initiated against another 6 local believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-28T16:23:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/22.html","regions":["perm"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"A raid on Solikamsk believers. After the interrogations, three men were placed in a detention facility","type":"news"},{"body":"Searches are underway at 4 addresses in Solikamsk. 6 believers are taken to the offices of law enforcement agencies. At least one of the search warrants is issued by investigator Kanafyev.\nIt becomes known that a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against 51-year-old Vladimir Timoshkin and 47-year-old Alexander Sobyanin. Poltoradnev, Timoshkin and Sobyanin are placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2020-07-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20200728","regions":["perm"],"tags":["interrogation","search","new-case","ivs","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Kanafyev, senior investigator of the Solikamsk Investigative Committee, is initiating a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Poltoradnev and Others in Solikamsk","date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solikamsk/index.html#20200727","regions":["perm"],"tags":["new-case","search","interrogation","ivs","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Witnesses M. V., K. E., G. S. and T. M. confirm the testimony of previous witnesses and positively characterize the defendants.\nThe prosecutor again asks questions about the religious views of witnesses in the case. The defense asks to remove issues related to the internal canonical structure. Lawyer Chernikov reiterates that no one is obliged to report their attitude to religion and cannot be forced to participate or not participate in worship services. He recalls that the court has not yet begun to clarify issues related to the continuation of a religious organization banned by the court. The court does not accept the defense's objections.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200720","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Only 4 students are allowed into the hall due to the epidemiological situation.\nThe questioning of witnesses is ongoing. B.M. says that Jehovah's Witnesses do not call for breaking off family relationships and refusing medical intervention. The prosecutor continues to ask questions related to the religion of the participants in the trial, for example: \"Why is it impossible to learn from God alone, it is necessary to gather?\" The defense objects to such questions, but the court does not remove them.\nWitness Zelenska V., wife of the defendant Mikhail Zelensky, characterizes her husband as a generous and hospitable person, a good family man. I never felt the desire to break off family relationships.\nWitness F. L. explains that the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses are completely voluntary, religious superiority is not promoted at them.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200717","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"More than 110 searches were carried out in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses on July 13, 2020. The homes are located across seven residential communities in the City of Voronezh region. At least two believers reported severe beatings for refusing to provide smartphone passwords. Ten men between the ages of 24 to 56 were sent to the pre-trial detention center. This news is being continuously updated.\nWhat is known about the arrests and detentions of believers. On July 14 and 15, 2020, the Leninskiy District Court of Voronezh sent ten believers into custody for 1 month and 22 days (until September 3): Antyukhin Aleksey (44), Bayev Sergey (47), Veselov Mikhail (51), Galka Yuriy (44), Gurskiy Valeriy (56), Nerush Vitaly (41), Pankratov Stepan (24), Popov Igor (54), Sokolov Yevgeniy (44) and Yagupov Anatoliy (51).\nOn the day of the search these believers were taken to the building of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation on Ordzhonikidze Street in Voronezh. They sat in a prisoner transport bus, and were taken one by one to the building, handcuffed to the escort. It became known that overnight they were sent to an isolation ward in the village of Nizhnedevitsk.\nWhat is known about the beating of believers. Believers Aliaksandr Bokov and Dmitriy Katyrov were severely beaten and abused, as they refused to provide passwords from their mobile devices. During the search, 30-year-old Aleksandr Bokov was beaten at face, head and ribs by the guards, then he was forced to do push-ups on the floor and squat until he was exhausted. At that moment Aleksandr's friend, 23-year-old Dmitriy Katyrov, rang the doorbell. Law enforcers brought Dmitriy into the apartment, demanded the password from his device, and after the refusal they threw him on the floor and started beating his back and neck with their legs, breaking out hands and fingers to unlock the phone with his fingerprint. Because of what was happening, Aleksandr Bokov's wife got sick and needed the help of an ambulance team. The police threatened the believers with further beatings if they reported the beatings to the doctors. Later, after the interrogation, both believers were released. They documented the injuries at the medical facility to protest the law enforcement officers.\nIt is also known that during the storming of Yuriy Galka's apartment, after his front door was broken into, the law enforcement officers knocked him down and pressed him face to the floor. The damage he suffered is unknown, as he was sent to the pre-trial detention center.\nWhat is known about the geography of searches and their number. The official press release the Investigation Committee reports 110 searches. of the Investigation Committee reports 110 searches. The raids were confirmed in the city of Voronezh, towns of Borisoglebsk, Lisky, Pavlovsk, Ramon, Semiluki, the villages of Nikolsky and Babyakovo. The search was also carried out in the city of Stary Oskol (Belgorod region) at a believer who moved there from Voronezh. A total of approximately 100 addresses searched were confirmed by local Jehovah's Witnesses, including apartment and workplaces, garages, and the like.\nWhat is known about the manner in which the law enforcers conducted the searches. According to eyewitnesses, Rosgvardiya employees did not wear the means of epidemiological protection. However, they were armed with assault rifles. During the searches, the Bible, personal diaries, postcards, photographs, computers and telephones were seized from believers. Book volumes with verses by Joseph Brodsky and Bulat Okudzhava were also confiscated from one family. The search orders were issued by the Leninskiy District Court of Voronezh.\nWhat is known about the way the interrogations were conducted. The majority of believers, at least 40, including women, were taken for interrogations to the Center for Counteracting Extremism, to Sredne-Moskovskaya Street in Voronezh. There, they were kept in a big hall under the supervision of armed gunmen and interrogated one by one. During the interrogations some of investigators exerted pressure and used foul language. At least one believer was beaten in the back of the head with his palm.\nWhat do we know about a criminal case. On July 3, 2020, the 1st Department of Investigation of Special Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Voronezh Region initiated 2 criminal cases under paragraph 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against the above mentioned believers (Antyukhin, Bayev, Veselov, Galka, Gursky, Nerush, Pankratov, Popov, Sokolov, Jagupov). Ten days later, 2 cases were merged into one proceeding. The case is being investigated by investigator for especially important cases I. Bichev, with the active participation of the head of the department Andrey Shevelev. The investigation of the case is under control of the head of the regional investigation department.\nThe previous sad record for the number of searches was set by the law enforcement agencies of the Transbaikalia: on 10 February, they conducted searches in 50 houses of believers. Other anti-records were recorded in Sochi (36 searches) and Nizhny Novgorod (35 searches). Law enforcement officers from other regions participated in each of the raids. Following the Supreme Court decision against Jehovah's Witnesses, more than 1,000 believers' homes were searched as of mid-July 2020.\nVoronezh Region became the 57th region of Russia (85 in total in Russia), where criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses were initiated.\nThe ban and liquidation of Jehovah's Witnesses legal entities in 2017 have long since escalated into real persecution of ordinary believers, most of whom have never been members of the liquidated legal entities. This legal \"collision,\" as the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation put it, is crippling the lives of hundreds of people. Recently the number of criminal cases has increased significantly, with dozens of men and women behind bars. The believers await the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where they have filed a complaint.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-16T09:40:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_d47978800fa5e21b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut.jpg","webp":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_e7e36e7e158e908a.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_28a0fe43c2e78d82.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/17.html","regions":["voronezh"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","sizo","interrogation","review","statistics","analytics","torture"],"title":"Two believers beaten and ten sent to prison in the largest raid on Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Voronezh","type":"news"},{"body":"Continuation of the examination of witnesses. Only 4 students are allowed into the hall due to the epidemiological situation.\nWitness F.S. explains that the meetings of believers are not meetings of the LRO, their attendance is purely voluntary. Elders do not tell other Christians what to do or how to believe. No religious literature has been used since 2015.\nWitness Mysina M., daughter of the defendants Mysin, describes her parents as kind and loving. My father devoted a lot of time to his family, gave gifts, and never refused medical care.\nWitness M. Khachikyan, sister of the defendant Khachikyan, describes him as peaceful, sympathetic, putting the interests of others above his own.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200716","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of July 14, 2020, officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB conducted searches in the city of Seversk. 11 men and women were taken to the security forces for interrogation. All but 50-year-old Yevgeny Korotun were released. He was placed in a detention center and placed under house arrest the next day.\n\"The door was opened as it was almost broken down. Approximately 10 people entered the apartment and started searching. My son and I were kept in a stairwell for hours. The neighbors took out a chair and some food,\" said one of the believers after the security raid.\nThe searches began simultaneously at 9 a.m. in the houses where five families of believers live. FSB officers detained 50-year-old Andrey Kolesnichenko and 31-year-old Andrey Ledyaikin at work, after that searches were conducted at their homes. Lieutenant Sergey Mamontov, senior investigator of the investigation department of Leninskiy district of Tomsk, wondered why Aleksey Kolesnichenko \"does not attend the Orthodox or Catholic Church.\nThe search of 67-year-old Aleksey Yershov lasted about 5 hours. Aleksey's wife, Lyudmila, was not allowed into his apartment, but later was taken for interrogation together with her husband and daughter, whose apartment was also searched. Ludmila's anxiety and exhaustion increased her blood pressure.\nLaw enforcers confiscated electronic devices, various Bible translations, notebooks, WI-FI-routers, video cameras, photos, postcards, bank cards, foreign passports and even volumes of Victor Hugo and Leo Tolstoy from believers.\nAfter the searches, the detainees were taken to the building of the Investigative Committee in Seversk, where they stayed until late in the evening. They were interrogated and then released.\nEarlier in Tomsk region Sergey Klimov, a local resident, was convicted for his faith for six years in the colony. The criminal prosecution of the believers is carried out against the law and the Russian authorities' assurances that Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia have the right to practice their religion. The international community strongly condemns the religious persecution of this group of Christians.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-15T15:55:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/16.html","regions":["tomsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","house-arrest","minors","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"In the Tomsk Region, There Were Five Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses. After a Night in the Detention Center, One Believer Was Placed Under House Arrest","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of defense witnesses. Witness U. I., Orthodox by religion, characterizes the defendants Mysins as honest, benevolent and hospitable.\nWitness K.G. explains that the liturgical meeting, which is imputed to Mysin, had nothing to do with the activities of the banned LRO, no one summoned anyone to it, its attendance was voluntary. Contrary to the accusation's claim, worship meetings do not begin with the phrase \"our faith is true and yours is wrong.\"\nWitness B.I., Sergei Mysin's former superior, describes him as calm and reasonable. A valuable specialist. We never talked about religious topics.\nWitness A.E. describes Natalia Mysina as tactful and hospitable. Although they talked about spiritual topics, she did not hear anything from Mysina related to extremism or propaganda of exclusivity.\nWitness O.M. explains that believers discuss the Bible with each other on their own initiative, they are not forced to do so. According to her, Mysin is not \"the main Jehovah's Witness of Ulyanovsk.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200715","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the same time, at about 9 a.m., officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB invaded the homes of Sergey Belousov, Andrey Kolesnichenko, Andrey Ledyaykin, Alexei Ershov and Yevgeny Korotun. 50-year-old Kolesnichenko and 31-year-old Ledyaikin are detained by FSB officers at work, after which searches are conducted at their homes. The search of 67-year-old Aleksey Ershov lasts about 5 hours. His wife is not allowed into the apartment, but later taken for interrogation with her husband and daughter.\nOne of the believers later said: \"We opened the door because it was almost broken down. About 10 people entered the apartment and began to search. My son and I were kept in a stairwell for several hours. The neighbors took out a chair and some food.\" Lieutenant Sergey Mamontov, senior investigator of the investigation department for the Leninsky district of Tomsk, asks Kolesnichenko why he \"does not attend the Orthodox or Catholic Church.\"\nLaw enforcement officers confiscate electronic devices, various editions of the Bible, notebooks, Wi-Fi routers, video cameras, photos, postcards, bank cards, foreign passports and even volumes of Victor Hugo and Leo Tolstoy from believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ledyaykin in Seversk","date":"2020-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk/index.html#20200714","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the same time, at about 9 a.m., officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB invaded the homes of Sergey Belousov, Andrey Kolesnichenko, Andrey Ledyaykin, Alexei Ershov and Yevgeny Korotun. 50-year-old Kolesnichenko and 31-year-old Ledyaikin are detained by FSB officers at work, after which searches are conducted at their homes. The search of 67-year-old Aleksey Ershov lasts about 5 hours. His wife is not allowed into the apartment, but later taken for interrogation with her husband and daughter.\nOne of the believers later said: \"We opened the door because it was almost broken down. About 10 people entered the apartment and began to search. My son and I were kept in a stairwell for several hours. The neighbors took out a chair and some food.\" Lieutenant Sergey Mamontov, senior investigator of the investigation department for the Leninsky district of Tomsk, asks Kolesnichenko why he \"does not attend the Orthodox or Catholic Church.\"\nLaw enforcement officers confiscate electronic devices, various editions of the Bible, notebooks, Wi-Fi routers, video cameras, photos, postcards, bank cards, foreign passports and even volumes of Victor Hugo and Leo Tolstoy from believers.\n","caseTitle":"Belousov's case in Seversk","date":"2020-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk2/index.html#20200714","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the same time, at about 9 a.m., officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB invaded the homes of Sergey Belousov, Andrey Kolesnichenko, Andrey Ledyaykin, Alexei Ershov and Yevgeny Korotun. 50-year-old Kolesnichenko and 31-year-old Ledyaikin are detained by FSB officers at work, after which searches are conducted at their homes. The search of 67-year-old Aleksey Ershov lasts about 5 hours. His wife is not allowed into the apartment, but later taken for interrogation with her husband and daughter.\nOne of the believers later said: \"We opened the door because it was almost broken down. About 10 people entered the apartment and began to search. My son and I were kept in a stairwell for several hours. The neighbors took out a chair and some food.\" Lieutenant Sergey Mamontov, senior investigator of the investigation department for the Leninsky district of Tomsk, asks Kolesnichenko why he \"does not attend the Orthodox or Catholic Church.\"\nLaw enforcement officers confiscate electronic devices, various editions of the Bible, notebooks, Wi-Fi routers, video cameras, photos, postcards, bank cards, foreign passports and even volumes of Victor Hugo and Leo Tolstoy from believers.\n","caseTitle":"Korotun case in Seversk","date":"2020-07-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk2/index.html#20200714","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 7, 2020, in the town of Likino-Dulevo, Moscow Region, security forces invaded the apartment of 20-year-old Kirill Leonov and his grandmother. After the search, Kirill was interrogated for 2 hours at the police department about his faith. It turned out that the military registration and enlistment office had given the CPE information that the believer had asked for alternative service.\nContrary to the assurances of the Russian authorities that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited, and to Article 28 of the Constitution on the freedom to profess one's faith personally or jointly with others, the military committee staff reported information about Leonov to the Counter-Extremism Center (CEC).\nShortly after Leonov's visit to the military committee, Major of Police Galina Udinova, CEC officer Artem Mitrokhin and two other security officers came to Kirill's apartment. The inspection of the premises - in fact the search - began at 8:30 am. Law enforcers opened wardrobes and personal bags of believers. They seized electronic equipment and data carriers, including a disc with the Leonov’s sister wedding video. Despite the fact that the documents of the inspection exclusively include Kirill Leonov, law enforcers asked his 70-year-old grandmother about religion.\nAfter the investigative measures, Kirill Leonov was taken for interrogation to the police department of the Interior Ministry Likino-Dulevo, from where he was released two hours later. At the police station he was interrogated about the attitude to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, meetings with believers. Whether a criminal case has been initiated against a believer is still unknown.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-13T16:52:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/12.html","regions":["moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","interrogation","asc","inspection"],"title":"In the Moscow region, law enforcers searched the apartment of a 70-year-old woman after her grandson told the military committee about his faith","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 11th in Kaliningrad, armed security services conducted a series of searches of believers. At least 12 people were taken to the FSB department in Kaliningrad for interrogation. A criminal case has been initiated against Mikhail Kopytov, 52. Whether anyone remains in custody is still unknown.\nThe raids on the believers started around 3 p.m. local time. The believers were taken to the local administration building of the Federal Security Service. Among them - 27-year-old Myslyon Igor, 57-year-old Nikolai Ter-Avanesov, 52-year-old Mikhail Kopytov. Most of the detainees have already been released. The exact number of addresses that were raided is not yet known. Whether or not any of the detainees are in custody is being clarified.\nAccording to preliminary information, the reason for the special events was a criminal case under the \"extremist\" article against Mikhail Kopytov.\nKaliningrad region became the 57th region where law enforcers persecute Jehovah's Witnesses solely for their faith, despite the fact that this religion is not prohibited in Russia.\nUpdate. The initiation of a criminal case under the article \u0026ldquo;organization of extremist activity\u0026rdquo; against Mikhail Kopytov was confirmed. 11 people were taken for questioning and released. Searches were carried out at least 6 families of believers, including a disabled person of group I. During the searches, electronic devices, bank cards, Bibles of various translations (Synodal and Modern), postcards and photographs were seized from peaceful believers. In some cases, believers note that the authorities treated them tactlessly. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-13T13:58:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/police_hu_c2b408d29a0866a9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/police_hu_77177c4f3bb7b17b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/police_hu_38a613f39b8476.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/police_hu_7739329aeb3bcc37.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/11.html","regions":["kaliningrad"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","disability"],"title":"In Kaliningrad, the FSB Detained at Least 12 People for Interrogation. The Authorities Already Support Religious Persecution in 57 Regions","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 12, 2020, FSB officers conducted searches of Jehovah's Witnesses in Prokopievsk. Andrei Vlasov, 51, who has a disability, was detained for 2 days and is in an isolation ward in Kemerovo. The news is being updated.\nA number of believers were taken for interrogation to the FSB department on Komsomolskaya Street in Prokopyevsk. Among them is 69-year-old Viktor Mikhnyuk, who recently suffered a stroke. In the evening he was released.\nIt is known that on July 2, 2020 the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Kemerovo region - Kuzbass initiated a criminal case against believers under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. Four days later, on 6 July, Judge Irina Ivanova from the Central District Court of Kemerovo, on the request of FSB investigator I. A. Sablin, authorized the searches.\nUpdate. On July 14, 2020, Andrey Vlasov, after two days behind bars, was sentenced to a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest. Two days earlier, a search was conducted in the house where he lives with his wife Natalya, the FSB confiscated electronics and Bibles. A search was also carried out at Andrey\u0026rsquo;s workplace. Natalya was interrogated in the investigators\u0026rsquo; offices. The spouses Yuriy and Elena Chernykh were also questioned; the search in their house took place at the same time as the Vlasovs. Viktor Mikhnyuk\u0026rsquo;s apartment — while he was being interrogated in the police station building — was broken into and searched without his presence. Earlier at least three criminal cases had already been initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses in Kemerovo region. The case of Kogut in Berezovskoye and the case of Levchuk and Britvin in Berezovskoye are investigated by the FSB, while the case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo is investigated by the Investigative Committee.\nIt's noteworthy that it's not the first time the FSB has gone to Judge Ivanova for sanctions. Previously, she had issued permits for searches at Berezovskiy and twice extended the period of detention of believers Levchuk and Britvin.\nRussian law enforcers refer to Article 9 of the law \"On countering extremist activities\" and start hundreds of similar criminal cases against civilians who do not harm anyone. In reality, the Supreme Court did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, as repeatedly emphasized by Russian authorities, including the Ministry of Justice, the government and President Vladimir Putin.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-13T10:39:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search1_hu_702c9b9704ae758a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_7c3d49c9fecf8054.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search1_hu_9a6e0a4c091b8ea3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_4ae7e68fe9772eb5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/9.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","disability","interrogation","elderly"],"title":"A Wave of Searches of Believers in the Kemerovo Region. At Least One Person With Disability Was Detained for 48 Hours","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogations of believers continue.\n","caseTitle":"Kopytov's case in Kaliningrad","date":"2020-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaliningrad/index.html#20200713","regions":["kaliningrad"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Vyshegorodtsev, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigation Department for the North-West Administrative Unit of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tomsk Region, initiates a criminal case against a local resident Yevgeny Korotun under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He interrogates Studenova and Klisheva, who reports that \"Korotun was elected leader in the course of voting,\" despite the fact that such a procedure is not provided for in the practice of holding worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Korotun case in Seversk","date":"2020-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk2/index.html#20200713","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers search the house of Yuri Chernykh and his wife Yelena. After the searches, they are taken for interrogation to the FSB department in Prokopyevsk. It turns out that the investigative actions are taking place in the framework of the criminal case against Andrei Vlasov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2020-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk2/index.html#20200712","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers search the house of Yuri Chernykh and his wife Yelena. After the searches, they are taken for interrogation to the FSB department in Prokopyevsk. It turns out that the investigative actions are taking place in the framework of the criminal case against Andrei Vlasov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yelena Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2020-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk/index.html#20200712","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["interrogation","search","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Searches are being conducted in at least 6 families of believers, including a disabled person of group I. During the searches, electronic devices, bank cards, Bibles of various translations, postcards and photographs were seized. 11 people, including 27-year-old Igor Myslyon, 57-year-old Nikolai Ter-Avanesov, 52-year-old Mikhail Kopytov, were taken for interrogation to the FSB Directorate and later released.\n","caseTitle":"Kopytov's case in Kaliningrad","date":"2020-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaliningrad/index.html#20200711","regions":["kaliningrad"],"tags":["search","interrogation","disabled"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Due to the epidemiological situation, listeners are not allowed into the courtroom.\nThe prosecutor petitions for the interrogation of classified witnesses \"Petrov\" and \"Sergeev\". Earlier, the court dismissed the petition of the defense to declassify witnesses, as well as the opportunity to get acquainted with the data on the identity of classified witnesses. (The secrecy of witnesses significantly limits the right of believers to quality protection.) The court on the spot decides to examine witnesses without reading out their testimony.\n\"Petrov\" bases his testimony on assumptions and vague memories. He has not attended any services since 2018. He answers specific questions from the defense with the phrases \"I can't say for sure\", \"I don't know this\".\n\"Sergeev\" claims that he attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2018, but cannot even remember what the room looked like and where he sat there. Sergeyev tries to present Jehovah's Witnesses in Ulyanovsk as members of the \"banned Watch Tower Society.\" However, Sergeyev cannot give clear answers and explanations on the issues of protection.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200710","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 10 people come to the hearing in the Zasviyazhsky District Court, but only 4 listeners are allowed into the hall. The court examines 3 witnesses for the prosecution, as well as A. D. Kechaeva and O. V. Embulaeva as specialists.\nThe first witness for the prosecution characterizes the accused on the positive side: they emotionally supported her during a difficult period of her life. Their rare meetings were of a friendly private nature, no one forced the witness to study the Bible, the whole initiative came from it. She considers the accused to be good, kind people who are not prone to aggression. The second witness for the prosecution points to the falsification of his testimony in the interrogation protocols and refutes what was said earlier. He emphasizes that pressure was put on him, and the investigator said: \"It won't hurt you, say so.\"\nSpecialist A. D. Kechaeva has an education as a teacher of Russian language and literature, and currently works as a cleaner in the FSB, as she is retired. She does not have a diploma granting the right to conduct professional activities in the field of forensic examinations. The expert was engaged in comparing texts only \"checking the work of students.\" She was brought in only to compare the transcripts of believers' conversations with quotations from religious books.\nSpecialist O. V. Embulaeva is a full-time expert of the Saratov Expert Bureau, but at the time of the examination in this criminal case she did not have a document granting the right to conduct state forensic examinations. This expert gives a legal assessment of the actions of believers, although the legal assessment is only within the competence of the court. It becomes clear that the expert does not see the difference between the local religious organization (LRO) and individual believers and believes that they were not allowed to gather together after the decision of the Supreme Court.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200709","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Six families of believers are being searched in Vladivostok. Law enforcement officers are armed with machine guns, their faces are hidden by masks.\nAt 7 am, law enforcement officers with machine guns conduct a 4-hour search of Yuriy Redozubov's home. According to them, they are looking for items related to the case of Dmitry Barmakin. Electronic devices, a magnet from the refrigerator, a children's coloring book and personal notes are confiscated from the believer.\nAfter the search, Yuriy is taken for interrogation 30 kilometers from his home to Vladivostok. The investigator conducts a face-to-face confrontation with the embedded agent Ekaterina Petrova, who testifies against Redozubov.\nDuring the interrogation, Nina Astvatsaturova becomes ill with her heart and is sent to the hospital. After providing assistance, the interrogation is repeated.\nA 42-year-old man who lives with his mother also needs medical care. He was hospitalized.\nAstvatsaturova, Verigin, Katanaeva and Tsorn are chosen a restriction measure in the form of a recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2020-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20200709","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","rosfinmonitoring","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Six families of believers, including the couple Verigins, are being searched in Vladivostok. Law enforcement officers are armed with machine guns, their faces are hidden by masks. Roman and Violetta are chosen a restriction measure in the form of a recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Verigins and Kartayganov in Vladivostok","date":"2020-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok15/index.html#20200709","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator begins interrogations of the defendants in the case of Vladimir Ermolaev. The first to be interviewed were Vadim Kutsenko, Igor Mamalimov and Alexander Putintsev. Alexei Loskutov was also issued a summons. During interrogations, suspects are asked to provide handwriting and voice samples. Believers are considering the possibility of refusing to provide data on the basis of Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ermolaev and Others in Chita","date":"2020-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita/index.html#20200708","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. Witness E. N. Goncharenko, who was a witness during the search at the place of residence of Mikhail Zelensky in the city of Syzran, does not recognize any of the defendants.\nThe prosecutor begins questioning the witness Volkov and asks about his family members' ties to Jehovah's Witnesses. The prosecutor petitions for the disclosure of Volkov's testimony. The lawyer objects - this will violate the right of a citizen not to testify against himself, his spouse and close relatives. However, Judge Galina Soshkina grants the prosecutor's request. Volkov had never heard of meetings of members of a legal entity, a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ulyanovsk. The witness admits that the investigator suggested some of the wording for writing in the interrogation protocol, for example, \"[Volkov's] wife is a member of a sect, and does not go to church with [him].\" Volkov himself evaluates his wife positively: \"She cooks, cleans, does everything.\" In his testimony, the witness also notes that no one forced his wife to attend services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe next meetings are scheduled for July 9 and 10, 2020.\nIt is planned to continue the questioning of witnesses and the examination of written evidence of the prosecution.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200707","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Almost 2 months after the searches in the village of Pavlovskaya, officers of the Federal Security Service of Russia in Krasnodar region initiated criminal proceedings against two more believers: 58-year-old Vladimir Skachidub and 39-year-old Maxim Beltikov. Earlier in the village the case was opened against Liudmila Shchekoldina.\nOn June 29th, 2020 the believers were summoned for interrogation. The reason for this was the criminal cases brought under part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the activities of the banned extremist organization). Lieutenant of Justice M. Loi asked Maxim Beltikov about his religious beliefs and belonging to a legal entity banned by the court, local religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses of Pavlovskaya village.\nThe investigator of the same institution, Lieutenant of Justice Vitali Veter questioned Vladimir Skachidub. The next day his wife, who is an invalid of group II, was summoned for interrogation.\nIn the decisions on initiation of criminal cases the investigators use almost identical wording: \"... participated in religious sermons, during which... conducted and listened to lectures based on religious literature, entered into conversations and religious discussions, and participated in collective discussions of the content of religious books\". Believers are suspected of \"being aware of the criminal nature and public danger of their actions,\" exercising \"the role of a preacher.\" They were taken to sign up for not leaving.\nA total of six believers are persecuted in Krasnodar region for their faith in Jehovah. Everyone is accused of extremist activities - this is how law enforcers qualify the peaceful religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, which, according to the authorities, was not banned. There are no victims in these criminal cases.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-07-06T10:38:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/4.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","interrogation","disability","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"In Krasnodar Region Two More Local Residents Prosecuted for Their Faith. They Are Accused of Preaching","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogations of witnesses Pozdnyakova E. M., Klimova N. N. Study of written evidence by the prosecution.\nWitness Pozdnyakov, who was witnessed during the search in Tabakov's apartment, confuses the date of the search and the name of the second witness, and also does not identify the person who was searched. With regard to the seized literature, he remembers only the color of the cover of one publication, but cannot say anything about its content and the presence of signs of extremism in it.\nWitness Klimova, head of the gastroenterology department of the Ulyanovsk Regional Hospital, testifies about Mysin's treatment in this institution. He did not refuse treatment, took all prescribed drugs. Klimova cannot explain anything about the essence of the LRO meetings, since she was not even familiar with the patient during this period; I did not see that he showed aggression or hatred towards representatives of other faiths.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200706","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of prosecution witnesses N. N. Mamkina, N. A. Belaya, E. G. Kobzeva.\nAfter that, the defense requests in advance to interrogate secret witnesses on a general basis, as it is sure that they are operational officers. The style of their testimony is fully consistent with the presentation and style used in the work of the FSB. The court dismisses the petition.\nThe written materials of the case are read out - transcripts of secret wiretapping of conversations of believers.\nThen the witness Mamkina, who last met with the defendant Tabakov in 2006, is invited. While confirming that she had little contact with him, she nevertheless recognises his voice in a recording reproduced during her interrogation during the investigation. In court, Mamkina cannot explain how, 14 years later, she manages to determine that this individual sound, with its own pitch, strength and timbre, belongs to a person with whom she has never had a close relationship. The witness cannot recall that Tabakov expressed hatred towards representatives of other faiths or called for illegal actions.\nWitness Belaya last saw the defendant Zelensky in 2002. She said bluntly that she dislikes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nWitness Kobzeva, witnessed during a search of Zelensky's apartment, cannot answer many questions because she does not remember all the details. She is upset that she was summoned to court.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200703","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 2, 2020, starting at 8 a.m., searches began in at least six families of Jehovah's Witnesses in the village of Tavrichanka. It is known that three believers were taken away for interrogation. The searches were sanctioned by Marina Gerasimova, a judge of the Nadezhdinskiy District Court. The news is being updated.\nUpdate. According to updated information, 11 people were taken to the investigating body for interrogation. All of them were released. As a result, 13 believers became victims of the searches. The first search began at 07:10. About 8 thousand people live in Tavrichanka, located on the coast of Amur Bay. The settlement is a part of Nadezhdinsky district of Primorye Territory. This is not the first criminal case for the faith in this municipality. Currently, two trials are being heard in the Nadezhdinsky District Court - against 77-year-old believer Vladimir Filippov and 73-year-old believer Lyudmila Shut. It is noteworthy that Vladimir Filippov was searched three times. During one of the raids law enforcers beat him for his faith.\nA total of 12 cases against 24 believers are being investigated in Primorye Territory.The cases were brought in Razdolnoye (2), in Ussuriisk (3), in Partisansk, in Luchegorsk, in Spassk-Dalny, in Vladivostok (3), in Lesozavodsk.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-02T13:33:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_4aa589b81b87365e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_dc16356e31723ca3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_d442190f69a95cf6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/3.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"A New Wave of Searches in the District of Primorye, Where 12 Cases Against Worshipers Are Underway. This Time a Raid in the Village of Tavrichanka","type":"news"},{"body":"The first hearing after the lifting of quarantine restrictions - about 20 people are present in the hall.\nProsecution witnesses are being questioned. The materials of the case are being examined: transcripts of home Bible studies overheard in the Mysins' apartment.\nWitness Ozhgikhin explains the difference between the LRO, which consisted of a small number of people who wanted to help, including in economic activities, and certain groups of believers who existed in Ulyanovsk. The latter independently carried out the confession and dissemination of faith without any dependence on this legal entity. Answering a question about extremism, Ozhgikhin explains: \"Jehovah's Witnesses are benevolent and creative. Meetings always taught how to help others. We respect the authorities and the courts, we comply with all the instructions, we pay all taxes.\" When asked by the judge why Jehovah's Witnesses were banned then, Ozhgikhin answers with a quote from the Bible: \"All who want to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-07-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200702","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Contrary to the established procedure, Judge Valentin Norets begins the questioning of prosecution witnesses without giving the parties the opportunity to file motions.\nBoth interrogated witnesses, being former members of the MHRO (local Christian religious organization), say that after April 20, 2017 (the date of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on the liquidation of 396 legal entities, organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses), none of the legal entity, including Viktor Stashevsky, ever got together, the activities of the liquidated organization were not discussed or resumed.\nWitnesses explain the significant difference between a legal entity and independent unregistered religious groups: \"MHRO was engaged exclusively in economic and legal activities, primarily for the maintenance of its worship building, as well as for the conclusion of lease agreements for large premises [...] There were no chanting, Bible readings, religious literature studies, or videos at the MHRO meetings.\"\nOnce again, the established procedure of the trial is violated. Despite the fact that all prosecution witnesses must be questioned first, the judge calls defense witnesses. (On the part of the prosecution, the secret witness \"Ivanova Vasilisa Ivanovna\" and witness D. B. Korkushko, who allegedly attended services of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2017, remain unquestioned.) Two defense witnesses give a positive characterization of the defendant.\nViktor Stashevskiy is trying to exercise his right to file petitions. Judge Norets rejects his requests for video recording of the hearing, for the defendant's attitude to be included in the charge, as well as for the production of an audio copy of the previous hearing.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for July 21, 2020.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2020-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20200630","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of prosecution witnesses, FSB officers M. S. Semenov, E. Y. Ilyukhin, D. V. Salifanov, D. N. Petrov, A. R. Zalyalov, S. V. Bykin.\nThe materials of the case are being investigated, including Mysin's speech at a religious meeting on how to be \"in good standing with God.\"\nAnswering the question of the defense, Semyonov explained that his duties do not include the opposition of citizens professing the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nFSB officers Salifanov and Petrov do not see the difference between opposing a banned organization and opposing citizens who peacefully profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nFSB officer Bykin, a technical specialist, explains that the use of computer programs found on believers' electronic devices is not illegal.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200630","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"15 people come to the courthouse to support Sergey Yavushkin and Alexander Bondarchuk. Due to the epidemiological situation, only the wives of the accused are allowed to attend the hearing.\nThe court is questioning prosecution witnesses who point to the respectful attitude of Jehovah's Witnesses to the state and note that they have never heard calls against the authorities. They also note that believers did not exert pressure on others to make certain decisions. One witness states that he did not say much of what is stated in the interrogation protocol.\nOne of the prosecution witnesses, Olga Petrova, speaks negatively about the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, while noting that she \"did not really delve into\" what was happening at the services and \"did not really listen.\"\nJudge Vera Ulyanyuk attaches the Decision of the UN Working Group to the case. The prosecutor did not object and requested that the consideration of the document be postponed for review.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2020-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20200629","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The questioning of prosecution witnesses is ongoing. FSB operative Sergei Antonov explains the essence of the claims against believers: they introduced people to the Holy Scriptures, carried out joint or personal worship services based on it, and were engaged in religious training. Another sign of extremism, according to Antonov, is the desire of believers to be \"not prone to aggression, peaceful, honest and highly moral.\" The basis for initiating the criminal case was \"an event that included religious chant and sermon, joint study of the article and a closing prayer.\"\nThe following prosecution witnesses, FSB officers S. A. Svinenkov, K. S. Kretz, and R. S. Kodyushev, talk about searches in the homes of believers in which they participated. When asked by the judge about the presence of signs of extremism in the seized materials, Kodyushev replies that he cannot give any assessment of this.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200629","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the court hearing, the prosecutor reads out the indictment. The defendants declare their attitude to the prosecution: they do not admit guilt.\nThe interrogation of two detectives who participated in searches of believers, as well as in surveillance of them, begins. One of them gives vague testimony, and the judge is forced to ask what exactly in the actions of the defendants he considers a manifestation of extremism.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2020-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20200626","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge rejects the defense's motions to admit the listeners to the courtroom.\nInterrogation of prosecution witness Lilia Ruzayeva. She talks about how she first showed an interest in the Bible and was then recruited by law enforcement and given the task of spying on believers. She has never seen Dmitry Vinogradov, she knows about him only from the words of Sergei Makarenko, another embedded agent. I also did not see other believers commit extremist actions or encourage anyone else to do so. Among themselves, believers discussed the Bible, \"sang Bible songs.\"\nThe next hearing is scheduled for August 14. The questioning of prosecution witnesses will continue.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Vinogradov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2020-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk2/index.html#20200623","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Yevgeny Spirin. The court is trying to find out whether he is the organizer or participant of the banned Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Spirin states that he has never been neither, but simply professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses; his religious beliefs are based only on the Bible, which he studies on his own with the help of publicly available materials on the Internet; discussed with friends not the creeds of any organization, but thoughts from the Bible; respects representatives of other faiths, respects the right of choice of religion by everyone; I am grateful to the state for granting me the right to alternative civilian service, which I willingly completed despite its duration (3.5 years), as I wanted to help people.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for July 3. The process proceeds to the stage of debate of the parties.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2020-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20200623","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Gilmanov continues to question prosecution witnesses. Some witnesses note that the interrogation protocols of the investigator contain wording that they did not say. In response to a request from the prosecutor to comment on the inconsistency of the testimony, one of the witnesses replied: \"I did not say what was written there at all. I told the investigator the same thing I told you. She wrote, but I didn't read it and just signed. I'm used to trusting people!\" In just 2 days, 6 prosecution witnesses were questioned. The next meeting will be held on September 3, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Other prosecution witnesses are scheduled to be examined.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20200623","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing on the criminal case of Yevgeny Spirin continues in the Furmanovsky City Court. Only participants in the process are allowed into the hall.\nDefense witnesses, including Spirin's former neighbor, are being questioned. She refutes the information set forth in the negative characteristics of the defendant, allegedly recorded from her words by the district police officer. Witnesses speak positively of the believer. According to them, he never spoke critically about the constitutional order and people of other religions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2020-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20200622","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fabrications"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In connection with the epidemic of coronavirus infection, the session of the Zavodsky District Court of the city of Kemerovo is held without listeners. Prosecution witnesses testify. Dmitry Vladimirov, a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, says that after the liquidation of the legal entity, he did not see how Jehovah's Witnesses continued their activities.\nYulia Anulyeva, a representative of the Kemerovo Region Department of the Ministry of Justice, explains that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2020-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20200622","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hearings in the Urai City Court are held behind closed doors. Only Andrey Sazonov is allowed to attend the meetings. Judge Ilnur Gilmanov grants the believer's request for self-defense, and the state lawyer is released. For the second time, the judge rejects the believer's petition for an open court hearing.\nJudge Gilmanov interrogates prosecution witnesses. Their testimonies do not confirm the accusations made by the prosecutor against Andrei Sazonov. When asked by the prosecutor about the interpretation of the Bible by Jehovah's Witnesses, the elderly woman replied: \"What is written in the Bible is what was read. And in general, I did not notice anything bad. All good, well-mannered people.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20200622","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lyudmila Ponomarenko is being interrogated, at which she is present with her lawyer. The rights and obligations are explained to her.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20200620","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of June 18, 2020, security forces came with searches in houses of peaceful law-abiding believers. Preliminary reports indicate that 15 families have been searched. The news is being supplemented.\nUpdate. It became known that the searches began simultaneously at 6 am and were carried out at least 12 addresses. The victims of the searches were 28 believers, including children. Most of them were also interrogated. Ivan Shulyuk, a 43-year-old believer, was detained and sent to jail for 48 hours. A criminal case has been opened against him for his faith. In the coming days, the court will choose a measure of restraint for him. It is noteworthy that Jehovah's Witnesses living in Nazarovo have been practicing their religion for several generations: 70 years ago, families of believers were forcibly exiled. An interesting piece of evidence contains a published and publicly available archival document - a memorandum to the Council on Religious Affairs dated August 5, 1976. The document stated, among other things: \"The Jehovahists' grouping [Jehovah's Witnesses] in the city of Nazarovo was formed in 1951 ... Currently, it unites more than 107 people. ... Persons under the age of 40 account for 55.2%. [...] The Jehovah's Association in Nazarovo is a deeply conspiratorial Jehovah's Witnesses underground, working to attract new individuals to the sect and leading Jehovah's Witnesses groups in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. [...] The Executive Committee of the City Council, which monitors compliance with the legislation on religious cults, was to work to stop the organized activities of this grouping, compromise the leaders and create public opinion around them, to separate ordinary believers from their influence, and also to carry out extensive propaganda of Soviet legislation on religious cults\" (Quoted from: Odintsov M. I. The Council of Ministers of the USSR decides: \"Evict forever\". Moscow, 2002, pp. 123-124). All believers who were persecuted during the Soviet period were later recognized as victims of political repression and rehabilitated.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-06-18T10:34:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search2_hu_49779cebc96c1159.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_620778508a59ad7b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search2_hu_8fce651d990480ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search2_hu_1d18a4e1b43d8ff3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/06/13.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"A Special Operation Against Jehovah's Witnesses Is Being Carried out in the Town of Nazarovo, Krasnoyarsk Region","type":"news"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator of the Department for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Kemerovo Region, charges Vladimir Suvorov with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Vladimir is accused of continuing the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Chelyabinsk\" after its liquidation by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2017.\nDespite the fact that Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees the right to freedom of religion, the investigation calls it a crime to talk to people about faith in God, hold worship services, and perform religious songs and prayers.\nThe investigator's decision states that Vladimir, having instructed his wife Valentina Suvorova, organized preaching activities, thereby violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966.\nAmong other things, the believer is accused of collecting funds in the amount of 1900 rubles, and the usual storage of literature in electronic form in the indictment is called \"conspiracy measures\".\nAfter the indictment, the investigator interrogates Vladimir Suvorov. The defendant explains that he considers the criminal prosecution to be repression for faith.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2020-06-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20200617","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the lawyer, the judge admits four listeners to the hall, provided that they maintain social distance.\nThe court interrogates a defense witness - the general director of the enterprise where Vadim Levchuk previously worked. He characterizes the defendant as a responsible, executive, non-confrontational employee who has never tried to impose his beliefs on others. He also expresses his conviction that Vadim does not pose any threat to society and the state.\nFurther, the court interrogates the last witness for the defense, Vadim Levchuk's daughter-in-law. She speaks warmly of the defendant, talks about family traditions and notes that, despite differences in religious views, they have never had conflicts on this basis. According to the witness, she is not afraid to leave her young daughter with Vadim and his wife, knowing that they will not cause any harm to the child.\nThe judge grants Levchuk's petition for a partial viewing of the video recording of the service. The shooting was previously stated as material evidence of the guilt of the defendants in organizing the activities of the banned LRO.\nIrina Vorobyova rejects the repeated petition to declassify the identity of Dmitry Vasin and interrogate him in the courtroom. The meeting was adjourned to the next day.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-06-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20200616","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Suvorov gets acquainted with the documents on the case. The investigator also interrogates Suvorov's wife, Valentina, as a witness. A separate criminal case had previously been initiated against her. The investigator notifies Suvorov of his intention to bring charges against him.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2020-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20200615","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons Oleg Konshin for questioning as a witness in the case of Sergei Verkhoturov. He rejects Konshin's petition to terminate the criminal case on the basis of Opinion No. 10/2020 of the UN Working Group and chooses a measure of restraint for the believer in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyanov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod2/index.html#20200615","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The first hearing in the case of Viktor Stashevskiy is held in the Gagarinsky District Court of Sevastopol. The court admits the views of the UN Working Group, but rejects the request for video recording.\nIn connection with the refusal of the accused to provide the services of a lawyer due to financial difficulties, the judge decides to leave the public defender. The believer does not admit guilt.\nTwo prosecution witnesses are being questioned. The first, a former member of the local Christian religious organization (MHRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses, confirms that they were both members of it, but have not seen each other for more than three years. After the injunction, MHRO did not conduct any activity, since it was liquidated. The witness distinguishes between the concepts of a legal entity (MHRO) and a religious group (meeting), explaining that biblical texts and commentaries were never discussed at the meetings of the legal entity, chants were not sung, videos were not viewed, etc. The role of the MHRO was mainly limited to the conclusion of lease agreements for premises for major events. The participants of the MHRO satisfied their spiritual needs on their own.\nThe next to testify is the FSB officer, detective Dmitry Shevchenko. At first, he confirms that the Omega congregation of believers was not part of the MHRO, but then, realizing his mistake, he begins to give contradictory testimony. According to him, in addition to the founders, there are an unspecified number of \"parishioners\" and \"elders\" in the MHRO, and the parish of Jehovah's Witnesses, such as the Omega congregation, is not a religious group.\nAfter that, the prosecutor and the judge begin to reject the questions of Stashevskiy and his lawyer under the pretext that they are in the nature of assumptions. After the end of the trial, the FSB officer began to intimidate those present, defiantly photographing them.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for June 30. The questioning of prosecution witnesses will continue.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2020-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20200615","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Oktyabrsky District Court of Kirov continues to question prosecution witnesses.\nWitness Lobastova says that she participated in operational-search activities, making hidden audio and video recordings of conversations on biblical topics with Tokarev. To do this, police officers provided her with a tablet and a SIM card.\nThe witness explains that Anatoliy did not exert pressure on her, she did not feel a threat to herself. The witness did not hear calls for violence, terrorist attacks or other forms of resistance on the part of the defendant. Tokarev did not see any banned religious publications. Lobastova confirms that attending religious meetings of believers is their voluntary decision.\nThe judge rejects Tokarev's petitions, including the inclusion in the case of opinion 10/2020 of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the UN Human Rights Council, the statement about planting a book from the list of extremist materials in the mailbox and the termination of the criminal case.\nThe next court hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2020. It is planned to interrogate witnesses from the defense.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tokarev in Kirov","date":"2020-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov/index.html#20200611","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the raid in Kerch on May 26, 2020, law enforcement officers kept the 29-year-old father of two young children, Artyom Shabliy, undressed for several hours in the cold, resulting in his illness. His 4-year-old son cut his legs on shatters from the windows broken by the law enforcers. In total 5 houses of believers were searched that day.\nOn May 26th, 2020 at 6 a.m. investigator for especially important cases V. Zarubin initiated a criminal case against Artem Shabliy under part 1.1. of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code. One hour later, a group of 10 armed men stormed his house, breaking a gate and window panes.\nThe believer was handcuffed and placed on a cold, damp floor, threatening to use a stun gun. Artyom was not allowed to stand up for a long time, although he did not resist. During the 3-hour search, the believer, wearing only underwear, stood facing the wall and was handcuffed. Because of the broken windows and open doors in the house, the believer fell ill - that morning the temperature outside ranged between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius.\nThe young children of Artyom suffered - the older 4-year-old son cut his legs on the glass, dotted the floor. The security forces confiscated a computer, phones, literature, documents, postcards mentioning the name of Jehovah God.\nA window broken by security forces in the house of Artem Shabliy during the assault. Kerch. May 26, 2020. After Artyom had been searched, he was taken to the Investigation Department. There, he stood in the corridor for two hours waiting for interrogation. Artyom's handcuffs were only taken off in the investigator's office. One of the law enforcers put pressure on him, saying: \"It’s Armageddon for you! I'll baptize you by eight years of imprisonment. You're going to plant trees in a joint and tailor my uniform.\"\nThe investigator, Major of Justice Valery Zarubin, processed the administrative detention for two days against Artyom and sent him to the detention center. The believer was locked in a cold, dirty room measuring 1 by 2 meters, with no furniture. Artyom had to stand again until two hours later he was given a mattress, a dirty pillow, a short sheet and a blanket.\nArtyom was not allowed to make a legal call to his family. All this time, no water or food was given to the believer. It was only at 18:00 that Artyom ate what his wife had brought him for the first time in a day. The isolation cell also had no technical water until 11:00 the next day until he was transferred to another room.\nThe next day, the investigation continued. Zarubin insisted that Artyom plead guilty. He refused Shabliy's requests to replace the investigator and the lawyer. From the detention center, where Artyom spent two days, he was released under an obligation to appear. At the exit from the detention center facility, the believer felt ill and had to call an ambulance. Without waiting for the doctors, his friends took Artyom to the hospital, where he was examined. The believer filed a complaint with the law enforcement agencies about the illegal actions of law enforcement officers.\nIt is noteworthy that the criminal prosecution of Artyom Shabliy started after a statement by an Igor Dukhanin. Earlier a man with the same name initiated conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses in Kerch, portraying his interest in the Bible. According to the Crimean Prosecutor's Office, in 2015 a local resident with such name and surname was sentenced to 2.5 years conditionally for extremist activities - distribution of leaflets inciting national hatred.\nLaw-enforcement agencies of Ukraine became interested in violation of the rights of believers in Kerch and a criminal case was initiated on the fact of illegal searches.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-06-10T17:20:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_d47978800fa5e21b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut.jpg","webp":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_e7e36e7e158e908a.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_28a0fe43c2e78d82.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/06/9.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","health-risk","torture","minors","siloviks-violence","new-case","282.2-1.1","interrogation","ivs","torture-conditions","summon"],"title":"\"It Is Armageddon For You!\" After a Provocateur's Denunciation, the Kerch Law Enforcers Kept a Believer Undressed for Three Hours in the Cold","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator calls Sagin for the voice identification procedure.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sagin in Achinsk","date":"2020-06-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/achinsk/index.html#20200610","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of 2 June 2020, at least five houses of local believers were searched in the village of Vlasikha near Moscow. Two women and one man were taken away for interrogation by the security services. Sergey Oganyan, the father of a minor child, was detained.\nAt 6:20 a.m., about 10 law enforcement officers broke into the apartment of Sergey Oganyan, who lives with his wife and minor daughter. The law enforcers issued a decree to initiate a criminal case against Sergey on charges of organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization, after which they began a search. It was supervised by investigators of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Moscow Region Yevgeny Dymchenko and Denis Popov.\nThe spouses reminded the investigators that a raid in the conditions of a pandemic could pose a special threat to health. Law enforcers ignored the warning, despite the fact that, according to the Ministry of Health of the Moscow region on June 3, Odintsovo district, where the Oganyan family lives, is one of the leaders in the number of detected cases of coronavirus in the Moscow region.\nMobile phones, other electronic devices, bank cards, personal records and greeting cards were seized from Oganyan. Sergey was taken to the Mytishchinskoye branch of the Russian Interior Ministry's department and previously detained for 48 hours.\nOn the same day two women believers were searched in Vlasikha. They were taken for interrogation to a branch of one of the law enforcement agencies and released a few hours after the events began. Details are being clarified.\nUpdate. According to the updated information, Sergey Ohanyan\u0026rsquo;s administrative detention has been extended to 72 hours. Searches were conducted in the homes of five families of believers. Security forces seized computer equipment and other electronic devices, personal records and photo albums, as well as Bibles and Bible atlases. Believers, including the minor daughter of one of the women, were asked provocative questions during the searches about their faith in God. After the searches, five people, including one minor, were taken as witnesses for questioning to the Main Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Moscow Region, located in the center of Moscow. This is the second wave of persecution of believers in the Moscow region after the liquidation and prohibition of all religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia in 2017. In September 2019, a criminal case for the faith was initiated against six Chekhov residents. Notably, in 2016 and 2017, local courts acquitted two residents of Moscow Region who were accused of a similar \"crime\" - religious gatherings and conversations about the Bible with others\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-06-03T15:41:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_24ad70e1aa0e2a2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao.jpg","webp":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_f1aae88eb07ca8e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_d2d4237a735db5c7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/06/1.html","regions":["moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","health-risk"],"title":"At the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Law Enforcers Launched Raids in the Moscow Region. A 33-year-old Believer Has Been Detained for the Second Day","type":"news"},{"body":"In the village of Vlasikha near Moscow, searches are being conducted in five houses of local believers. The security forces take Sergey Oganyan to the Mytishchinskoye police station and preliminarily detain him for 48 hours. Two more women and one man are taken away for interrogation.\nInvestigator Yevgeny Dymchenko charges Sergey Oganyan with committing crimes under parts 1, 1.1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the investigation, Sergey participated in undermining the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation and the security of the state - \"carried out deliberate actions of an organizational nature aimed at convening meetings, meetings and holding them.\" Ohanyan is also charged with \"recruiting new members\" to the organization. The resolution features Borhan Askar, whose real name law enforcement officers are hiding. According to the investigator, Sergey Oganyan persuaded this man to join the local religious organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Odintsovo district.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ohanyan in Vlasikha","date":"2020-06-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vlasikha/index.html#20200602","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At the request of the prosecutor, the court is interrogating FSB investigator M. Beloglazov, who searched Hasan Kogut's apartment and interrogated him at the police station.\nThe accused draws attention to the fact that the search in his home took place in the presence of a 5-year-old child for 4 hours. This was followed by a 4-hour police interrogation. Hassan regards this as psychological pressure. The judge decides that there were no violations on the part of the investigator.\nAfter the break, at the request of the defense, an audio recording of the interrogation of a classified witness is listened to. Due to extraneous noise, the recording of speech cannot be understood, but the judge does not exclude these materials from the case.\nThe proceedings shall proceed to the stage of debate of the parties. They are scheduled for June 18, 2020.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20200601","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the Berezovsky City Court of the Kemerovo Region, prosecution witnesses are being questioned - FSB investigators who personally participated in searches, interrogations and other investigative actions. Sergey Britvin, Vadim Levchuk and their lawyers object and ask to postpone the hearing in order to prepare questions for the investigators. Judge Irina Vorobyova refuses.\nThe FSB investigators claim in their testimony that the interrogations and searches were carried out \"very humanely and kindly.\"\nThe court also summons prosecution witness Yevgeny Gomoyunov (he was previously questioned as secret witness Dmitry Vasin). He repeats the testimony given at the meeting on August 20, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20200601","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"One of the prosecution witnesses, who testifies in favor of Tokarev, is being questioned in court. The story of the witness refutes the contradictory testimony given to the investigator earlier, on which the prosecutor insists, but it coincides with the testimony obtained during the confrontation of the witness with Tokarev. The judge asks the prosecution witness to decide on the version, and he \"chooses\" the testimony that the prosecutor insists on. The defendant draws attention to the fact that the witness is poorly informed about his own preliminary testimony, which may indicate fabrication in the case.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on June 11. It is planned to question another witness from the prosecution.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tokarev in Kirov","date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov/index.html#20200601","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for the Department of Internal Affairs of the Department for the Investigation of Especially Important Cases, Major of Justice Yaroslav Pecherkin, summons a group of believers for interrogation. The subpoenas do not indicate which case they are witnesses in. The interrogation protocol is not given to them.\nAmong other things, the investigator asks whether the interrogated are familiar with Vitaliy Omelchenko, how the local congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is organized and managed, and whether funds are collected.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Omelchenko in Murmansk","date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/murmansk/index.html#20200601","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 27, 2020, during searches of believers in Khabarovsk and Vyazemsky, FSB officers invaded in the house of 68-year-old Lee Yen Sen. An armed, masked operative hit Lee Yen Sen in the side, twisted his hands and put him in handcuffs. His wife lost consciousness as a result of such inhuman treatment of the elderly man.\nIt was 07:30 in the morning. Lee Yen Sen’s wife needed the help of an ambulance team. During the search, electronic devices were seized from the Lee's family and copies of photos with friends and personal notebook entries were taken. The handcuffs of Lee Yen Sen were only removed after the search to sign the search report, a copy of which was never left to him. Then the believer was taken for interrogation to the FSB in Khabarovsk Territory. There, Lee Yen Sen was offered a deal with the investigation that involved self-incrimination. He was only released home at 9 p.m., after 13 hours of detention. The measure of restraint in the form of a subscription about not leaving was chosen to the believer.\nYen Sen Lee is suspected of \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" and \"involving other people,\" although the Supreme Court decision to liquidate and ban legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia does not prohibit them from individually or jointly practicing their religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-05-29T15:57:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/05/22/image_hu_133b0858b5005fa7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/05/22/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/05/22/image_hu_da882bf8ab9af3d0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/05/22/image_hu_fa5ee0340c7a48b3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/22.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","elderly","health-risk","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","ivs"],"title":"Hit, Twisted, Handcuffed: Details of an Aggressive Invasion Against a 68-Year-Old Believer in Khabarovsk","type":"news"},{"body":"The court is interrogating a witness for the prosecution, Police Major O. V. Bratukhin, an operative for the Department of Internal Affairs of the CPE of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Kirov region. Bratukhin voices a number of absurd accusations against Jehovah's Witnesses: they allegedly refuse to work, have children, etc. He assures that this information \"was obtained during operational-search activities.\" The believer asks for evidence of this information, but it is not recorded in the case file.\nAt the next hearing on June 1, 2020, the court plans to question other prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tokarev in Kirov","date":"2020-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov/index.html#20200529","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the 26 of May 2020, armed security groups conducted a series of raids in Kerch. At least seven believers, including the elderly, were questioned. Five of them were taken to the investigation department and later released all but Artem Shabliy, 29, who had been detained for two days.\nIn the early morning, groups of 7-10 law enforcement officers, including representatives of the Rosgvardia and masked armed riot police, came to the homes of local residents of Kerch at four addresses under the pretext of \"examining premises, buildings and structures.\nDuring the special operation in the house of Artem Shabliy, who lives with his wife, mother and children, 2 and 4 years old, the law enforcers broke the windows in the entrance hall. The law enforcers put the cuffs on Artem himself and took them off only a few hours later, already after the interrogation in the local law enforcement department.\nAccording to eyewitnesses, one of the organizers of the raid orally mentioned that a criminal case under article 282.2 of the RF Criminal Code had been initiated against Shabliy, but no documentary evidence was provided. It is known that the case was initiated by investigator Valery Zarubin. He accuses a believer of \"involving others in the activities of an extremist organization\" while talking to them about the Bible.\nWhile Artem was interrogated in the building of the Investigative Committee, his wife remained at home with her children, but later she was called for questioning and released the same day. The investigator tried to put pressure on the woman, threatening to \"put\" her husband. Artem was placed in a temporary detention facility.\nUpdate. On the evening of May 28, 2020, Artem Shabliy was released from the temporary detention facility under the obligation to appear as a suspect. A criminal case has been initiated against him under part 1.1. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\u0026ldquo;involvement in the activities of an extremist organization\u0026rdquo;). Special operation at the other three addresses lasted about three hours. In one of the cases, the security guards broke the entrance gate. Electronic devices, printed media and some documents were seized from the believers. They were also taken for interrogation to the Investigative Department, where they remained for about two hours. In none of the cases were the owners presented with court orders to hold special events, and copies of the \"examination\" reports were not provided.\nRecently, Crimean law enforcers have increased pressure on those who profess the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. On May 26, 2020, the court sent Sergey Filatov, a resident of Dzhankoy, to the general regime colony for 6 years. His fault was a Bible study with children and friends. Before that Yalta resident Artem Gerasimov was fined 400 thousand for talking to people about God. Currently the case of Victor Stashevsky, a resident of Sevastopol, who is unreasonably accused of extremism because he believes in Jehovah, is in court hearings.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-05-28T16:52:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/05/21/image_hu_629c956bfc528fb9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/05/21/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/05/21/image_hu_5ec894a2047700ee.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/05/21/image_hu_195644e9b5393c11.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/21.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","vandalism","minors","interrogation","282.2-1.1","ivs"],"title":"In Kerch, Law Enforcers Crushed Windows When Raiding Houses of Believers During a \"Survey\". A Father of Two Young Children Was Detained","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 22, 2020 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur two dwellings of local believers were searched. The authorities interrogated four people – Nikolay and Alesya Aliyev, Vyacheslav Dubinkin and Dmitriy Bryankin. The only reason for the raid on these civilians was their faith in God Jehovah.\nAround 07:00 in the morning there was a knock at the door of Aliyev's apartment, where Alesya's 18-year-old brother Vyacheslav lives together with his wife. When Nikolay opened the door, eight law enforcement officers broke in and armed riot policemen fell him to the floor. Investigator Aleksei Evsiugov presented the court order and began the search in the presence of two witnesses, dressed in military uniforms. The search lasted for five hours, after which Nikolay, Alesia and Vyacheslav were taken to the Investigative Department for questioning.\nAt the same time, a believer Dmitriy Bryankin was called by an unknown man and called to the street under the pretext that his car had allegedly been involved in an accident. An OMON officer, Lieutenant Colonel of the FSB and two witnesses were waiting for him outside. They presented Dmitriy with a detention order and took him to the Investigative Department right in his slippers; an 11-year-old child was left unattended at home. The security forces kept the believer in the car for over an hour. After receiving the search warrant, they returned to his apartment, where they seized his laptop and smartphone, printed materials and notebooks. Then Dmitriy was taken to the Investigations Department building. He had to spend six hours in the car with an OMON officer and the witnesses while waiting for an interrogation. Then he was interrogated for about 3 hours and was not released home until 21:00. Dmitri felt bad at home, he needed help from the medical team.\nThe believers were tried to put emotional pressure on them. For example, FSB Major Alexei Ivanov advised Nikolay Aliyev to change his faith to a more traditional one. K. Rubantsov, a CCE investigator, offered Alesya Aliyeva to cooperate with the investigation so that \"something did not happen\" to her husband. Nikolay Aliyev was presented with hidden video recordings of 2018, in which he talks to a man who depicts interest in the Bible.\nDespite threats of arrest for using Article 51 of the Russian Constitution, all three believers were released in the evening. No one was elected to the measure of restraint.\nDuring the searches the law enforcers searched for any information confirming that the believers belonged to Jehovah's Witnesses. They seized electronic devices, printed publications, photographs, and postcards mentioning the personal name of God.\nVyacheslav Dubinkin, Dmitriy Bryankin and the Aliyev spouses are persecuted along with 10 other believers in the Khabarovsk region. A verdict has already been passed in two cases, and two more cases are being considered by the court of first instance.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-05-28T08:12:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_d47978800fa5e21b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut.jpg","webp":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_e7e36e7e158e908a.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_28a0fe43c2e78d82.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/19.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk","minors"],"title":"\"Dropped to the Floor.\" The Details of the Searches in Komsomolsk-on-Amur Have Become Known","type":"news"},{"body":"Terebilov's wife is being interrogated as a witness. The investigator announces the end of the preliminary investigation, and a report is drawn up.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2020-05-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20200527","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Residents of Krasnoyarsk, 53-year-old Vitaliy Sukhov and 55-year-old Igor Gusev, are accused of extremism only because they discussed the Bible with fellow believers and prayed to God Jehovah.\nA criminal case under part 1 of article 282.2 (organization of activities of the banned community) was brought on May 8th, 2020 by Lieutenant Filishkan P. V, a senior investigator of the Investigative Department for Zheleznodorozhny district of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Russian Federation Investigative Committee for Krasnoyarsk region and Khakassia.\nThus, 12 believers in Krasnoyarsk region are already accused of crimes against society and the state, although they have not committed any crimes. The international community and the Russian public consider the prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia unjustified and demand that the violation of the rights of believers be stopped immediately the violation of believers' rights.\n[i18n] Clarification. As it became known on May 26, 2020, no criminal case was initiated against Igor Gusev. The security forces summoned him for questioning as a witness in the criminal case of Vitaliy Sukhov. In total, there are 11 believers in the region, against whom criminal proceedings have been initiated. ","category":"trial","date":"2020-05-26T13:38:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/15.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"In Krasnoyarsk, Two More Local Residents Accused of Extremism, Raising Number Prosecuted for Their Faith in the Region to 12","type":"news"},{"body":"An employee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is interviewing Alexander Karpov, who was beaten by police during a raid on February 10, 2020. The investigator also photographs the crime scene.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ermolaev and Others in Chita","date":"2020-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita/index.html#20200523","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Filishkan interrogates Sukhov on video. Vitaliy declares: \"I have never been a member of any extremist organizations, I am not a member and I am not going to be. I am a peaceful person, I have a big family.\"\n","caseTitle":"Sukhov's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2020-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk6/index.html#20200523","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 22, 2020 the apartment of 46-year-old Dmitriy Bryankin, who lives there with his wife and daughters, was searched. The head of the family was taken away for interrogation. Two more families of believers are not in touch. Details are being clarified.\nThe religious persecution in Russia was a direct consequence of a miscarriage of justice—the decision of the Supreme Court to liquidate and ban all 396 Jehovah's Witnesses organizations in Russia. Driven by unknown motives, law enforcement officers issue a joint confession of law-abiding citizens for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Law scholars and human rights defenders both inside and outside Russia unanimously condemn what is happening with Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, including the Human Rights Commissioner in Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation himself, prominent public figures in Russia, as well as the foreign policy service of the European Union, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.\nJehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with extremism and insist on their complete innocence. The Russian government has repeatedly stated that decisions by Russian courts to dismantle and ban Jehovah's Witnesses organizations \"do not evaluate the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrine, nor do they limit or prohibit the practice of the above doctrine on an individual basis.”\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-05-22T12:39:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/search1_hu_702c9b9704ae758a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_7c3d49c9fecf8054.jpg","webp":"/news/common/search1_hu_9a6e0a4c091b8ea3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/search1_hu_4ae7e68fe9772eb5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/13.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"The City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur Has Joined the Religious Persecution: Search in the Family of Believers, Detention and Interrogation","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 20, 2020, security forces searched five houses in the town of Mayskoye. Six believers — a married couple and four other women — were taken to the investigation department for interrogation, and later released after questioning about their religious views \"not for the record.\"\nDuring the searches, literature included in the list of extremist materials was planted on all believers.\n\"One of the employees entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him. After that, he came out and forbade us to go there. Then a planted publication from the list of extremist materials was found there,\" said one of the believers, whose home was searched.\nIn another case, the security forces came to the home of a local resident when she was at work. The door was opened by her son-in-law. Law enforcement officers twisted his arms and took him to one of the rooms, while they continued the search in other rooms. Later, law enforcement officers brought the owner of the house and after that \"found\" 7 copies of prohibited literature.\nDuring the interrogations, the security forces asked the believers what kind of God they believed in, how long ago and who taught them this.\nElectronic devices and personal records were seized from local residents. Law enforcement officers did not provide them with copies of search protocols and other documents.\nOn May 14, the searches were sanctioned by the judge of the Maysky District Court, Andriy Skrypnyk. According to eyewitnesses, the special events were led by one of the local security officials, who had previously falsified evidence with the help of planting.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-05-22T11:15:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/05/12/image_hu_cbbea508320a5344.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/05/12/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/05/12/image_hu_81d57942b41e280b.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/05/12/image_hu_363cf9b71c0a34ae.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/12.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","plant","interrogation","fsem","siloviks-violence"],"title":"The houses of six believers were searched in Kabardino-Balkaria. The law enforcers planted banned literature on them","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator O. M. Ermakova interrogates Alexei Baikalov and Irina Sidorova. The believers do not admit their guilt and say that they have never been engaged in extremist activities. Baikalov undertakes an obligation to appear.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Vergunov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan2/index.html#20200522","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Olesya Ermakova interrogates Alexei Baikalov and Irina Sidorova. The believers do not admit their guilt and say that they have never been engaged in extremist activities. From Baikalov is taken the obligation to appear.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Baykalov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan3/index.html#20200522","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Employees of the Investigative Committee summon Igor Gusev for questioning as a witness in the criminal case against Vitaly Sukhov.\n","caseTitle":"Gusev's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2020-05-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk9/index.html#20200521","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Believers from Pechora are summoned en masse for interrogation as witnesses in the case of Gennadiy Polyakevich and Gennadiy Skutelets . Subpoenas are handed over to believers in person or by phone. Among those interrogated were seven people, including a man who is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as Pavel Ogorodov, who had previously suffered a stroke. He had already faced a search and detention on January 28, 2020. The threats of the investigator during a new interrogation cause Pavel a lot of stress, as a result of which later, already at home, he has a microstroke.\nDuring the interrogation of another believer, who was already interrogated on January 28, 2020, the investigator exerts psychological pressure, threatening to open a criminal case against the believer and his mother.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polyakevich and Others in Pechora","date":"2020-05-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pechora/index.html#20200520","regions":["komi"],"tags":["interrogation","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice O. M. Ermakova, an investigator for the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee for the city of Abakan of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, interrogates Pyotr Bozykov and Alexander Vergunov, suspected of extremism for their faith. They are obliged to appear in a timely manner when summoned by a person conducting an initial inquiry, an investigator or to a court, and in the event of a change of residence, to report it immediately.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Vergunov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan2/index.html#20200519","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Olesya Ermakova, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Abakan of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, interrogates Pyotr Bozykov and Alexander Vergunov, suspected of extremism for their faith. They are obliged to appear in a timely manner when summoned by a person conducting an initial inquiry, an investigator or to a court, and in the event of a change of residence, to report it immediately.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Baykalov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan3/index.html#20200519","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeniy Grinenko, 49, was placed in custody for two months until July 12, 2020. A criminal case has been instituted against this peaceful believer, charging “organization of an extremist organization” prohibited under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. At the time of his arrest, he lived in the town of Lesozavodsk with his elderly parents. Searches in at least four homes of local believers took place on May 12, 2020. Law enforcers entered the homes of peaceful believers under the pretext of verifying compliance with the self-isolation regime, thus exposing innocent people, including the elderly, with the deadly threat of infection with the COVID-19 virus.\nSearches of at least 4 homes of local believers took place on May 12, 2020. Employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Border Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in Primorye Territory, entered the homes of peaceful believers under the pretext of checking compliance with the self-isolation regime - exposing innocent Far Easterners, including the elderly, to the mortal threat of infection with the COVID-19 virus.\nIt is known that searches were carried out at 71-year-old G.P., 64-year-old G.K., at the family of 44-year-old Sergey Kobelev, as well as at Yevgeny Grinenko and his elderly parents. By arranging searches and interrogations during the coronavirus pandemic, this is not the first time that the investigating authorities have put the life and health of citizens at risk. Peaceful believers sit at home, obediently observing the regime of self-isolation, according to the recommendations of the Russian government. However, groups of government officials invade their homes and, accompanied by witnesses, rummage through their belongings, take them out for interrogations and place them in pre-trial detention centers.\nDuring the searches, electronic media, bank cards and other personal belongings, such as postcards, were seized, which mentioned the name of God, Jehovah, which was not prohibited by any court.\nSergey Kobelev was detained at about 8 a.m. by FSB officers at work and taken home, where a search had already been conducted in the presence of his wife, minor son and elderly father. Later, the believer was taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. After a search and interrogation, he was released. The detention lasted a total of 11 hours.\nAccording to the investigation, the accused Yevgeny Grinenko \"carried out actions of an organizational nature to convene and hold meetings, and also took a direct part in the meetings aimed at continuing the activities of a religious association recognized by the court as extremist.\" This accusation is directly related to the unjust decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses. Legal scholars and human rights activists around the world unanimously condemn Russia's actions against Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-05-18T14:19:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_4aa589b81b87365e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_dc16356e31723ca3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_d442190f69a95cf6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/8.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","sizo","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"Another Witness of Jehovah Was Sent to Jail. New Criminal Case Near the Chinese Border in the Town of Lesozavodsk","type":"news"},{"body":"At the hearing in the Berezovsky City Court, Hasan Kogut testifies and asks to attach written notes to the materials of the criminal case. The believer does not admit his guilt. He points out: \"I am accused today of believing in a God whose name is Jehovah, who is our Creator. They are being judged for my beliefs. If I had not been a Jehovah's Witness, I would not have been tried, although this religion is not prohibited in Russia.\"\nThe believer also declares to the court that during the preliminary investigation in the case of Britvin and Levchuk he was interrogated under pressure from law enforcement officers and in the absence of a lawyer, and the incorrect wording of the investigator used during the interrogation may be used against him in the future. The prosecutor insists on their disclosure and submits a motion to summon for questioning at the court session the FSB investigator M. Beloglazov, who conducted the interrogation of Kogut, as a witness.\nThe defense requests the exclusion of evidence, the testimony of a classified witness, and requests time to prepare a motion to declare Kogut's testimony inadmissible in the case during the preliminary investigation on the basis of Article 75 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.\nThe next court hearing will be held on June 1 at 10:00 a.m.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20200514","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation interrogate 4 local believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20200513","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons Popov to the Investigative Committee for charge and interrogation. Vitaliy pleaded not guilty. He considers this criminal case to be repression for his faith, since his religion is the only reason for the persecution.\nThe investigator exerts pressure on Vitaliy, insisting that the believer familiarize himself with the 21 volumes of the criminal case within a week (about 5,000 pages).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20200513","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator summons Popov to the Investigative Committee for charge and interrogation. Vitaliy pleaded not guilty. He considers this criminal case to be repression for his faith, since his religion is the only reason for the persecution.\nThe investigator exerts pressure on Vitaliy, insisting that the believer familiarize himself with the 21 volumes of the criminal case within a week (about 5,000 pages).\n","caseTitle":"Case Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk4/index.html#20200513","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 06:10 a.m., Major of Justice O. V. Belyakova, investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Lesozavodsk, Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, initiates a criminal case against Yevgeniy Grinenko under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nEmployees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Border Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in Primorye Territory, are conducting searches in the homes of local believers: Sergey Kobelev, Galina Kobeleva and Yevgeniy Grinenko, who lives with elderly parents.\nAt 8 o'clock in the morning, under the pretext of checking self-isolation, law enforcement officers, accompanied by investigator A. I. Katsur, invade the family of Sergey Kobelev. At the same time, the head of the family is detained at work and taken home. The security forces seize bank cards of all family members, electronic equipment, letters with friendly correspondence, greeting cards, Bibles in various translations, as well as devices that are not storage media: keyboard, computer mice, webcam, printer, audio speakers, router and even wires. Sergey's wife and child are experiencing great stress, which is aggravated by the fact that in the midst of the epidemic, one of the witnesses has a cough, and personal protective equipment is not used properly - during the six hours of the search, the masks have never been changed. After the search, Kobelev was taken away for interrogation. He was released after 11 hours of detention.\nYevgeniy Grinenko is detained after a search and interrogation.\nIn total, law enforcement officers interrogate 7 people. The questions of investigators I. S. Bakhtalova, A. V. Belyakova and A. I. Katsura revolve around the religion of Yevgeny Grinenko. Officials threaten believers with arrest. One of the police officers defiantly shows his gun. One of the elderly believers later admits that she experienced \"a state of shock, horror, then despondency and anxiety about future interrogations; also a state of instability, unwillingness to return home, where strangers with unfriendly motives were in charge.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2020-05-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20200512","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee S. R. Gimadeev decides to bring Ilham Karimov as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. There are no victims in the criminal case, and the indictment does not provide factual evidence of the guilt of the accused. The investigation claims that the believers \"participated in agitation, used methods of conspiracy, and promoted their exclusivity.\" Major of Justice A.B. Aldivanov interrogates Ilham Karimov. The accused pleaded not guilty. The believer asks to consider a petition to suspend the preliminary investigation in connection with the coronavirus infection.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2020-04-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20200430","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case against Lyudmila Shchekoldina , a search of the home and interrogation of Maxim Beltikov are being conducted.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20200429","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case against Lyudmila Shchekoldina , Vladimir Skachidub's home is searched and interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skachidub in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya3/index.html#20200429","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Law enforcement officers come to Davydenko's workplace and bring him home for a search. At this time, members of his family are there.\nThe search in the presence of witnesses, a specialist and FSB officers lasts about 7 hours. Electronic devices, storage media, personal records, bank cards and cash are seized from the man. They also search the local area and the man's car.\nThen the believer is interrogated for 40 minutes as a witness in the FSB department of the village of Pavlovskaya. The interrogation is conducted by the senior investigator-criminalist of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB of Russia A. A. Lebashev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Davydenko in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya4/index.html#20200429","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of April 29, 2020, groups of armed security forces invaded at least seven homes of residents of Pavlovskaya and Kholmskaya villages for searches and interrogations, exposing believers to the risk of infection during the pandemic. A 62-year-old believer was taken to Krasnodar for interrogation, and a written recognizance not to leave the place was taken.\nIn addition to the security forces, representatives of the local Cossacks participated in the searches as witnesses. In the village of Kholmskaya, located about 60 kilometers from Krasnodar, law enforcement officers came to at least the homes of 3 families. In the village of Pavlovskaya, the special services searched at least 5 dwellings.\nUpdate. As it became known, on April 29, searches were carried out in 9 houses. On that day, another family was searched in Kholmskaya. The security forces searched the literature of Jehovah\u0026rsquo;s Witnesses and asked the owners if they were \u0026ldquo;adherents of a banned organization.\u0026rdquo; After the raids, a 43-year-old resident of the village of Pavlovskaya was taken on her own recognizance. A criminal case was initiated against her under Part 1.1. Article 282.2 (involvement in the activities of an organization recognized as extremist). The investigator considered it a crime that the believer had conversations with a young man about \u0026ldquo;the attractiveness of serving Jehovah.\u0026rdquo; The interlocutor turned out to be an agent of the special services. Electronic devices were seized from believers, including those necessary for distance learning for children. The security forces also confiscated Bibles in various translations and books written by religious scholars.\nThe investigative actions were carried out on the basis of a criminal case initiated by the Directorate of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Krasnodar Territory in order to identify those who continue to profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The security forces consider the joint spiritual communion of believers not as a manifestation of religious freedom, but as a continuation of the activities of banned organizations.\nThese are the first large-scale raids against believers in the Krasnodar Territory in 2020. The relative lull has lasted since October 2019, when 36 searches were carried out in Sochi and the district on the same day. One of the believers, Vyacheslav Popov , has been held in a pre-trial detention center ever since.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-04-29T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/omon_hu_cc21e0c1b202fec1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_ffc696cb236da5bb.jpg","webp":"/news/common/omon_hu_4c87d2ce782042cd.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/omon_hu_9c4da176cf33a608.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/1.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk","recognizance-agreement","elderly"],"title":"The Krasnodar FSB, Together with the Cossacks, Raided Believers in Two Villages. Bibles and Electronic Devices Seized","type":"news"},{"body":"Despite written requests to postpone investigative actions due to the threat of coronavirus infection, believers Belosludtsev and Sergeyev are forced to go to the investigative department, located 80 kilometers from their home in the city of Dalnerechensk, to receive an indictment.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2020-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20200421","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 15, 2020, 4 days after the first wave of raids on the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the town of Teikovo, at least 3 more families reported that interrogators had invaded them for interrogation. For example, 79-year-old Galina Nosach was asked what her translation of the Bible was and whether her fellow believers visited her.\nIn the meantime, dramatic details of Saturday's searches in the city have come to light.\nUpdate. According to updated information, on April 15, representatives of the authorities came to four addresses. On April 11, 2020, at 6:00 a.m., 64-year-old Vladimir Spivak and his wife heard a strong knock on the door. The house was entered by 10 security officials, almost all in civilian clothes, the head of the group with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Everyone, without exception, walked around the apartment in dirty shoes (which, in the conditions of the pandemic and the special regime, put innocent believers in great danger), the apartment was crowded with people, and 2 more people were on the street, watching the windows. During the search, the security forces turned everything upside down, looked into the exhaust well and the drain tank, and examined all the items of underwear. The search lasted more than 3 hours, a computer, a printer, a telephone, and two Bibles in the Synodal translation were seized. The believers were not allowed to call the children, and were also denied a copy of the search warrant and the search protocol. The spouses are experiencing a severe emotional shock.\nOn the same day at 6:30 a.m., 50-year-old Alexander Vasichkin and his wife were awakened by a persistent knock on the window. The house was entered by people in special uniforms, wearing masks and with weapons, as well as people in civilian clothes - a total of 12 people. During the search, electronic devices, hard drives, diaries, sheet music of Bach music and even sewing and knitting magazines were seized. The search lasted 7 hours, all 5 family members were guarded and even the toilet was visited accompanied by a police officer and sometimes with the door open. They were required to provide passwords for phones, threatening: \"If you do not tell the password, then we will take your father away and you will not see him again!\" Due to the actions of law enforcement officers, the whole family is experiencing a depressed state.\nAt 6:30 a.m., 52-year-old Sergey Galyamin, his wife and minor daughter were awakened by persistent doorbells. Six, including 4 police officers headed by Major Astafyev and 2 witnesses, entered the apartment and searched it. Police officers were wearing rubber gloves. The head of the family was asked to provide the password for electronic devices, otherwise they threatened to take away the devices of all family members. As a result, all devices were seized, including her daughter's tablet, as a result of which she lost the opportunity to study - due to quarantine associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the girl is undergoing distance learning.\nAt 6:30 a.m., six law enforcement officers, some wearing helmets, carrying weapons and SOBR patches, led by investigator D.O. Batalov, invaded the apartment of 56-year-old Anatoly Lyamo. Another 2 security officers watched the windows. During the first 3 hours, the investigator did not allow the head of the family to use the toilet, stating that he had to show him a doctor's certificate confirming the need to use the toilet urgently. When one of the family members tried to record what was happening on a mobile phone camera, law enforcement officer Pavel Norovkov ordered the Sobrov officer to forcibly take away the phone. Witnesses Ignatenko and Oleynikov were sitting in the kitchen with smartphones during the search, so the security forces were free in their actions. Computers, telephones, personal diaries, works of ancient historians, the Bible in German and the Bible in the Synodal translation were seized from the believer.\nThe search warrant for Anatoly Lyamo was issued by Ekaterina Savina, judge of the Frunzensky District Court of Ivanovo. In total, about 40 law enforcement officers and witnesses participated in the raids at the same time.\nUpdate. On April 16, Skuridina, a senior investigator from the Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee, questioned Vladimir Spivak and Sergey Galyamin about their religion and whether they read the Bible in the New World Translation. After the interrogation, the believers were given a written undertaking not to leave the place. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-04-16T16:01:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/sobr_hu_db6bdff650e64560.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_a86723e543e37699.jpg","webp":"/news/common/sobr_hu_e7599b6b61f18360.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/sobr_hu_f2367077e24b439e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/04/10.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","health-risk","minors","elderly"],"title":"New Raids in Teykovo: Security Forces Put Young and Old Witnesses at Mortal Risk in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Skuridin interrogates Vladimir Spivak and Sergey Galyamin about their religion and whether they read the Bible in the New World Translation. After interrogation, believers are taken to sign a not to leave the place. The same measure of restraint is assigned to Vasichkin and Lyamo.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2020-04-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20200416","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two men in civilian clothes appear at Elena Zorn's home without a summons and forcibly take her away for interrogation. Later, Tarasenko comes to the place of work of Elena Tsorn to conduct operational-search activities. The building is closed due to the epidemic, but the investigator demands to open it, threatening otherwise to knock down the doors and initiate a criminal case against Yelena.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2020-04-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20200416","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"For interrogations, representatives of the authorities come to four more addresses of believers in Teikovo. Among them is 79-year-old Galina Nosach. Law enforcement officers ask her what translation of the Bible she uses and whether her fellow believers visit her.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2020-04-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20200415","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the home of Vitaly Popov, law enforcement officers appear without a summons and ask to go with them to the investigative department for interrogation. One of them presents a certificate in the name of Roman Logvenkov.\nVitaliy is interrogated for more than 4 hours by the investigator for especially important cases A. Bryuzgin. He is trying to provoke Popov to self-incrimination. Bryuzgin presents the believer with the transcripts of the services.\nVitaliy refuses to testify. Bryuzgin charges him in a criminal case. Vitaliy disagrees and does not admit his guilt.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20200409","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the home of Vitaly Popov, law enforcement officers appear without a summons and ask to go with them to the investigative department for interrogation. One of them presents a certificate in the name of Roman Logvenkov.\nVitaliy is interrogated for more than 4 hours by the investigator for especially important cases A. Bryuzgin. He is trying to provoke Popov to self-incrimination. Bryuzgin presents the believer with the transcripts of the services.\nVitaliy refuses to testify. Bryuzgin charges him in a criminal case. Vitaliy disagrees and does not admit his guilt.\n","caseTitle":"Case Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk4/index.html#20200409","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Tarasenko calls a local resident, Elena Tsorn, and, intimidating her, calls her \"so far as a witness\" in the case of Elena Barmakina. The investigator also declares his desire to initiate proceedings against everyone who is a witness in the cases of Dmitry and Elena Barmakin. A woman uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation when testifying.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2020-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20200409","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Since 2016, at least 18 cases of harassment of the children of Jehovah's Witnesses have been recorded in various regions of Russia. Five such episodes occurred in January 2020. Dozens of minors suffered from religious persecution.\nUnder the pretext of \"treatment for coronavirus\", in the early morning of March 30, 2020, in the city of Volchansk (Sverdlovsk region), security forces invaded the apartment of the Zalyayev family. Investigator Vladimir Sudin kept the spouses and their 2 minor children naked in the corridor until he read out the search warrant and seized the phones of all family members. After the search, Ruslan Zalyaev, the father of the family, was taken to the police station for interrogation. There he was interrogated about his attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses, threatened with a prison term for his faith and an unenviable fate for his children: \"Think, you will be imprisoned, and the children will be sent to an orphanage.\"\nOn January 17, 2020, a man and two women, one of whom was in the uniform of a law enforcement officer, interrogated a sixth-grader during a break in one of the schools in Georgievsk. In violation of the law, the interrogation was conducted without the presence of parents or legal representatives. The child was asked questions on a tape recording, asking if he or his parents were Jehovah's Witnesses and if he knew any of the representatives of this faith. Four days later, on January 21, this student was interrogated during the lesson - the boy was asked the same questions. Earlier, a series of searches took place in Georgievsk, and a criminal case was opened on suspicion of believers of extremism. The schoolboy's mother, who is raising him alone, is very alarmed by the situation. According to her, she has almost stopped sleeping at night and is afraid to let the child go to school.\nAnother interrogation of a minor took place on January 16, 2020 in one of the western regions of Russia. Before that, the investigator intended to come to school and interrogate the child \"in front of everyone.\" The boy's parents came with him for questioning at the law enforcement department. The child was asked if he knew any of the believers, including those who are now accused of extremism. Earlier, the security forces interrogated the relatives of the teenager, consolidating the trend of religious persecution of entire families. Now the child's relatives are very concerned about the possible development of events.\nAccording to one of the lawyers, in the Smolensk region, parents were often frightened by deprivation of parental rights. \"There was an attempt to interrogate a minor in Smolensk in May 2019. Then the police came to the school, took the mobile phone from the teenage girl and tried to interrogate her with the participation of the school psychologist. This was avoided thanks to the intervention of the mother, \"says a lawyer with knowledge of the situation in the region.\nOn January 19, 2020, two children , aged 9 and 12, were interrogated in Kazan after security forces broke into the apartment of a local resident, Tatyana Obizhestvit. All her guests, including children, were taken for interrogation to the Department for Combating Organized Crime. During the interrogations, the security forces intimidated believers.\nOften, security forces invade residential buildings with searches in the morning and evening, greatly frightening sleeping children. This is exactly what happened in Sochi in October 2019, when a group of armed special forces broke into Vyacheslav Popov's house through a balcony, breaking the handrails and breaking the windows.\nIn some cases, law enforcement officers acted disproportionately harshly. In July 2019, in Kaluga, during the arrest of Roman Makhnev, the security forces put his 15-year-old daughter barefoot on the street. For a long time, the girl stood in the rain while the search was going on. At this time, publications from the Federal List of Extremist Materials were planted under her bed.\nIn the spring of 2019, in Yemanzhelinsk (Chelyabinsk region), after a search, law enforcement officers detained parents, leaving the children under the supervision of acquaintances. Under similar circumstances, in November 2018, in Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory), security forces took away the parents of a one-year-old child for interrogation, leaving the baby with his grandmother.\nIn December 2018, during a search in Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory), the security forces stripped the minor to his underwear.\nOn June 26, 2018, in Shuya (Ivanovo region), security forces took a 10-year-old girl to the branch of the Investigative Committee and interrogated her. In the presence of the school psychologist, the child was forced to reveal the religion of the family, she burst into tears from stress. Law enforcement officers put pressure on the girl's mother, threatening to open a case on involving minors in \"committing a crime\" - reading the Bible, praying, meeting with fellow believers.\nDuring a special operation in Polyarny (Murmansk region) in May 2018, special forces soldiers broke down the door to Roman Markin's apartment. At gunpoint, they laid him and his 16-year-old daughter face down on the floor. After the search, Markin's daughter was taken away and interrogated until 3 a.m.\nIn August 2017, during a raid on believers in Neftekumsk, security forces arrested a group of 18 people, including children. The police brought them to tears, interrogating them for 3 hours about their attitude to religion. The interrogations were conducted despite the protests of the parents, without explaining the rights and obligations of minors.\nShortly after the Supreme Court's decision to ban the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses legal entities in April 2017, three cases of pressure on children in schools in Bashkortostan, Rostov and Kirov regions became known at once. In the suburbs, the school principal threatened to transfer the parents of an 8-year-old girl to another form of education. As it turned out, the girl was singing songs of Jehovah's Witnesses, and also talked about God with a classmate.\nChildren of believers faced harassment on religious grounds even before the Supreme Court's decision. In 2016, at least 25 law enforcement officers disrupted a worship service in a local community in St. Petersburg. Among those present were minors who were interrogated by the security forces.\nIt is generally accepted that children and the elderly require special care from society and the state. However, in Russia, a misinterpretation of the legislation on extremism jeopardizes not only the religious freedoms of these categories of citizens, but also their physical and emotional health.\n","category":"discrimination","date":"2020-04-06T13:48:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":false,"permalink":"/en/news/2020/04/6.html","regions":["sverdlovsk","stavropol","smolensk","krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["minors","families","search","interrogation","review"],"title":"Little Victims of Big Injustice. Children of Jehovah's Witnesses Are Detained, Interrogated, Humiliated","type":"news"},{"body":"The meeting is held without listeners due to quarantine. A defense witness says that thanks to the Bible, he quit smoking, swearing, and began to lead a highly moral life. He gives an extremely positive description of Yevgeny Spirin, emphasizing that he encouraged respect for authority and respect for representatives of other religions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2020-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20200319","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lyudmila Shut is summoned for interrogation on summons. Investigator Denis Shevchenko charges Lyudmila under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and chooses a preventive measure against her in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place and proper behavior. After that, the investigator announces the end of the investigative actions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shut in Razdolnoye","date":"2020-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volno-nadezhdinskoye2/index.html#20200318","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"30 people come to the meeting. Religious scholar T. P. Belova is being interrogated. She baselessly claims that Yevgeny's actions can be attributed to the activities of a banned organization. At the request of the lawyer, the court watches a television report dated April 21, 2014, from which it is obvious that Belova has a negative attitude towards Jehovah's Witnesses. The court should not take into account the conclusions of biased experts, so the lawyer petitions for the disqualification of specialist Belova. Judge Yuriy Gnedin rejects the petition.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2020-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20200312","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 15, 2020, Adler police detained Saratov resident Rustam Seidkuliev in a shopping center. He was taken to a police station and later placed in a special detention center for 5 days. From there, he was transported under escort to Saratov and changed the measure of restraint to house arrest.\nIn September 2019, the spouses Rustam and Yulia Seidkulievs moved from Saratov to Adler for family reasons.\nOn February 15, 2020, Rustam and Yulia were walking through a shopping center. Suddenly, they were approached by police officers. They did not identify themselves and did not show their documents. Rustam showed his driver's license, but he was still taken to the police station for identification. Later, Yulia was informed that her husband had been detained. The next day, Rustam was notified that he was wanted, so he would be placed in a special detention center for 5 days.\nOn February 20, 2020, the believer was transported under escort to his parents' apartment, where a search was conducted, but nothing prohibited was found.\nIn the meantime, several law enforcement officers arrived from Saratov to pick up Rustam. The next day, the believer was taken to Saratov and handed over to the staff of the Investigative Committee. The investigator said that Seidkuliev was suspected of extremism, and a criminal case had been initiated against him under Part 2 of Article 282.2. of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. After that, the believer was placed in a local temporary detention facility.\nOn February 22, 2020, a trial was held in the case of Seidkuliev, he was assigned a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest for two months.\nNow Rustam lives in a small one-room apartment with his grandmother. Due to the tightness, Julia has to live separately from her husband. In March 2019, Saratov security forces had already interrogated the spouses about their religion and fellow believers.\nNote dated 16.03.2020: clarifications have been made to the text.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-03-11T11:35:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs2_hu_474589935570a03a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs2_hu_8acedb093c85c4ed.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs2_hu_48d5f127a7eed0c9.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs2_hu_818807f2685e6d1e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/03/5.html","regions":["saratov","krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["ivs","search","interrogation","house-arrest","282.2-2"],"title":"In Adler, Police Officers Detained a Believer From Saratov","type":"news"},{"body":"20 people come to the hearing. An expert handwriting expert is being interrogated, who confirms that after the search report was drawn up, additions were made in it elsewhere.\nThe court proceeds to the questioning of an expert linguist. At the next meeting, it is planned to interrogate a religious scholar and an expert psychologist.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2020-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20200311","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The testimony of the prosecution witness Z. E. Tarabarina, born in 1935, compiled by the investigator during the preliminary investigation, is announced. The witness stresses several times that the testimony was recorded incorrectly and explains that she was forced to sign a protocol that she did not read.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2020-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20200311","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer thoroughly analyzed the accusations against him and proved their inconsistency.\n","date":"2020-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/docs/19.html","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation","courtroom"],"title":"Testimony of the defendant Igor Ivashin in Lensk","type":"docs"},{"body":"The hearing of the criminal case of the Bazhenov spouses continues. Witnesses are questioned, material evidence is examined, and the case materials are announced.\nProsecution witness D. N. Kalinova, a school teacher of history and social studies, is being interrogated. One of the defenders asks to point to the accused. The witness points to a free listener sitting at the end of the hall, who looks completely different from Bazhenov. Bazhenov asks the witness a question, in response the witness turns to him: \"Dear lawyer.\" At the end of the interrogation, the judge introduces the real Bazhenov to the witness with a smile.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2020-03-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20200310","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Expert Vadim Shiller from the Center for Ethno-Confessional Research, Prevention of Extremism and Countering the Ideology of Terrorism was interrogated.\nHasan Kogut asks the expert clarifying questions, but the judge Elena Bigeza interrupts him. Analyzing the provided operational materials, Vadim Shiller notes that there are no extremist appeals and statements in them. The expert draws attention to the fact that: \"They [Jehovah's Witnesses] literally and closely adhere to the Bible.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-03-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20200303","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-comments"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the TFR in the Chelyabinsk region, opened a criminal case against 74-year-old Vladimir Suvorov. The accusations are based on conversations about God with residents of Chelyabinsk and discussion of the Bible among fellow believers.\nThe criminal case against Vladimir Suvorov was initiated on January 16, 2020 under the article \"organization of extremist activity\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nAs stated in the decision to initiate the case, Vladimir organized meetings of fellow believers, during which they prayed to Jehovah together and sang religious songs. The investigator interpreted these actions as a continuation of the activities of the legal entity, the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Chelyabinsk\", which was actually liquidated back in May 2017 after the Supreme Court decision to ban 396 legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\nOn February 26, investigator Chepenko summoned Vladimir for interrogation, during which he orally informed the believer that he was under recognizance not to leave. Vladimir himself stated during the interrogation that he had never been engaged in extremist activities, and petitioned for the termination of the criminal case due to the absence of the fact of the crime itself.\nEarlier, the same investigator charged Vladimir's wife, 71-year-old Valentina Suvorova, with extremism. Now she is under recognizance not to leave.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-03-02T17:36:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_a8c404e2bc8d351e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_314afd7539e86e80.jpg","webp":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_2ad7449984257986.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/criminal_case_hu_34a0012c7c562f22.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/03/1.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","families","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","282.2-1"],"title":"A 74-year-old Resident of Chelyabinsk and His Wife Persecuted for Faith. The Investigator Considered the Elderly Couple Extremists","type":"news"},{"body":"Tatyana Galkevich was officially charged in the criminal case in the final version. She is being interrogated as an accused. Tatyana pleaded not guilty.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2020-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20200302","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Four more local residents receive summons for interrogations by mail.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2020-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20200301","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Fedorov is prosecuting Oleg Postnikov as a defendant under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20200227","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Chepenko summons Suvorov for interrogation, during which he informs the believer that he is under recognizance not to leave. Suvorov declares that he has never been engaged in extremist activities, and petitions for the termination of the criminal case in the absence of the very fact of the crime.\nEarlier, the same investigator charged Vladimir's wife, 71-year-old Valentina Suvorova, with extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2020-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20200226","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement","elderly","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer is formally charged and interrogated as an accused under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seidkuliev in Saratov","date":"2020-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov2/index.html#20200221","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Testimony is given by two other witnesses who discussed the Bible with the Polyakovs. They indicate that their rights have not been violated, no harm has been caused. The prosecutor reads out the fourth volume of the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2020-02-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20200219","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior forensic investigator D. S. Yankin charges Anna Lokhvitskaya with committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. A measure of restraint is chosen for the believer in the form of a recognizance not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20200218","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region D. Yankin signs a decree on bringing Anna Lokhvitskaya as a defendant in criminal case No. 12007990001000002. The ruling notes that Lokhvitskaya was active in religious activities, \"took a direct active part in the illegal religious event of Jehovah's Witnesses in the form of a meeting of the congregation\" and studied the Bible together with others, using the Skype program for this purpose.\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20200217","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["interrogation","first-instance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of February 12, 2020, in Stavropol, law enforcement officers disguised as neighbors came to search the family of 24-year-old Denis and Anna Mashkov. The special events lasted about 6 hours and were accompanied by insults. The head of the family was questioned whether he was an \"organizer\" of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAt 7 o'clock in the morning, when Anna's husband was at work, she heard a strong knock on the door, accompanied by shouts: \"We are your neighbors from below, you are flooding us!\" An hour later, reluctantly presenting a police ID and a court order to inspect the home, a group of 7 people, including two witnesses, entered the apartment of Anna and Denis. Among the participants in the search activities was an operative of the Center for Countering Extremism (CPE) of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Stavropol Territory, M. Chmyrev, who had previously initiated the initiation of criminal cases against believers in Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory).\nDuring the search, the security forces planted several publications previously included in the federal list of extremist materials, and also seized laptops, phones, electronic storage devices and personal records, including phone passwords.\nLaw enforcement officers asked Denis questions about his connections with Jehovah's Witnesses, whether he was the organizer and whether he knew other believers.\nAfter the search, the security forces threatened the Mashkovs that \"now they will see each other more often.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-02-14T18:09:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_4aa589b81b87365e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_dc16356e31723ca3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_d442190f69a95cf6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/02/49.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","plant","fsem"],"title":"In Stavropol, Security Forces Planted Forbidden Literature on Believers During a Search. A Family Faces Criminal Prosecution","type":"news"},{"body":"Video materials are being studied during the next interrogation of Khabarov. The believer sends to investigator Pravdivtseva the testimony of the accused, in which he reports that he did not provide the information inscribed in the protocol of the previous interrogation, and refuses to testify on the basis of paragraph 3 of part 4 of article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, as well as on the basis of article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The investigator announces his intention to separate the Khabarov case into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov","date":"2020-02-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov/index.html#20200214","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates four more witnesses with whom the Polyakovs discussed the Bible. All witnesses confirm that during the interview with the accused, their rights were not violated, and no harm was caused. During the break, it becomes obvious that the interrogated witnesses communicate with the unquestioned, as well as with the CPE officer who accompanied them. In this regard, the defense file a motion for the interrogation of G. M. Skripnikova, who witnessed non-compliance with measures to suppress the communication of witnesses during the trial. The court grants the request and requests information about the employee of the CPE. Further, the court continues to examine the material evidence presented by the disc with cartoons. Another 10 cartoons are played.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2020-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20200213","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lawyer, and then prosecutor and judge Galina Belik interrogate Gennadiy Shpakovskiy. The prosecutor asks questions about the LRO of Pskov, is interested in Shpakovsky's attitude towards representatives of other faiths.\nThe judge's questions revolve around the activities of the Pskov LRO, as well as literature included in the list of extremist materials and blood transfusions. The judge wonders why Shpakovsky kept copies of the Bible in the New World Translation instead of destroying them. To this, the believer replies that his hand did not rise to destroy the Word of God.\nJudge Belik's questions to Shpakovsky reveal that she is influenced by prejudice. Addressing the defendant, the judge says, as he understands his actions: \"You say: (...) \" They will send papers from Brooklyn, I will gather everyone, and we will again learn the Bible the way they want. Not as the state calling itself the Russian Federation wants, but as the state calling itself the United States of America wants\" (In fact, the believer only enjoys the inalienable right to freedom of religion, which is guaranteed to everyone by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.).\nThe next meeting is scheduled for 10:30 on 18.02.2020.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2020-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20200213","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A woman is being interrogated who, pretending to be interested in the Bible, kept a record of conversations with Alevtina and passed information to FSB officers. The agent gives contradictory testimony, saying that she was \"disappointed\" in some of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, and at the same time would be ready to continue to communicate with them on religious topics.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20200212","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates three witnesses with whom the Polyakovs had conversations about God. They confirm that their rights were not violated during the interview. The court examines the materials of the case, including a disc with cartoons on biblical motifs. The Polyakovs once presented this disc to the witness Zhaurova. The judge grants the lawyer's request to review the contents of the disc. 10 cartoons are played. The defense draws the court's attention to the fact that the Bible serves as the main material for cartoons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20200212","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the day, officers of the FSB and other bodies conduct searches in 50 houses of believers in cities and towns of the Trans-Baikal Territory, namely: Chita (20 searches), Khilok (4 searches), Krasnokamensk (4 searches), Baley (3 searches) and Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky (2 searches), the villages of Yasnogorsk (6 searches), Amazar (4 searches), Duldurga (2 searches), Verkhnyaya Hila (1 search), Kurort-Darasun (1 search) and Pervomaiskoye (1 search), as well as in the villages of Verkh-Chita (1 search), Zasopka (1 search) and Ilya (1 search). (Information about raids against believers in Karymsky and Shilka has not been confirmed.) At least 10 people were detained for interrogation. 31-year-old Vladimir Ermolaev (married), 47-year-old Sergey Kirilyuk (married), Pavel Mamalimov (married, has a young daughter), 31-year-old Vadim Kutsenko (married) remain in custody.\nDuring a search in the home of another family, the security forces beat the minor Alexander Karpov. Law enforcement officers forcibly knocked him to the floor, put his hands behind his head and beat him in front of his mother and younger sister. The young man is forced to \"crawl\" into the living room, where law enforcement officers read out a search warrant. The search lasts 12 hours. (Later, the lawyer in Alexander's interests filed a complaint with the investigation department about the actions of the security forces. The medical expert records the traces of beatings, and a specialist goes to inspect the house, who removes tights with traces of Alexander's blood.)\nAmong others, the search takes place in the house of Olga Polyakova, a 62-year-old resident of Khilka, a disabled person of group III. Although she has difficulty moving, she is taken away for interrogation after the search. In the same city, security forces search the home of the Maltsev family. Both spouses are on disability and are raising a minor daughter. During the search, an ambulance is called for the spouses. Despite this, the head of the family, Vadim, is taken away for interrogation.\nThe Vasilyev spouses, who live in Kurort-Darasun with four minor children, were invaded by law enforcement officers early in the morning. During the search, the head of the family, a disabled person of group III, felt unwell, but he was still taken away for interrogation.\nThe Investigative Committee reports that more than 30 investigative and operational groups were formed before the raids, which simultaneously worked in Chita and the districts of the Trans-Baikal Territory.\n31-year-old Vadim Kutsenko is handcuffed behind his back, his eyes are closed and he is subjected to beatings, strangulation and electric shocks to the lower leg and abdomen in an official car, demanding a confession. During the torture, Vadim Kutsenko refuses to admit guilt or give false testimony against his fellow believers. A company car stops in the forest behind the SibVO stadium. They take off his hat from his eyes and force him to get out of the car and beat him on the legs. After that, he is taken to the investigator, where he immediately declares the torture applied to him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ermolaev and Others in Chita","date":"2020-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita/index.html#20200210","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["torture","siloviks-violence","minors","search","interrogation","health-risk","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 29, 2020, about 100 concerned citizens came to the Sovetsky District Court of Lipetsk, where the detention of three believers in the pre-trial detention center was extended. Right there, they were given summons for interrogation to the investigator in the case against believers. Citizens are outraged by the actions of officials. The first complaints were filed on February 2.\nListeners of the trial in the case of Viktor Bachurin, Alexander Kostrov and Artur Netreba sent complaints to the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia and other bodies about the actions of the judicial authority (Sovetsky District Court of Lipetsk, the chairman of the court is Irina Bensman), which undermine confidence in the judicial system and its authority, raise doubts about the impartiality of the court, testify to extra-procedural ties between the leadership of the court and the Federal Security Service.\nThe actions of the security forces did not frighten those who came, they smiled and applauded the arrested as they were escorted along the corridor to the courtroom. Unlawful persecution of believers under \"extremist\" articles causes a great public outcry, so many listeners come to the trials of Jehovah's Witnesses - friends, acquaintances and simply not indifferent to what is happening with freedom of religion. Often, complete strangers who understand the absurdity of the accusations come to provide moral support to those arrested, despite the threat of falling under suspicion for this.\nEntrance to the building of the Sovetsky District Court of Lipetsk was carried out with a passport. The bailiffs let them in, but then three security officials, including police Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Vladimirovich Kravchenko, collected documents from the listeners and, to everyone's bewilderment, issued summonses for interrogation from the investigator of the local FSB department, Yakushev. The summons were issued by a man who introduced himself as Andrei Mikhailovich Puzanov (he refused to show his official ID). As a result, citizens were not allowed into the courtroom, the judge declared the hearing closed.\nAs the lawyers emphasize, a mass summons for interrogation in this way grossly violates the principle of publicity of the trial. \"Any citizen, be it a journalist, a relative of the defendant or just a passer-by, has the right to enter the courthouse and attend the trial without fear that he will be summoned to the FSB and asked why he decided to exercise his right under the law,\" says one of the lawyers involved in the defense of believers.\n\"The officials had no reason to seize passports from me and other citizens in the district court building, since this is not provided for by Russian law,\" one of the complaints to the Prosecutor General of Russia says.\n","category":"discrimination","date":"2020-02-07T15:07:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/02/22/image_hu_aaa6fd2da0259685.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/02/22/image_hu_2b6ecfe139c78d13.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/02/22/image_hu_eb11db8f41c9d1f9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/02/22/image_hu_9b9cb5b7adb572d3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/02/22.html","regions":["lipetsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["complaints","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"Citizens File Complaints: Bailiffs Seized Passports From Listeners and Returned Them With Summons for FSB Interrogation","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Irina Pravdivtseva interrogates Aleksey Khabarov. During the interrogation, his telephone conversations for 2018 are tapped. When drawing up a protocol, the investigator independently enters some names and facts that Khabarov did not say.\nThe status of a believer is changed from \"suspected\" to \"accused\" under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The change of Part 1 of Article 282.2 to Part 2 of Article 282.2 is related to the results of a linguistic religious and psychological examination, which showed that Khabarov was not the organizer of the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov","date":"2020-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov/index.html#20200207","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A mother of many children, who discussed the Bible with the defendant Anastasia Polyakova, was interrogated. She reports that she was not taught anything bad, her rights and freedoms were not violated. Two volumes of the materials of the criminal case were announced, including a discussion of the Bible by phone.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20200206","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 28, 2020, at least ten addresses of believers were searched in Pechora (Komi). Of 14 people detained, four remain in custody: 68-year-old Pavel Ogorodov, who suffered a stroke; 60-year-old Gennadiy Polyakevich, Gennadiy Skutelets, 43, and Maksim Terentyev, 28.\nThe storming of the apartment of 43-year-old Gennadiy Skutelets began at 6:20 am. The search lasted six hours. Gennady's elderly mother was in the apartment. At this time, his acquaintance, 28-year-old Maxim Terentyev, came to Gennady to take a meat grinder. He, as well as Gennadiy, together with his mother, were taken for interrogation to the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The woman was released after interrogation, and Skutelets and Terentyev were sent to the temporary detention facility.\nBefore his arrest, Pavel Ogorodov, despite suffering a stroke, took care of his wife and daughter, both of whom have disabilities.\nUpdate. On January 30, 2020, a court hearing was held on the measure of restraint in relation to two detainees during police raids on believers. The court left Gennadiy Polyakevich in a pre-trial detention center for two months, and Gennadiy Skutelets was released under house arrest. According to updated information, Pavel Ogorodov and Maksim Terentyev were released by the security forces on the day of detention. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-29T17:25:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_d47978800fa5e21b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut.jpg","webp":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_e7e36e7e158e908a.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/invasion-surgut_hu_28a0fe43c2e78d82.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/48.html","regions":["komi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","interrogation","ivs","health-risk"],"title":"During Mass Searches in the Town of Pechora, 14 Witnesses Were Detained, including Women and the Elderly. Four Were Not Released Even After a Day","type":"news"},{"body":"The questioning of defense witnesses begins. The first to testify are the 80-year-old mother and sons of Vadim Levchuk, then the brother of Sergey Britvin. Relatives who do not share the views of Jehovah's Witnesses explain that they never noticed any extremist manifestations in the actions and words of Vadim and Sergey, nor did they hear negative statements about people of other faiths.\nThe defense summons three more witnesses who distinguish between the concepts of \"meeting\" and \"LRO\", and also convincingly show that since February 2017 and, especially, after the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, no activity has been carried out by the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in Mr. Berezovsky.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20200128","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the court hearings, the questioning of prosecution witnesses continues. Their testimonies suggest that on November 10, 2018, a children's party was held at the Alice café, not a religious meeting. Polevodov and Kim did not make any speeches, did not distribute literature and did not call for committing any illegal actions. Songs were played with a guitar, children recited poems, acted out scenes. Entrance to the hall was free. Witnesses explain that the distribution of cardboard medallions in the shape of sheep with the names of biblical characters at the meeting was not made for the purpose of identifying guests, but was part of an entertainment program.\nThe interrogated explain that the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses encourage respect for authority, take care of the family, avoid violence, and take care of their health. Judge Vera Pismennaya considers inadmissible evidence the testimony of two underage participants in the meeting in the café, since the teacher was not present during their interrogation.\nThe judge satisfies the prosecutor's request to summon an expert to the court.\nThe prosecutor begins to announce the materials of the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20200128","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of believers continue in Kazan. Investigators find out what kind of God the townspeople believe in.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20200128","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Court hearings are ongoing. About 30 people who come to support the defendants are not allowed into the courtroom. The first to be questioned is a specialist from the Ministry of Justice, who informs the court that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited.\nTwo witnesses for the prosecution do not provide any information relevant to the case, but only express personal hostility to the religious views of the defendants. The other two witnesses, one of whom is a mullah of a mosque in Omsk, share their memories of discussing religious issues with the Polyakovs. Both witnesses confirm that these were ordinary conversations about God, their rights were not violated. The mullah complains: \"I didn't like what he was preaching here. [...] This is my village, this is where I preach.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20200128","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Britvin is being interrogated. In his talk, he talks about how, thanks to the Bible, he turned from a street boxer and drinker leading an immoral lifestyle into a decent person. Sergey also shares how advice from the Bible and communication with Jehovah's Witnesses helped him save his marriage, which was on the verge of collapse. The believer emphasizes that he did not call for the severance of family and family relations with people who do not share the religious views of Jehovah's Witnesses, as the investigation claims.\nThe defense is petitioning for changes in the conditions of detention of Britvin and Levchuk under house arrest. The court partially satisfies the petitions: Sergey Britvin is allowed daily hourly walks in the daytime. Also, both believers can now use the means of communication to communicate with lawyers.\nMore than 40 people attended the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-01-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20200127","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Today, January 23, the court for 47 days (until March 11, 2020) imprisoned a resident of Kursk, Andrei Ryshkov. The decision on another detainee, Oleksandr Vospitanyuk, has not yet been made by the judicial authorities.\nAndrey Ryshkov, 32, and Aleksandr Vospitanyuk, 40, were detained on January 21, 2020 after they appeared for questioning. It is not yet known exactly what they are accused of, but the detention took place against the backdrop of a series of searches and arrests that took place in Kursk last fall in connection with a criminal case under \"extremist\" articles initiated for reading and discussing the Bible together.\nSince then, Kurians Andrey Andreev and a married couple Alevtina and Artyom Bagratyan have been behind bars. The latter's health problems worsened after his arrest.\nIn most cases, the detention of detainees in pre-trial detention facilities is not limited to the initial term, since the courts then extend the measure of restraint. Sometimes peaceful believers are forced to spend a year or even more in a pre-trial detention center awaiting trial. For example, Dmitry Barmakin , a believer from Vladivostok, spent almost a year and three months in prison.\nThe security forces perceive the confession of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses as a continuation of the activities of the 396 legal organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses banned in Russia, although the courts did not prohibit the faith itself.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2020-01-23T17:04:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_c1ba1fe0fba8de81.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193.jpg","webp":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_6352a6d9befce345.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/depositphotos_21862193_hu_7dda90e3b5ffe468.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/28.html","regions":["kursk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","families","health-risk","interrogation"],"title":"The Kursk court sent the believer to a pre-trial detention center. The number of Kurians arrested for their faith has reached four","type":"news"},{"body":"On December 29, 2019, in the village of Sukhobuzimskoye (Krasnoyarsk Territory), a believer's car was smashed with a sledgehammer and a threatening note was left. Earlier, law enforcement officers conducted 13 searches of believers in this small village. Any search casts a shadow on a person's reputation in the eyes of neighbors, employers and other people.\nOn June 14, 2019, in a village with a population of about 4,000 people, security forces invaded 13 homes of believers, including the house of Kirill Mikhailin, with searches and interrogations. Another search took place on the same day in the neighboring village of Minderla and a few days later at Mikhailin's registration address in Krasnoyarsk. The searches and interrogations were led by investigator Denis Lugovoi, who had previously been seconded to the department of the Investigative Committee of Krasnoyarsk. He also investigated the criminal case against Andrey Stupnikov, initiated in July 2018 (the investigation has been completed, but the case has not yet been submitted to the court). Almost all searches in Sukhobuzimsky were accompanied by questions about Stupnikov.\nAlthough the local resident suspected of attacking Kirill Mikhailin's car was found and questioned on the same day, the episode raises important questions. What caused such intense hatred? How did the security forces' intrusion into the homes of believers affect their relations with their neighbors in the village, where everyone knows each other? Could it discredit civilians in the eyes of fellow villagers?\nAccording to believers, law enforcement officers, who accuse them of inciting religious hatred, by their own actions themselves incite hatred of dissidents in people. A striking example of this is the surge in sectarian violence that occurred shortly after the infamous Supreme Court decision in April 2017.\n","category":"crime","date":"2020-01-23T11:20:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/01/25/image_hu_355af334b13f1a25.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/01/25/image_hu_aa8fe315915d8d2e.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/01/25/image_hu_a3b4ed37535d8ffa.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/01/25/image_hu_f3d9c44ee14b80c8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/25.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["vandalism","search","hatred-attacks","interrogation"],"title":"What Preceded Intentional Damage to Property Based on Religious Hatred in the Village of Sukhobuzimskoe?","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator summons Viktor Zimovskiy for questioning and immediately detains him. Zimovsky was sent to the temporary detention center of the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Georgievsk urban district.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zimovskiy and others in Georgievsk","date":"2020-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/georgievsk/index.html#20200123","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 30 people gather in the building of the Leninsky District Court of Novosibirsk to support the defendant. Four more interrogated witnesses speak about Yuriy Savelyev as a kind, sympathetic and law-abiding person who has never been associated with extremism. They also explain that worship services are not the activities of any legal entity; the right of believers to assemble together is protected by the Constitution; An elder is not a position, but a spiritual attribute; Donations are entirely voluntary, and they do not involve funding anyone or anything illegal.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20200123","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Re-interrogation of the prosecution witness, Ivan Kalyt, the FSB officer who directly conducted the search.\nThe next hearings are scheduled for 29 January, 13 and 18 February.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2020-01-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20200123","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 21, 2020, believers were detained in Kursk: 40-year-old Aleksandr Vospitanyuk and 32-year-old Andrey Ryshkov. The question of the measure of restraint will be decided in court on January 23. Since mid-October, Kurians Artem and Alevtina Bagratyan and their friend Andrei Andreev have also been languishing behind bars.\nAndrey Ryshkov was invited to the FSB building for interrogation as a witness. However, already on the spot, the security forces declared him a suspect. It is not yet known what exactly. Under similar circumstances, Aleksandr Vospitanyuk was detained. Details are still unknown.\nIn October and November 2019, several waves of searches and detentions of local residents suspected of joint worship of Jehovah took place in Kursk. Artyom Bagratyan, who is in pre-trial detention, has his health deteriorated sharply.\nLaw enforcement officers interpret the confession of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses as a continuation of the activities of 396 legal organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses banned in Russia, although the courts did not prohibit the faith itself.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-22T13:25:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_4c19bccc616a0461.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e7ed3c04c528ed3b.jpg","webp":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_e58593e77498609.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/handcuffs_hu_3097a2541128b86e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/23.html","regions":["kursk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["interrogation","sizo","health-risk","search","families"],"title":"Two more believers were detained in Kursk. Earlier, a woman and two men had already been sent to the Kursk pre-trial detention center","type":"news"},{"body":"On January 21, 2020, after a day spent in a temporary detention facility, the Vakhitovsky District Court of Kazan released Tatyana Obizhestvit and Leysan Bochkareva under house arrest. Meanwhile, Leysan's husband, Andrey Bochkarev, was sent to a pre-trial detention center.\nOn January 22, it became known that operatives were going around the apartments of believers with questions. One of them, Daria Granik, was searched again that morning, and she herself was summoned for questioning at the Center for Combating Extremism and Terrorism.\nAdditional details of what happened on January 19, when at 11:15 a.m. a group of security officials invaded Tatiana Obizhestvit's apartment. Immediately, one of them loudly commanded: \"Bochkarev Andrey, go out! Is Laysan's wife here? According to believers, law enforcement officers generally behaved correctly, but did not introduce themselves. Later that day, the search began and lasted about two hours. A computer was seized from the owners of the house. According to the security forces, they were looking for weapons, drugs and \"everything connected with Jehovah.\"\nDuring the interrogation, which took place in the building of the Department for Combating Organized Crime, methods of psychological pressure were used. For example, believers were told that their fellow believers had already begun to confess. Tatiana and Leysan were taken for medical examination in handcuffs. The case is being conducted by investigator Galimzyanov R.U.\n44-year-old Andrey Bochkarev, his wife Leysan and Tatyana Obizhestvit are civilians in Kazan who have nothing to do with extremism. The right to profess any religion and peacefully gather together is guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in Russia.\nUpdate. On January 28, 2020, in Kazan, security forces forcibly pushed a 30-year-old believer into a car and took her away in an unknown direction. As it turned out, she was taken for interrogation and later released. On January 29, the woman was again summoned for interrogation and asked what kind of God she believed in, and whether she knew Andrey Bochkarev, who had been arrested. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-22T11:32:05+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/01/22/image_hu_dd17dffc3cef8db4.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/01/22/image_hu_4b89126d83a19526.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/01/22/image_hu_70e44a5b57f00671.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/01/22/image_hu_1067ab533ac95dd1.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/22.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","house-arrest","sizo","interrogation"],"title":"“Search For Everything Related to Jehovah.” New Details of the Raid on Believers In Kazan","type":"news"},{"body":"Two believers were detained: Andrey Ryshkov, 32, and Aleksandr Vospitaniuk, 41. They are interrogated, prosecuted and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2020-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20200121","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of January 19, 2020, law enforcement officers detained about 15 believers in Kazan, including two women over the age of 80 and two children. All of them were interrogated under psychological pressure about who was forcing them to read the Bible. Some believers were searched.\nAt about 11 a.m. on January 19, three investigators, accompanied by six masked riot policemen, entered Tatiana Obizhestvit's apartment. At this time, Tatiana had guests. About 15 people, including children aged 9 and 12, were taken to the local department for combating organized crime at 3 Karl Fuchs Street. During the interrogation, the investigators did their best to find out what the believers were doing in a private apartment, which of them was the \"senior\" and who made them discuss spiritual topics with each other. Intimidation techniques were used. One of the believers was threatened with initiation of a criminal case for \"involving children in illegal activities.\"\nArmen Hayriyan and Lyudmila Samoilova were searched. Spouses Andrey and Leysan Bochkarev were interrogated until late in the evening. Copies of protocols and other documents were not provided to anyone. The Bochkarevs, as well as 51-year-old Tatyana Obizhestvit, have been in a temporary detention center for the second day.\nOther details of the incident are being clarified.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-20T15:55:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_24ad70e1aa0e2a2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao.jpg","webp":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_f1aae88eb07ca8e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/vtorzghenie%20v%20hmao_hu_d2d4237a735db5c7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/12.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","meetings-disruption","interrogation","elderly","minors"],"title":"Mass Detentions in Kazan: Department for Combating Organized Crime Finds Out Why People Aged 9 to 80 Read the Bible","type":"news"},{"body":"In one of the schools in Georgievsk, security forces interrogate a sixth-grader about Jehovah's Witnesses. The interrogation is also repeated on January 21.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zimovskiy and others in Georgievsk","date":"2020-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/georgievsk/index.html#20200117","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 18 and 19, 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a series of searches in the homes of 9 local families in the city of Neftekumsk and the village of Zaterechnoye, Stavropol Territory. Some were interrogated about fellow believers who had been released from pre-trial detention a few days earlier by the court.\nThe searches began on December 18 at about 9 a.m. and lasted about an hour and a half. Another search took place in Zaterechne on December 19.\nAs follows from the search protocols, the police, employees of the Investigative Committee and the Center for Countering Extremism were looking for \"objects and documents confirming criminal activity related to the organization of the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nHowever, the security forces found and seized several copies of the Bible, including in the Synodal translation and the translation of Archimandrite Macarius. Also, a laptop, tablet, mobile phone, and personal records were confiscated from believers. In one of the cases, law enforcement officers took a box with 800 rubles.\nAfter the searches, six believers were taken to law enforcement offices and interrogated. Among other things, they asked about three residents of Neftekumsk, who had previously been imprisoned in a pre-trial detention center for their faith. They were released only a year later, but remain accused in the case of extremism.\nThe criminal case against believers from Neftekumsk is one example of unjustified persecution for their beliefs in Russia. Believers face degrading treatment and arrests for \"not renouncing their religious views.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-16T13:30:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_4aa589b81b87365e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk.jpg","webp":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_dc16356e31723ca3.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/searches%20saransk_hu_d442190f69a95cf6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/8.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"Mass Searches of Witnesses Continued in the Stavropol Territory. Security Forces Seized Bibles","type":"news"},{"body":"Three believing residents of Georgievsk (Stavropol Territory) became the object of close attention of law enforcement officers - a married couple was accused of extremism. Also, the defendant in the criminal case was the father of two minor children who underwent heart surgery.\nAs it became known on January 11, 2020, a criminal case was opened on charges of organizing and participating in extremist activities in the context of searches in Georgievsk that took place on October 23, 2019.\nSpecial services raided three addresses, in each case the owners planted flash drives. Then 11 people were detained, they were interrogated until late at night, after which they were released.\nOne of the searches took place in the house of Viktor Zimovskiy. Some time ago, he underwent severe heart surgery. Victor became ill right during the special events. Nevertheless, he was also taken to the police station and interrogated along with everyone else.\nAccording to the Investigative Committee, Victor convened and held meetings of fellow believers in the household provided by the couple. Believers discussed with those who came \"religious intolerance towards representatives of other faiths,\" as follows from the message on the website of the Investigative Committee for Stavropol. This is what the security forces call peaceful prayers and joint discussions of the principles of Christian life. A criminal case was opened against all three under Part 1 of Article 282.2 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of Russia.\nThe repression may affect not only Viktor's health, but also his family. Viktor has two small children of preschool and primary school age, his wife is pregnant with her third child.\nBelievers have repeatedly told how religious persecution hits families. In addition, there have been cases when the stress associated with the actions of the security forces led to the failure of pregnancy. This happened in the Lungu family of Dzhankoy.\nUpdate. On January 23, 2020, investigator A. M. Ostya summoned Viktor Zimovskiy for questioning and immediately detained him, sending him to the temporary detention facility. The next day, the Georgievsk City Court arrested Viktor for 1 month and 6 days. It is not yet known in which pre-trial detention center the believer will await trial. ","category":"trial","date":"2020-01-16T09:42:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/common/usb-flash_hu_1ea7369786ae2d86.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/common/usb-flash_hu_180cb0f5b9385364.jpg","webp":"/news/common/usb-flash_hu_7f924ef94ac140a0.webp","webp2x":"/news/common/usb-flash_hu_4b5889e29bec1275.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/6.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","families","minors","new-case","plant","health-risk","interrogation","282.2-1","282.2-2","disability"],"title":"Searches in Georgievsk Lead to Criminal Prosecution of Three Believers Including the Father of Two Children","type":"news"},{"body":"Hearing in the Berezovsky City Court. Vadim Levchuk testified.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2020-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20200116","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the interrogation of the expert religious scholar, Judge Alexander Ishchenko does not hide his negative attitude towards the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, as the following excerpt from the transcript shows:\nJudge: Jehovah's Witnesses are unwilling to obey some of the basic laws of society. They refuse to defend their homeland. Isn't this the opposition of oneself to society? Who, then, should defend the Motherland if the majority become Jehovah's Witnesses? What will happen to the country then? Isn't that a threat to our national security?\nExpert in religious studies (Sergey Ivanenko): If I were in the United States, I would think about this, because there are more than a million Jehovah's Witnesses there.\nJudge: I'm not interested in the United States, I'm interested in Russia.\nReligious Expert: The Number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia Is Less Than in the United States...\nJudge (interrupts the specialist): Now less, and tomorrow there will be more! You yourself said that there is a tendency to increase their number! What will happen tomorrow if there are a lot of them?\nExpert Religious Scholar: You know...\nJudge (interrupts the specialist): Who will defend the Motherland? [...]\nReligious expert: In America, singing the anthem is a very important part of life. Jehovah's Witnesses show respect for those who sing the hymn, but Jehovah's Witnesses do not participate in the singing of the hymn.\nJudge: And in Russia, Jehovah's Witnesses at least sing a hymn, don't you know?\nReligious expert: They don't sing in Russia either.\nJudge: They don't sing... That is, Jehovah's Witnesses do not recognize the symbol of state power.\nReligious expert: Jehovah's Witnesses do not honor the flag, but they will not spit on it and will not burn it, this is also a fact. Jehovah's Witnesses will not do this for reasons of principle, but at the same time they respect state symbols. They will not whistle when other people sing the anthem of Russia. They have certain moral attitudes... (The judge sighs heavily, loudly.)\nThe lawyer expresses his objections to the actions of the judge. He points out that the nature of the questions that the judge asked the expert indicates the formed position on the case, the accusatory bias of the judge and the interest in a certain outcome of the case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Popovs in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2020-01-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk/index.html#20200115","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-comments","courtroom"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The interrogation of a new prosecution witness begins, who at first stated that he did not fear for his life, but as soon as the defense began the interrogation, he changed his mind.\nThe witness is the owner of the Kingdom Hall and testifies that he appealed to the police and prosecutor's office in connection with the sealing of the building on April 22, 2017. This testimony refutes the false testimony of a prosecution witness who allegedly attended meetings in this building until November 2017.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2020-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20200114","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 27, 2019, law enforcement officers detained two women in Penza under the pretext of searching for fraudsters. As it turned out later, the real reason for the detention was religious beliefs. One of the security officials flaunted the fact that he \"imprisoned Alushkin.\"\nFriends 26 and 29 years old came to visit a local woman who had invited them to talk about the Bible the day before. Almost immediately after the believers, two police officers entered the entrance. Major Valery Kulikov said that the women allegedly fit the description of the wanted fraudsters and forced them to follow him to the police station. As it turned out, there were no specific orientations for believers, the police picked them up at random, but the description and appearance of the detainees did not coincide with the orientations.\nThe women were not charged and were taken to another police station without apparent grounds, where the security forces continued their interrogation. The detainees were inspected and mobile phones were seized. The security forces tried to take fingerprints by deception and intimidation. At the same time, threats were made against believers and psychological pressure was exerted on them. During the interrogation, one of the women became ill.\nThe police questioned the detainees' religious beliefs, asking if they needed help to \"leave the sect.\"\nLaw enforcement officers were especially interested in whether the women knew Vladimir Alushkin, who on December 13, 2019, was sentenced to 6 years for professing his faith.\nA security official surnamed Bukov, who introduced himself as an \"investigator for extremist cases,\" said that women did not need to share their faith with others. Now, according to him, the security forces will have to decide \"what kind of case to initiate: a criminal case on extremism or an administrative case on missionary activity.\" After interrogation, the women were released.\nThe events described happened just two weeks after the verdict of the Leninsky District Court of Penza against six citizens whose faith was not liked by the security forces. In addition to Vladimir Alushkin, his wife Tatyana, as well as Galiya Olkhova, Denis Timoshin, Andrey Magliv and Vladimir Kulyasov were convicted under the \"extremist\" article. Alushkin's wife and four of his acquaintances received 2 years of suspended sentence each.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-01-13T17:14:51+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/01/1552/depositphotos_75905113_7_2_hu_a7e12beae6cb7bec.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/01/1552/depositphotos_75905113_7_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/01/1552/depositphotos_75905113_7_2_hu_d58f9b884b44bb7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/01/1552/depositphotos_75905113_7_2_hu_eb91f4ca8be731ca.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/1552.html","regions":["penza"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["interrogation"],"title":"“Put Alushkin in Prison.” Police in Penza Believe They Have Carte Blanche for Religious Persecution","type":"news"},{"body":"Four witnesses give positive characteristics of the defendant, and also explain the difference between a legal entity and a group of believers. They explain that Yuriy Savelyev has never been the head of any banned legal entity, did not organize or continue the activities of any extremist organizations. The next hearings are scheduled for January 23 and 30.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20200113","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 12, 2019, in Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory), the Investigative Committee opened criminal cases under two \"extremist\" articles against 9 believers, the eldest of whom is 89 years old. So law enforcement officers decided to intensify the persecution of peaceful elderly Jehovah's Witnesses.\nLieutenant Colonel of Justice V. Sabadash, deputy head of the investigation department for Nevinnomyssk, decided to initiate a criminal case against 60-year-old Sergey Kuznetsov on charges of organizing a banned community (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Accused of participation in an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) were 89-year-old Rimma Vashchenko, 78-year-old Anatoliy Boyko, Georgy and Tatyana Parfentiev (73 and 72 years old, respectively), 71-year-old Evgenia Akhrameeva, as well as 57-year-old Nadezhda Konkova and 54-year-old Karina Sahakyan.\nThe decision to initiate criminal cases was made on the basis of the reports of the detective of the Center for Countering Extremism (CPE) of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Stavropol Territory M. Chmyrev and the senior detective of the FSB department of Russia F. Savichev.\nAbout a year earlier, on November 21, 2018, mass operational-search activities took place in the homes of believers from Nevinnomyssk: security forces seized phones, books, computers, other electronic devices and flash drives. In some cases, operatives demanded passwords from computer equipment, threatening otherwise to hack them.\nIn one of the cases, after a search, an elderly owner lost 10 thousand rubles. In another case, the search took place in the presence of minor children.\nThe searches were followed by interrogations that lasted for several hours. One of the men had high blood pressure during the interrogation and had to call an ambulance.\nSix months later, in July 2019, at 6:40 am, the operatives came to Vahan Mkhitaryan. The search and the subsequent interrogation were accompanied by threats and insults, as well as obscene language against the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Mkhitaryan was taken to the police station, where he was beaten for refusing to cooperate with the investigation. Electronic media, Bibles in Armenian and Russian languages were seized from him. The security forces also tried to plant a bag with suspicious green contents on the man.\nAnother raid, the victims of which were mainly the elderly, the disabled and children, took place in Neftekumsk, when on August 26, 2017, security forces detained 18 believers who were vacationing in nature.\nHarassment of believers in the Stavropol Territory began even before the Supreme Court's decision to ban 396 Russian religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses. Announcements of these events are published on the regional page.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-01-03T17:16:49+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/01/1523/312_edited_0_hu_3c81089fb7ef7662.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/01/1523/312_edited_0_hu_99cdaf48cf4c5211.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/01/1523/312_edited_0_hu_f7208f3419e7fe0e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/01/1523/312_edited_0_hu_60fde69805fd126c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/1523.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-1","282.2-2","search","interrogation","siloviks-violence","plant"],"title":"Investigators Replenish the List of “Elderly Extremists” With Believers From Nevinnomyssk","type":"news"},{"body":"On December 29, 2019, law enforcement officers, including employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region, simultaneously invaded at least 4 apartments where Jehovah's Witnesses live. Searches and interrogations were conducted. A criminal case has been initiated.\nIt is known that criminal case No. 11902470002000277 has been initiated. It is being investigated by the Investigative Department for the city of Murmansk of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region. It is not yet clear, however, under what article and against whom this case was initiated.\nInvestigators I.O. Shash and N.I. Glebov were involved in the operation, among others.\nEarlier, on April 18, 2018, in the city of Polyarny (Murmansk region), searches were conducted in the homes of local residents. 44-year-old Roman Markin and 61-year-old Viktor Trofimov were sent to a pre-trial detention center on suspicion of \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (age indicated at the time of arrest). On May 24, 2019, they were served with an indictment, a final document in which investigators had to justify their attacks on peaceful law-abiding believers.\nUpdate. According to updated information, on December 29, 5 searches took place in Murmansk, after which 13 people were taken to the building of the local Investigative Committee for interrogation. Only one of the detainees was provided with a copy of the interrogation protocol. At the place of search, the security forces seized literature and electronic media. A copy of the search protocol was also not provided to everyone. According to a press release from the Investigative Committee for the Murmansk Region, a new criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization). The number and names of the defendants in the criminal case are still unknown.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-12-30T17:59:01+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1510/190215_hu_584e781696db873d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1510/190215.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1510/190215_hu_5a7893bc0af43a5f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1510/190215_hu_46985ff64a76e579.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1510.html","regions":["murmansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Sunday operation against believers in Murmansk. The forces of the Investigative Committee were thrown into the investigation of the Bible readings ","type":"news"},{"body":"On December 26, 2019, a series of searches of Jehovah's Witnesses' homes took place in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. At least 8 people, including minors, were taken for questioning. 59-year-old Aleksandr Kabanov spent a day behind bars. On December 27, however, the court refused to send him to jail.\nUpdate. It became known that the minors were not taken away for interrogation, but were interrogated at the place of the search.\nDespite the severe frost, about 40 anxious citizens came to the hearing on the election of a preventive measure for Alexander Kabanov. Almost none of them were allowed to attend the hearing and were even escorted out of the courthouse. For about 3 hours, the believer's friends waited for what the court would say, taking turns warming themselves in cars. All of them breathed a sigh of relief when they learned about the court's refusal to send Aleksandr Kabanov to the pre-trial detention center.\nThis is not the first time that law enforcement agencies in the Krasnoyarsk Territory have persecuted ordinary people and deprived them of their legal right to practice their religion. Compared to other regions, the Krasnoyarsk Territory is engaged in a very active struggle against the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses . The fight against the \"undesirable\" faith has been launched in six cities of the region at once - Krasnoyarsk, Norilsk, Minusinsk, Sharypov, Achinsk, and now in Zelenogorsk.\nCurrently, investigations are underway in this region against seven believers: Krasnoyarsk, Minusinsk, Sharypovo, Norilsk and Achinsk. Aleksandr Polozov from Norilsk was taken into custody in pre-trial detention center No. 4 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Most recently, on the night of December 20, 2019, Anton Ostapenko from Sharypovo was released from pre-trial detention center No. 3 under house arrest, after 246 days behind bars. And the case of Andrey Stupnikov has been dragging on since July 3, 2018.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-12-27T17:57:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1509/zelenogorsk_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_a3af187dacca810.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1509/zelenogorsk_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_6542397dc54bff0d.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1509/zelenogorsk_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_a4a3f2724a87de59.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1509/zelenogorsk_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_60650e5ad941c5a6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1509.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","minors","ivs"],"title":"In the closed city of Zelenogorsk, the believer spent a day in an isolation ward. The security forces asked to send him to a pre-trial detention center, but the court refused ","type":"news"},{"body":"At the entrance of a residential building, two young women were detained under the pretext of searching for fraudsters. At the police station, the real reason for their detention is found out - religious beliefs. Among other things, the women are interrogated about their acquaintance with Vladimir Alushkin, who was previously convicted of his faith.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2019-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20191227","regions":["penza"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the closed city of Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), a series of searches are being conducted in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. At least 8 people, including minors, were interrogated. Aleksandr Kabanov, 59, was detained and charged with Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code. The case is being investigated by the head of the Investigation Department for the closed city of Zelenogorsk, Colonel of Justice Oleg Kolosov.\nAccording to the materials of the investigation, the believer organized in Zelenogorsk \"the activities of the liquidated local religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses of Zelenogorsk, which was previously part of the structure of the religious organization UC SI banned in the territory of the Russian Federation.\"\nAleksandr Kabanov and 4 other believers are interrogated at the FSB department.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2019-12-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20191226","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning of December 19, 2019, in Vologda, security forces invaded a number of homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. On December 21, the court sent 45-year-old Nikolai Stepanov, who has a wife and son, to the pre-trial detention center. 67-year-old Yuri Baranov was placed under house arrest by the court, given that his mother needs daily care.\nBelievers say that in some cases groups of security officers consisted of 4 SOBR fighters, a technical specialist, an investigator, and witnesses. During the searches, electronic devices were seized. After hours of searches, believers, including women and minor children, were detained for interrogations that lasted until 8 p.m. At least 6 searches of believers' homes took place in the city at the same time.\nIt is known that a criminal case was initiated under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believers are suspected not just of worshiping God together, but of allegedly resuming the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Vologda\". The case is being investigated by the first department for the investigation of especially important cases (crimes against the person and public safety) of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Vologda Region. Among those who conducted searches or interrogations were investigator N.A. Shilov, investigator Denis Kamensky and detective of the Center for Countering Extremism Viktor Povzderin.\nIt is obvious that this criminal case, as well as hundreds of other cases in more than 50 regions of Russia, are a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate and ban the activities of all organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Law enforcement officers inappropriately interpret joint confession of religion as participation in extremist activities, which contradicts Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which guarantees freedom of religion for all.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-12-24T10:47:55+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1494/depositphotos_21862193_4_0_hu_8840cec15fee8f3d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1494/depositphotos_21862193_4_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1494/depositphotos_21862193_4_0_hu_62802ad46aa503fd.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1494/depositphotos_21862193_4_0_hu_2848070554300b5b.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1494.html","regions":["vologda"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","house-arrest","minors","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"title":"Mass searches of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vologda. One believer was sent to a pre-trial detention center, another was placed under house arrest","type":"news"},{"body":"The court examines the prosecution witness. The witness, a woman, appeals to the judge with a request: \"Please do not punish him severely, because he is not guilty of anything!\"\nParticipants in the hearings get acquainted with video and audio materials. Due to the poor quality of the recording, the judge interrupts the playback and insists on providing better quality recordings or evidence that directly indicates the corpus delicti.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2019-12-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20191223","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yuri Baranov is detained and interrogated as a suspect. A criminal case has been initiated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Stepanov and Baranov in Vologda","date":"2019-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vologda/index.html#20191219","regions":["vologda"],"tags":["interrogation","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"About 100 people gather near the courthouse, who come from different parts of Crimea to support Sergey.\nThe questioning of defence witnesses is ongoing. One of the witnesses tells of his grandparents, who were exiled to Siberia during the Soviet era for their faith. She shares that she grew up in an atmosphere of love and never heard swearing or foul language in the house.\nSergey Filatov's wife, Natalya, in her testimony tells the court how much better and happier her and her husband's life became after starting Bible study: they quit smoking and some other bad habits.\nThe judge grants the prosecutor's request to examine a new prosecution witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-12-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191218","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Cherkessk, the local FSB conducts 12 searches of Jehovah's Witnesses. Security forces are detaining and interrogating about 10 people. A day later, all the believers, with the exception of Albert Batchaev, were released. A criminal case was opened against Batchaev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for organizing \"the performance of songs from a special collection of religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and prayers to Jehovah God\" and similar actions. Behind the persecution of believers is an FSB investigator, Major of Justice M. Sapronov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Batchaev in Cherkessk","date":"2019-12-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk/index.html#20191216","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of secret witness Smirnov. According to him, he communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses until April 2017. Polevodov demands that Smirnov be declassified, but the judge refuses. In his testimony, Smirnov states that he knows the defendants, but does not know whether they have any status in a religious organization. On April 21, 2018, the witness was present at the meeting in the café. Smirnov at first declares that the believers were conspiring, but it turns out that he went there completely freely, no one checked his identity. According to him, everyone present knew about the ban. How he knows this, he is not able to explain. Smirnov claims that both defendants used extremist literature at the meeting, but he does not know which one. The witness also finds it difficult to explain which statements by Polevodov and Kim should be understood as calls for extremism. On two occasions, he states that there were children at the meeting, although no children are seen in the video recording of the meeting made by the operational staff. Smirnov refuses to answer most of the questions, explaining that he does not want to reveal his identity.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for January 9, 2020.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Polevodov and Kim in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk/index.html#20191212","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Five other defence witnesses are being questioned. A 60-year-old man recounts how his father, who met Jehovah's Witnesses in the Dachau concentration camp, where they came to the rescue and showed extraordinary love for each other, encouraged him to get to know them better.\nOne of the witnesses explained in her testimony that one cannot become one of Jehovah's Witnesses unless one gets rid of bad habits and changes one's lifestyle, since God is holy and requires appropriate treatment.\nA total of 14 defense witnesses were questioned during three court hearings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191210","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing on the merits. Defense witnesses were questioned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-12-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20191209","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court made the decision on December 4, 2019, without notifying any of the relatives. It was found out that the men are still in a temporary detention center, and in mid-December they should be transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Lipetsk region. The case is being conducted by Y. V. Yakushev, an investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Lipetsk region.\nThe Lipetsk region has become the 49th region of Russia where believers are persecuted. On December 2, 2019, at least 7 searches were carried out in the regional center. Having burst into one of the dwellings, the FSB officers knocked down the owner of the apartment, while she received a head injury, and an ambulance had to be called. The men present in the apartment were handcuffed and forced to lie on the floor.\nBy midnight, believers from different places were taken for a 5-hour interrogation to the FSB department. 41-year-old Artur Netreba, 57-year-old Viktor Bachurin and 58-year-old Alexander Kostrov were arrested.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-12-05T15:44:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1449/prison5_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_72305b2fb5a1974f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1449/prison5_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_a2e59549e53aa24c.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1449/prison5_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_88a56cf23d595095.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1449/prison5_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_70267bbf847a76b2.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1449.html","regions":["lipetsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","search","siloviks-violence","health-risk","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"In Lipetsk, believers Artur Netreba, Viktor Bachurin and Aleksandr Kostrov were sent to a pre-trial detention center. The FSB insisted on their arrest","type":"news"},{"body":"The court continues to question prosecution witnesses. O. I. Negrulina, the cashier of the Alice café, informs the court that she did not know that Jehovah's Witnesses had gathered in the café. R. F. Kilimacher tries to use Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, but the court does not allow her to do so. The witness reports that the meeting in the café was not religious. She explains that the testimony she gave earlier was taken under psychological pressure. Witness Kilimacher gives explanations of creeds in response to questions from the defendant Kim. The judge wonders if only Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved during God's coming judgment. She is impressed by the witness's response that only God decides, and he does not want anyone to die. D. Sugak is being interrogated. He led an antisocial lifestyle and has not been a Jehovah's Witness since 2016. He gives all testimony relating to a later period based only on his assumptions. Sugak believes that Jehovah's Witnesses will never stop preaching, and in many countries they do so without any legal registration.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20191205","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"When examining the book \"The Secret of Family Happiness\" seized from believers, Judge Ishchenko, having learned that the copyright to the book belongs to a legal entity registered in the United States, expresses surprise that such a publication ended up in Vilyuchinsk, a closed territorial entity. (Later, after the defense's objection, the court found that the production of publications abroad is not a sign of extremist activity.)\nWitnesses from the defense, three of whom are business partners of Mikhail Popov, are being interrogated. The next meetings are scheduled for December 17-19, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Popovs in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2019-12-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk/index.html#20191205","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 2, 2019, at least 7 searches were carried out in Lipetsk. Breaking into one of the dwellings, the FSB officers knocked down the owner of the apartment. At the same time, she hit her head hard. As a result of a wave of searches, 41-year-old Artur Netreba, 57-year-old Viktor Bachurin and 58-year-old Alexander Kostrov were detained, the question of the measure of restraint for them will be decided by the court.\nAt about 7:30 p.m., a group of FSB officers broke into the apartment of Sergei Antonov, who was receiving guests, knocked down the owner of the house, so that she received a head injury and had to call for emergency help. Although the search warrant referred to only three suspects, the men present in the apartment were handcuffed and forced to lie on the floor.\nThe search lasted 4 hours. The security forces searched the personal belongings and cars of believers, and also asked if they could confirm each other's identities. On the same evening, searches were carried out at at least 6 more addresses. Money, equipment, books were seized from the closet.\nCloser to midnight, 8 people were taken for interrogation to the FSB department. Netreba, Bachurin and Kostrov were detained, the rest were released 5 hours later, having issued summonses for re-interrogation on December 5. Believers reported pressure from investigators when trying to use Article 51 of the Constitution.\nThis is the first case of Jehovah's Witnesses being persecuted for their faith in the Lipetsk region, but it only adds to the map of persecution of believers in modern Russia, which already covers most regions of the country. At the same time, the courts considering criminal cases against believers began to return them to the prosecutor's office because of vague wording and obvious falsifications.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-12-04T15:32:19+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1445/depositphotos_18573119_8_hu_d5cee966f90916.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1445/depositphotos_18573119_8.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1445/depositphotos_18573119_8_hu_51a8cf3809faf296.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1445/depositphotos_18573119_8_hu_526cdc1b7d7f3266.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1445.html","regions":["lipetsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","health-risk","siloviks-violence","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"Lipetsk Region Becomes 49th Region of Russia Where Believers Are Persecuted: Three Men Detained, Woman Injured","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Lipetsk region Y. V. Yakushev initiates a criminal case against 58-year-old Alexander Kostrov, 57-year-old Viktor Bachurin and 41-year-old Artur Netreba under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Within an hour and a half, searches begin in 7 houses of Lipetsk residents.\nA group of FSB officers breaks into the apartment of Sergei Antonov, who receives guests. They knock down the mistress of the house, so that she hits her head hard. All the men, including Kostrov, Bachurin and Netreba, are handcuffed and forced to lie on the floor. By midnight, 8 people were taken to the FSB department for interrogation. Kostrov, Bachurin and Netreba are placed in a temporary detention facility, the rest are released 5 hours later with a summons for re-interrogation on December 5, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Netreba and Others in Lipetsk","date":"2019-12-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lipetsk/index.html#20191202","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"This is the third time the defense has requested an open trial, citing the fact that the prosecution witnesses have been questioned and there is no danger to their lives and health.\nThe prosecutor declares his desire to examine new prosecution witnesses after the defence has finished questioning its witnesses.\nThe questioning of defence witnesses is ongoing. One of them is a woman with Orthodox views, an entrepreneur who herself took the initiative and volunteered to testify in defense of Filatov. When she learned about Sergey's criminal prosecution, she was deeply outraged, as she had been cooperating with Filatov on construction issues for many years. In her testimony, she gives him a positive characterization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191128","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another interrogation of Andrei Maksimovich.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20191128","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The details of what happened in Achinsk on November 14, 2019 have been clarified. In total, searches were conducted in at least 7 apartments of believers, and 8 people were interrogated. Law enforcement officers seized various editions of the Holy Scriptures from several believers that were not included in the list of extremist literature.\nMost of the books were seized from 62-year-old Viktor Sagin: the Bible in the Orthodox Synodal translation, two Bibles of the Orthodox Archimandrite Macarius and two editions of the New Testament. The Bible of Archimandrite Macarius, the Bible in Modern Translation and the Bible Symphony, as well as a smartphone and tablet were seized from 52-year-old Alexander Borkunov.\nIt is also known about searches and inspections of the premises of Yuri Sotnikov, Natalia Nikitina, Vladimir Chernik, Arkady Osipok and Alexander and Tatyana Pozdnyakov. All the believers mentioned were asked about their religious views.\nThe residents of Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory) subjected to searches and interrogations are peaceful, law-abiding citizens whom law enforcement officers decided to equate with extremists only because they suspected them of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, the massive confiscation of Bibles from Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country confirms Vladimir Putin's words that in fact the fight is not against extremists, but against Christians.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-11-25T17:04:16+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1405/7_bibles2_hu_98cc54593df84d29.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1405/7_bibles2_hu_9b31467cfd75625d.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1405/7_bibles2_hu_aec39a2b2970d4fe.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1405/7_bibles2_hu_ed0c96598c0f7258.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1405.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","translations","interrogation","elderly"],"title":"Five Bibles and two New Testaments were seized from residents of Achinsk","type":"news"},{"body":"Vladimir Teterin was again interrogated as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20191125","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"After 207 days in the pre-trial detention center, Yevgeny Deshko was transferred to house arrest. Of the defendants in this case, Valery Shalev and Viktor Malkov remain in the pre-trial detention center. On the same day, security forces searched the house of a local resident, Irina Marusova. The woman was summoned for questioning.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shalev and Others in Smolensk","date":"2019-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk2/index.html#20191122","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["house-arrest","search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The charges against Rogozin, Melnik, Egozaryan, Osipov have been toughened - now the investigation considers them to be the organizers of the extremist community. Volgograd residents face up to 10 years in prison.\nDenis Peresunko is being interrogated as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2019-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20191122","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["282.2-1","282.3-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defense was again denied a request to hold an open hearing, as well as to declassify a secret witness.\nPolice officer A. Karpenko is being interrogated, who confirmed that no meetings were held in the building of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses after 22.04.2017.\nDuring the interrogation, religious scholar Alexei Voznyak said that he was superficially familiar with the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. When asked whether a believer needs to have a registration and a legal entity in order to pray to God, Wozniak clarified that if we are talking about one person, then no, and if we are talking about a group of citizens, then we need to create a legal entity.\nThe questioning of defense witnesses begins. All five emphasize that they have never heard from Filatov calls to incite religious hatred and undermine the constitutional order, but, on the contrary, he encouraged love for people and obedience to the authorities.\nDuring the hearing, a distinction was made between the legal and canonical structures of the organization. Thus, the meetings of the members of the LRO, in contrast to the services of the canonical structure, are formalized by protocols, songs are not performed at them and only economic, legal issues, etc. are considered.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191121","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Bezrukov deceives 81-year-old Alexandra Ulyanova out of a sanatorium in the suburbs of Smolensk, interrogates her to the FSB for 6 hours. He tells the woman that he \"wants to figure it out\" and make sure that her friends and acquaintances are innocent. After interrogation, he takes her home and soon arrives to search her house.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shalev and Others in Smolensk","date":"2019-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk2/index.html#20191121","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["interrogation","search","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Potylitsyn on the call of the investigator comes for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20191120","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 17, 2019, in Tynda (Amur Region), searches began in the homes of law-abiding citizens suspected of reading the Bible in the morning. They were conducted by two task forces that arrived from Blagoveshchensk.\nAmong the security forces were Police Major Valentin Fomin, representative of the FSB Directorate for the Amur Region Maxim Isaev and other operatives. One of the groups consisted of 6 people. It seems that the searches took place according to a pre-prepared list. It is known that representatives of the authorities came to at least 6 houses. They seized cell phones and laptops, personal notes, postcards, Bibles in the Synodal translation, and even a napkin with a beautiful illustration that seemed suspicious to them. Police Major Fomin tried in vain to start a conversation with the owners on a biblical topic. All those whose homes were inspected were invited for interrogation by the FSB of the city of Tynda.\nUpdate. Later it became known that searches were carried out in 9 families of believers from Tynda. 12 people were interrogated by the FSB.\nEarlier, 3 criminal cases against believers were initiated in the Amur Region: the case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk, the case of Moiseenko in Zeya and the case of Olshevsky and Ermilov in Blagoveshchensk.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-11-19T17:46:35+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1375/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_3_1_hu_e33719bbb893995f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1375/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_3_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1375/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_3_1_hu_c583ec7904548f1d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1375/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_3_1_hu_82d1fb38cbd4f9b0.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1375.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"In Tynda, security forces searched the homes of believers. Personal notes, postcards and Bibles were seized","type":"news"},{"body":"Another employee of the conference room was questioned. He explained that some kind of religious event was taking place in the conference hall. He does not know Aksyonov. After that, the prosecutor begins to read out written documents, in particular, the conclusions of 4 expert opinions: religious scholar Averina O.D., psychologist Paevshchik A.A., linguist Merzlikina M.S. and sociologist Berezutsky Y.V., according to whom songs and prayers to Jehovah God were sung in the conference hall, the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses was spread and the Bible was used in the New World Translation, which, according to experts, is \"a continuation of the activities of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" The next court hearing is scheduled for November 29, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. It is planned to interrogate a \"secret\" witness.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aksenov in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk3/index.html#20191118","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses do not appear for questioning. The prosecution begins to present the evidence set forth in 7 volumes.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2019-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20191118","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigators Isaev, Obukhov, Makhnonosov and Samarin are conducting interrogations. Yuferov, Slashchev, Burkov and Bukin are officially charged, they are taken on their own recognizance. Believers are persistently persuaded to cooperate with the investigation.\nIn total, 12 people are interrogated on this day, among whom Savicheva, Slashcheva, Tikhonkikh, Tatyana and O. Verzina appear as witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda","date":"2019-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tynda/index.html#20191118","regions":["amur"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 8, 2019, in Nevinnomyssk, FSB officers summoned a local resident, Yuri Savitsky, for questioning. In the cities of Neftekumsk and Blagodarny, as well as in the villages of Urozhaynoye and Velichayevskoye, searches are being carried out in the homes of believers, followed by interrogations.\nThese events take place as part of the investigation into the case against Konstantin Samsonov, Alexander Akopov and Shamil Sultanov. During interrogations, FSB officers Mikhail Kalashnikov and Vadim Lyakhov find out whether citizens are familiar with Samsonov, Akopov and Sultanov who are in pre-trial detention, what religion they adhere to and where they work.\nKonstantin Samsonov, Shamil Sultanov and Aleksandr Akopov ended up in pre-trial detention in December 2018, but the criminal prosecution was initiated by the events of August 2017. Then a group of believers, including children, the elderly and the disabled, were blocked by the police while relaxing on the shore of the lake and taken for interrogation.\nKonstantin Samsonov, Shamil Sultanov and Alexander Akopov are still in the pre-trial detention center of the city of Stavropol. At the moment, 45 people suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are being held in custody in Russia, eight of them are serving real terms in prison just for their faith.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-11-15T17:44:28+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1369/search_02_hu_470c7df232cdbd40.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1369/search_02.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1369/search_02_hu_14d90c3d94ba9231.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1369/search_02_hu_607fea0552def003.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1369.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"In the Stavropol Territory, New Searches and Interrogations Took Place in the Case Against Believers from Neftekumsk","type":"news"},{"body":"Mass interrogations of believers and searches in their apartments are taking place in Achinsk. Various editions of the Bible and the New Testament were seized from several people.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sagin in Achinsk","date":"2019-11-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/achinsk/index.html#20191114","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another witness, who was present in the café building, is being interrogated. From her answer it is clear that she does not know the defendants, she did not enter the hall where the meeting of the group of people took place.\nAnother witness by the name of Sugak, who attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses until 2016, reports that he knows Polevodov and Kim. He does not know whether the believers were part of the legal entity that was banned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Polevodov and Kim in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-11-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk/index.html#20191114","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Specialists from the prosecution are being interrogated - the priest and rector of the Orthodox church in Belogorsk, M. Kondakov. He pays attention to the personality of Charles Russell, the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Synodal translation of the Bible, but says nothing about the personality and activities of Filatov, with whom he is not acquainted.\nThe first witness for the prosecution, Verbitsky, is being re-examined. He claims that his testimony given in court for the first time is incorrect. He emphasizes that he attended meetings of the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Kingdom Hall until November 2017 and allegedly saw Filatov there. But back in the spring of 2017, this building was sealed, and meetings did not take place there, which is also confirmed by the testimony of a previously questioned secret prosecution witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191112","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, a man who formerly practiced the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, continues to be questioned again. The court shows him a secretly made video recording of the worship service, and the witness states that he identifies Aksyonov in the video footage. He also admits that on his own initiative he turned to the FSB and voluntarily testified against his former co-religionists in two criminal cases.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aksenov in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk3/index.html#20191112","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Nevinnomyssk, FSB officers summon a local resident, Yuri Savitsky, for questioning. In the cities of Neftekumsk and Blagodarny, as well as in the villages of Urozhaynoye and Velichayevskoye, searches have recently been carried out in the homes of believers, followed by interrogations.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2019-11-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20191108","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 7, 2019, the Moscow City Court will consider the complaints of believers from Chekhov near Moscow. It became known that the security forces invaded their homes after midnight, that money and tools were stolen during the searches, that after the detention people were not fed until 36 hours, that one of the relatives was broken by the security forces.\nHow did it all start? In June 2018, one of the believers, while waiting for a train at the station, got into a conversation with a certain Stanislav. This Stanislav (his surname is Kuznetsky), hiding that he worked in the FSB, asked the believer to help him understand the Bible. During the year, he met with the believer several times and, sitting in the car, complained about family troubles, asked for Bible advice and asked the believer about his like-minded people. As a result, a criminal case was formed on the basis of his testimony.\nChekhov residents, who profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, were lifted from their beds on the night of October 3, 2019. The night searches were followed by many hours of interrogations in the Main Investigation Department for the Moscow Region (at 38/2 Komintern Street in Moscow). By the evening of the next day, they were sent to a temporary detention facility (IVS), and on October 4, 2019, they were taken to the Babushkinsky District Court, which chose a measure of restraint against them in the form of house arrest, equating the peaceful practice of religion with a serious crime.\nRaid on the family of Konstantin Zherebtsov and theft. At 00:15, when 46-year-old Konstantin, his wife and 9-year-old daughter, as well as his parents and a relative who was visiting them, were sleeping, an investigator, operatives and witnesses broke into the house. Konstantin was placed facing the wall, all the others were gathered in one room, so that they could not observe the search, which lasted until 4:30 in the morning. They seized laptops, phones, tablets, a camera, documents. Believers report that personal savings (a total of 33 thousand rubles) were stolen from wallets and from the closet, which the believers stated to the investigator, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Yuri Kobyletsky, to which he expressed his surprise. After the search, the loss of power tools was discovered. 20 hours after the start of the search, Konstantin was taken to the temporary detention facility, where he was fed for the first time. The next day he was handcuffed in Babushkinsky district court, where judge Evgenia Babinova sent him under house arrest. Damage to the health of a relative. During a search of the Zherebtsov family, investigators found the second half of the house (with a separate address), which belongs to Konstantin's brother. They raided my brother there as well, hitting my brother and breaking his rib, which was later recorded during the examination. The man is forced to take sick leave. After the search, my brother's power tools also disappeared. Why is Zherebtsov persecuted? According to investigators, while sitting in the car, Konstantin \"organized a meeting with [FSB officer] S.V. Kuznetsky, taught him how to pray to Jehovah God, explained the provisions and interpretation of the chapters of the Bible, John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:13, Acts 24:15, showing them on a tablet belonging to S.V. Kuznetsky.\"\nRaid on the apartment of Vitaly Nikiforov. At 00:20, an investigator, a district police officer, operatives and witnesses, a total of 8 people, entered the apartment of the 51-year-old believer. The \"guests\" were dispersed around the rooms, so that it was not possible to follow the progress of the search. They seized 2 computers (one working), tablet, phones, bank cards, flash cards. The search ended at 05:15 a.m., after which he was taken for interrogation to Comintern Street. By evening, he was sent to the temporary detention center, where he was fed for the first time. The next morning, handcuffed, he was taken to the Babushkinsky District Court for a preventive measure, where he remained without food until 9:30 p.m. He was placed under house arrest. Why is Nikiforov being persecuted? Vitaliy works as a computer programmer. According to investigators, on January 11, 2019, while sitting in a car, he \"discussed the issue of buying a tablet [by FSB officer] Kuznetsky for the subsequent download of prohibited literature,\" and also \"reported the circumstances of his acceptance of this faith.\" (In fact, Nikiforov, as a technical specialist, only shared his experience of which technique works best. Thus, the investigation, followed by Judge Yevgenia Babinov, considers advising on the purchase of a tablet as one of the grounds for depriving a person of liberty.)\nRaid on the apartment of Zinaida Krutyakova. When Zinaida came home to feed her mother, who suffered from senile dementia, she found that the house had been searched for more than an hour. Unbanned books with an explanation of the Bible were found and seized from her. (She later discovered that 1,000 rubles had disappeared from the handbag.) After the search, she was sent for interrogation to Moscow, and after interrogation, to the temporary detention center. She had the opportunity to eat only the next morning, 36 hours after her arrest. After that, she was taken in handcuffs to the Babushkinsky District Court, where she waited until 19:00 for Judge Evgenia Babinova to consider the case. She was placed under house arrest. Why is Krutyakova persecuted? Zinaida was detained on the grounds that she, sitting in a car parked on Vokzalnaya Square in Chekhov, \"questioned [FSB officer] S.V. Kuznetsky about how he did his homework on studying the chapters of the Bible with the subsequent interpretation of its provisions.\" (Thus, Zinaida Krutyakova was detained for professing her faith and sharing her beliefs with Kuznetsky in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution.)\nThe appeal hearing for house arrest will be held on November 7, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in the Moscow City Court at 8 Bogorodsky Val, Moscow.\nUpdate. On November 7, 2019, at 15:20, it became known that the Moscow City Court upheld house arrest for Chekhov resident Vitaly Nikiforov. The fate of Konstantin Zherebtsov and Zinaida Krutyakova is still being decided\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-11-06T14:40:36+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1321/moscow_city_court-01_hu_12597b41d349a0d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1321/moscow_city_court-01.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1321/moscow_city_court-01_hu_b25fb45fcbb29cfa.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1321/moscow_city_court-01_hu_bb6e71544d318beb.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1321.html","regions":["moscow_obl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","appeal","house-arrest","review","health-risk","interrogation","ivs","siloviks-violence"],"title":"The Moscow City Court will review the house arrest of 3 believers. Dramatic details of the raid in Chekhov near Moscow","type":"news"},{"body":"The prosecution witness, a man who formerly practiced the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, continues to be questioned. He explained that since 2017 he has ceased to share the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, so he has no information about their activities in the period after 2017. The questioning of the witness was not completed.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aksenov in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-11-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk3/index.html#20191106","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court examines witnesses. According to the testimony of witness Dmitrieva, a party was held in the café \"Alice\", which was interrupted by law enforcement agencies 10 minutes after it began. At the friendly meeting, no videos were shown and there was no literature. Witness Samokhina informs the court that the party was not a worship meeting and confirms the testimony of witness Dmitrieva. The prosecutor petitions for the election of a recognizance not to leave as a preventive measure for Nikolai Polevodov. The court grants this request.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-11-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20191105","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of October 23, 2019, in Georgievsk (Stavropol Territory), police officers in bulletproof vests almost simultaneously broke into 3 dwellings of believers. Searches were carried out. Flash drives were planted in all the houses. 11 people, one of whom has a disability, were taken to the local police station for interrogation, which lasted until 2 a.m.\nDuring the raid, police officers who introduced themselves as the \"Investigative Committee\" confiscated electronic devices, asked questions about the religious affiliation of residents, where they kept money and how often they saw their fellow believers. Viktor Zimovskiy, whose house was searched, underwent complex heart surgery, and although he became ill during the search, he was taken away for interrogation along with others. In another case, the police raided a woman who was lying at home with a fever. All were fingerprinted.\nThree years ago, it was from the village of Nezlobnaya, Georgievsky District, Stavropol Territory, that a wave of persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in that region rolled in. At that time, law enforcement officers planted banned literature on believers right under surveillance cameras, and, as it became obvious, the practice of planting continues.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-11-04T17:56:36+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1317/9_hu_46bc5ed68f48720f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1317/9_hu_a2de7514ac2512ef.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1317/9_hu_ad9d63c0308aed5c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1317/9_hu_8dd5c6c54e070786.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1317.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","plant","interrogation","disability","health-risk"],"title":"Searches in the homes of believers in Georgievsk. Regular planting and interrogation of believers","type":"news"},{"body":"The prosecutor reads out the indictment. Polevodov and Kim disagree with the accusation of extremism.\nThe court is questioning two witnesses — Zverev, a security guard at the café, and Rudenko, the administrator of the facility where security officials believe the defendants participated in a religious meeting. Both state that they do not know the defendants and cannot say whether they were present at the café on April 21, 2018. Witnesses inform the court that a meeting was held that day, but they did not see anything illegal in the behavior of those present on the recordings of video cameras installed in the room.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Polevodov and Kim in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-10-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk/index.html#20191031","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 26, 2019, the Norilsk City Court placed 49-year-old Aleksandr Polozov in a pre-trial detention center. Prior to this, the special forces staged a mass raid at the camp site, where Alexander was along with his fellow believers. It is noteworthy that initially the believer was placed only on recognizance not to leave.\nImmediately after the raid on the camp site on October 20, Aleksandr Polozov was taken to the building of the Investigative Committee for interrogation. Investigators were actively interested in his religious beliefs. On October 22, the investigator chose a recognizance agreement for him, but three days later a closed trial was held, during which the believer was placed in a temporary detention center. The result of the hearing on October 26 was a tightening of the measure of restraint. Now Aleksandr will be in jail for at least two months.\nThe believer is charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - organization of extremist activity. On similar charges, based solely on religion, cases were opened against five more civilians in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-10-28T15:40:52+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1294/depositphotos_55123709_hu_8beabca5fbe48988.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1294/depositphotos_55123709.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1294/depositphotos_55123709_hu_c2139a93f3450d46.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1294/depositphotos_55123709_hu_a8e852d2bca96ee7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1294.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","search","recognizance-agreement","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"In Norilsk, the court toughened the measure of restraint for Alexander Polozov. A peaceful citizen was thrown behind bars ","type":"news"},{"body":"E. Belyaev was interrogated as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tolstonozhenko in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-10-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk3/index.html#20191024","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three witnesses were interrogated - Metzger's fellow believer, including Alexander Solovyov, who had previously been convicted in a similar case. The court attaches documents that neither Metzger nor the prosecution witnesses were ever members of the LRO, and a copy of the brochure that the believers discussed on 17.12.2017. Metzger summarizes the content of the article. The court attaches a response from the Ministry of Justice that this brochure is not included in the list of extremist materials.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Metsger in Perm","date":"2019-10-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm/index.html#20191024","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Kursk, after mass searches on October 16, 2019 and subsequent interrogations of believers , Andrey Andreyev, as well as spouses Artem and Alevtina Bagratyan, were arrested for 27 days. The believers were placed in custody until November 11, 2019 inclusive. Criminal cases against three citizens are combined into one, it is being investigated by the investigative department of the FSB in the Kursk region.\nAccording to incomplete information, searches in Kursk took place at more than 10 addresses, and law enforcement officers invaded some local residents at 6 am. After the searches, many believers were taken away for interrogations, during which FSB officers intimidated them, threatening to open criminal cases against both themselves and their family members. For three believers, these threats became a reality.\nAs follows from the documents of the case, Andrey Andreev is accused of continuing the activities of a certain \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kursk\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and Artem and Alevtina Bagratyan are charged with participation in the activities of this organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nIt is noteworthy that, although the decisions on detention were made by different judges of the Leninsky District Court of Kursk (Judge Inessa Kvaskova sent Alevtina Bagratyan to the pre-trial detention center, and Judge Tatyana Pozdnyakova issued an arrest warrant for Artem Bagratyan and Andrey Andreev), the terms of imprisonment for all three are the same, which indicates the coordination of actions.\n90 kilometers from Kursk in the city of Lgov (Kursk region), Dennis Christensen, a Danish citizen sentenced to 6 years just because he did not renounce his beliefs, is serving a sentence. Many Russian and international organizations, such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Human Rights Society Memorial, spoke out in support of Christensen.\nUpdate. On October 24, 2019, 4 more searches of believers took place in Kursk - two of older women, and one in front of a young child. A laptop, phones, digital media were seized.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-10-23T10:12:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1274/depositphotos_21862193_5_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1274/depositphotos_21862193_5.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1274/depositphotos_21862193_5_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1274/depositphotos_21862193_5_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1274.html","regions":["kursk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","282.2-1","282.2-2","families"],"title":"In Kursk, Two Men and One Woman Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center for Their Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Police are conducting raids in three houses of residents of Georgievsk. Hosts and guests are questioned about their religion and meetings with fellow believers, and their electronic devices are confiscated. Residents are thrown flash drives. During the search, 50-year-old Viktor Zimovskiy, the father of two young children, becomes ill. Victor is a pensioner with a disability, some time ago he underwent serious heart surgery. However, he and 10 other people are taken away for interrogations, and later released.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zimovskiy and others in Georgievsk","date":"2019-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/georgievsk/index.html#20191023","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["search","plant","interrogation","health-risk","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Replacement of the State Advocate. 5 people from the prosecution were interrogated, including the chief accountant of the house of culture, where, according to the investigation, the service of the members of the LRO took place. The accountant reports that she has never seen the accused. The other four witnesses questioned in the case are former Jehovah's Witnesses. They confirm that neither they nor Alexei Metzger were members of the LRO. None of them had ever heard Metzger call for extremist action.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Metsger in Perm","date":"2019-10-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm/index.html#20191022","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On Sunday morning, October 20, 2019, two SOBR groups surrounded a camp site in Norilsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), where believers were at that time. Masked commandos broke into the building and demanded that everyone who was there hand over their phones and tablets. The homes of some believers were searched.\nMore than 50 people suffered from the actions of law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers put a number of those present in minivans, including those with the Norilsk Nickel logo, and took them away for interrogation and searches in their apartments.\nThe interrogations were conducted in the building of the Investigative Committee at 7 Zavenyagin Street in Norilsk. The questions were asked by investigators who introduced themselves as Alexander Slimkin and Alexander Garber. Their questionnaire consisted of 25 items. The investigators were interested in whether their fellow countrymen professed a \"forbidden\" faith.\nAt least 5 searches are known, which lasted an average of 5 hours. Bibles, computers, tablets and phones were seized from believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-10-21T19:09:10+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1269/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_0_0_0_hu_2599831b72c1bf39.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1269/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_0_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1269/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_0_0_0_hu_d5efdd019a6e82c7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1269/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_0_0_0_hu_fe7618ee5c38e8fa.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1269.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","leisure-disruption"],"title":"In Norilsk, more than 50 believers were blocked by special forces at a tourist base. Searches and interrogations took place","type":"news"},{"body":"The prosecutor asks to hold the hearing behind closed doors, referring to information about pressure on the prosecution witness.\nThe judge grants the petition and removes from the hall all listeners who, according to the prosecutor, \"violate the rules\", and also pose a \"threat to the life and health of prosecution witnesses.\" The court terminates the audio recording of the trial and prohibits the defense from doing so.\nThe prosecutor asks for a second interrogation of Verbitsky, who, as it turned out earlier, does not know anything about Filatov's actions after 20.04.2017. However, the judge grants this request.\nThe defense's motion to impose a measure of procedural coercion on Filatov, an obligation to appear, was rejected. Thus, for more than a year Filatov has been deprived of the opportunity to visit his parents, who live 100 km from Dzhankoy, although before that he regularly visited them every month.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191021","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court releases Dmitriy Barmakin from custody. He spent 447 days in jail. The prison sentence has been replaced by the prohibition of certain actions.\nAgent provocateur Petrova, recruited by the FSB to attend meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, is interrogated. Detective Gaifullin is present during the interrogation, stands behind the witness. The prosecution witness is tense and clearly biased against the believers. Nevertheless, Petrova testifies that Dmitry Barmakin never called for extremism. She did not receive any threats. The Supreme Court did not prohibit the Jehovah's Witnesses' creeds or their joint meetings.\nThe next meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2019-10-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20191018","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["sizo","prohibition-of-actions","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Mass searches and interrogations of believers are underway in Kursk. Early in the morning, the security forces come to the homes of Oleksandr Vospitanyuk, Andrey Ryshkov, the Bagratyans couple and Andrey Andreev. Believers are taken away for interrogation.\nAndrey Andreyev, as well as spouses Artem and Alevtina Bagratyan were arrested. The believers were remanded in custody until November 11, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2019-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20191016","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Previously questioned prosecution witness Verbitsky says that pressure was exerted on him. During the hearing, it turns out that the pressure was expressed in calls from strangers to him. The judge sends an order to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Dzhankoysky to conduct an inspection.\nThe specialists declared in the case do not appear for interrogation.\nThe defense is petitioning for the removal of the priest of the Orthodox Church Kondakov and the religious scholar Wozniak from participating in the criminal case as specialists. The reason for this is the defender Oleg Zakharov calls the obvious confessional interest of these persons in the outcome of the case. According to him, \"it is considered unacceptable to evaluate some religions from the standpoint of others.\" The court rejects the petition.\nVladislav Stradetsky, FSB investigator for Crimea and Sevastopol, is being interrogated. When answering most of the questions, he refers to the secrecy of his operational work. In particular, he avoids answering the question of whether he participated in the search of Filatov's home. It is noteworthy that in the case there is a search protocol with his signature.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20191014","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The judge does not grant the defendant's request to refuse the state lawyer. The interests of Alexei Metzger are represented by lawyer Chernykh A.V. The defense files a motion to return the case to the prosecutor due to gross technical errors, falsifications and other violations of the Code of Criminal Procedure.\nAt the initiative of the prosecution, former Jehovah's Witness Alexander Sherstobitov is being questioned. During the interrogation, curious situations arise in which the distortion of information on the part of the witness becomes obvious. Sherstobitov accuses Jehovah's Witnesses of threatening him by reading the Bible and demanding that they \"bring money to the LRO.\" In the hall, sometimes the laughter of listeners is heard, realizing the absurdity of such testimony. One of the listeners even leaves the hall as a sign of indignation. Prosecutor A.V. Tyutikova briefly announces the indictment. Representatives of the press, including federal media, are present in the hall.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Metsger in Perm","date":"2019-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm/index.html#20191014","regions":["perm"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court interrogates FSB operative Gaifullin, who explains that Jehovah's Witnesses can practice their religion, since no one forbade it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2019-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20191011","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses are being questioned at the trial. One of them states that extremism is not inherent in the defendants, and will be glad if the future turns out to be Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe hearing was postponed until November 7 due to the injury of one of the defendants.\nThe next court hearings are scheduled for November 7 and 8, as well as November 12, 14 and 15.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2019-10-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20191010","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 2, 2019, two criminal cases were initiated against civilians in Krasnoyarsk. According to investigators, Sergey Tolstonozhenko and Tatyana Feruleva carried out \"illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" This is how law enforcement officers interpreted a simple conversation at a bus stop.\nBoth cases were initiated by the senior investigator, Major of Justice R. I. Kurbanov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The decision to initiate a criminal case notes that both persons \"committed actions of an organizational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses,\" which was expressed in \"involving new members\" and \"distributing extremist literature and software among the participants of the organization.\"\nDuring the interrogation, Tatyana Feruleva was offered to conclude a so-called deal with justice - to admit her guilt in the \"crime\" and expose its other \"participants\".\nCurrently, investigations are underway in the Krasnoyarsk Territory against five believers. Anton Ostapenko is still in custody in pre-trial detention center No. 3 in the city of Achinsk. Andrey Stupnikov's case has been going on since July 3, 2018.\nJehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with extremism. Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation allows \"to freely choose, have and disseminate religious and other beliefs and act in accordance with them.\" Persecuting law-abiding believers for talking about religion is a terrible mistake of law enforcement agencies that distracts them from the fight against real crime.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-10-09T13:58:59+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1204/27788629854_571f2e4035_o_hu_31cce20a7e0c72be.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1204/27788629854_571f2e4035_o.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1204/27788629854_571f2e4035_o_hu_f30ac044dee07c8f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1204/27788629854_571f2e4035_o_hu_b88d5a41f826687d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1204.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","interrogation"],"title":"New criminal cases in Krasnoyarsk. A man and a woman can go to jail for talking about faith on the street ","type":"news"},{"body":"Tolstonozhenko S.A. was interrogated as a suspect in this criminal case\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tolstonozhenko in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-10-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk3/index.html#20191004","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 20, 2019, 44-year-old Dmitry Ravnushkin was detained at his workplace in Petrozavodsk. The believer was taken for interrogation, which lasted about 4 hours, after which he was released on his own recognizance. Three days later, Dmitry Ravnushkin was fired from his job, the authorities explained: \"We don't need problems.\"\nThe extremism case (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) against Ravnushkin is being investigated by S. Grigoriev, senior investigator of the Karelian FSB, who also oversees the criminal prosecution of other Petrozavodsk believers, in particular, Maxim Amosov and Mikhail Gordeev, who was also taken away for interrogation directly from work. The charges in the case include language such as \"organizing meetings\" of Jehovah's Witnesses and \"propaganda activities.\"\nThe criminal case and the sudden loss of his job jeopardize not only Dmitry Ravnushkin, but also his family. Groundless persecution for their faith also affected other civilians in Karelia: on July 31, 2019, the FSB conducted at least 17 searches in the homes and workplaces of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses in the cities of Petrozavodsk and Kondopoga.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-09-29T00:04:15+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/09/1175/33742771952_dc3a2bc6f6_o_hu_44d3d54e9bc94794.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/09/1175/33742771952_dc3a2bc6f6_o.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/09/1175/33742771952_dc3a2bc6f6_o_hu_c87d0a7e3ed72ce4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/09/1175/33742771952_dc3a2bc6f6_o_hu_5c24a650eadd473.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/09/1175.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement","work-restrictions","282.2-1"],"title":"Another resident of Petrozavodsk was accused of extremism and lost his job due to persecution for his faith  ","type":"news"},{"body":"The only prosecution witness who appeared is being questioned - a computer science teacher at a rural school, who had previously attended meetings of believers several times. However, during the interrogation, it turns out that after the decision of the Supreme Court of 20.04.2017, he stopped attending meetings, so he knows nothing about Filatov's actions after this decision, while he saw Filatov only once. The witness cannot say anything in support of the charges brought against Filatov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20190925","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. S. Redozubov summons Petrenko for interrogation as a suspect. During interrogation, he learns that he was under covert audio and video surveillance.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Petrenko in Berezniki","date":"2019-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/berezniki/index.html#20190920","regions":["perm"],"tags":["interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The security forces are conducting a search at the workplace of Dmitry Ravnushkin, an electronic device is seized from him. The believer is detained and taken to the FSB department for interrogation, which lasts 4 hours.\nA criminal case is being opened against Dmitriy under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2019-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20190920","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"None of the witnesses appeared for questioning. The testimonies of three witnesses who previously used Article 51 (did not appear for repeated summonses to the court) are announced.\nThe next meetings are scheduled for October 11 and 18.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2019-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20190920","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecution is questioning witnesses. From their contradictory testimonies, it becomes obvious that the protocols with previous testimonies were partially falsified by the investigation.\nOne of the witnesses informs the court that she gave preliminary testimony under pressure from the security forces. Another states that she did not hear a single call to extremism during the services.\nThe court extends the house arrest of the four defendants for three months.\nThe next meetings are scheduled for 8, 10 and 11 October.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2019-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20190920","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing on the merits. Three prosecution witnesses were questioned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20190918","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses do not appear at the hearing.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190918","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Deputy Prosecutor of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Alexandra Alekseeva signs the indictment.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2019-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20190918","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A motion is filed to merge the criminal cases of Britvin and Levchuk with the criminal case of Hasan Kogut, which is currently being considered by the same court. The court rejects this request. Interrogation of prosecution witnesses, as well as Kogut himself. Actively quotes the Bible during interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-09-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190917","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Six witnesses in the case, including Valery's wife, Galina Petrenko, are being questioned. They are asked questions about the defendants in the Turik case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Petrenko in Berezniki","date":"2019-09-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/berezniki/index.html#20190916","regions":["perm"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of 6 witnesses, including Dmitry Barmakin's wife, Elena. The judge again explains to them that they are suspected persons as participants in the religious meetings that Barmakin is accused of organizing. Everyone has the right to refuse to testify and to have appointed lawyers. Elena Barmakina explains that the search was carried out in the apartment of her grandmother, where she and her husband were visiting; The books seized during the search belonged to the owner of the apartment. She described the personality of Dmitry, in the rest she used Article 51 of the Constitution.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2019-09-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20190913","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The main witness for the prosecution, a former Jehovah's Witnesses woman, is being questioned. The prosecutor's questions relate to creeds and prayer. The witness cannot confirm that extremism is present in the actions of the accused.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2019-09-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20190913","regions":["penza"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 5, 2019, in Petrozavodsk (Karelia), FSB officers detained Mikhail Gordeev right at his workplace, suspecting him of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The man was searched, his tablet was seized and taken to the FSB department for interrogation.\nInvestigator Grigoriev provided Mikhail with a free lawyer. The interrogation lasted four hours. A criminal case was opened against the believer under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity). He is suspected of \"continuing the activities of an extremist religious organization in the city of Petrozavodsk.\" He was placed under recognizance agreement.\nPersecution of residents of Karelia on religious grounds began at the end of July 2019, when mass searches were carried out in the homes of believers in two cities of the region. The authorities opened criminal cases against Aleksey Smelov, Maksim Amosov and Nikolay Leshchenko. These civilians are grieving unfair criminal prosecution.\nIn May 2017, a family of Jehovah's Witnesses from Karelia was awarded the Order of Parental Glory. Exemplary parents received the award from the hands of the head of state Vladimir Putin.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-09-11T13:04:46+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/09/1138/depositphotos_75905113_7_hu_9562793a62681db7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/09/1138/depositphotos_75905113_7.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/09/1138/depositphotos_75905113_7_hu_5a6a4c97f64aac9f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/09/1138/depositphotos_75905113_7_hu_2199880271566a24.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/09/1138.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement","elderly"],"title":"A new criminal case for faith in Karelia. Mikhail Gordeev, 59, was detained at his workplace and placed on recognizance not to leave ","type":"news"},{"body":"The judge does not object to the petition for the study of the positive characteristics of Roman Gridasov and Gennady German.\nInterrogation of defendants by lawyers. The defendants do not admit guilt, explaining that they are deeply religious people and base their beliefs on the Bible, and not on the charters of any local religious organizations. It is explained that the term \"Jehovah's organization\" is not legal, but spiritual (confessional) and does not refer to the organization in the sense of a legal entity, but to all believers in the world who live according to the order established by God in the form of spiritual institutions; joint meetings and confession of religion of individuals are not related to the activities of local religious organizations, but are the realization of their constitutional right to freedom of religion; they cannot worship God separately from their fellow believers, as the Bible requires it (a religious scholar previously questioned in court explained that all religions assume a collective beginning); the courts did not evaluate or prohibit the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses; investigators mistakenly consider all Jehovah's Witnesses to be members of a local religious organization; explain some of the canonical terms adopted by Jehovah's Witnesses, which are common to Christianity and are used in other religions.\nThe defendants are interrogated about their attitude to the state, military service, and medical intervention. All questions are quoted from the Synodal translation of the Bible. They explain the doctrinal provisions on the need to respect secular power, value life and not refuse medical care, and be peaceful. They explain that if they were somehow connected with extremism, they could not be considered followers of Jesus Christ.\nThe next meeting will be held on September 18, 2019 at 10:00.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Bazhenov and Others in Saratov","date":"2019-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov/index.html#20190911","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers detain Mikhail Gordeev at his workplace. The believer is searched and the tablet is seized. After that, he is taken away for interrogation, which lasts 4 hours.\nA criminal case is being opened against Gordeev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is chosen a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2019-09-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20190905","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses, including senior media relations specialist of the Berezovsky police department Onischuk S.V. and neighbors of the defendants.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-09-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190904","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three witnesses who are fellow believers of the defendant and therefore potential suspects in the case were summoned to court. After receiving explanations of their rights and possible consequences, the witnesses refused to testify and the proposed lawyers.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for September 13, and the questioning of witnesses will continue.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2019-08-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20190830","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor said he was not ready for the debate. But he brought a religious scholar to the hearing, and the court agreed with the prosecutor's request for his interrogation. At the same time, the court denied both requests to the defense. First, the lawyers asked the court to attach to the case copies from various translations of the Bible, certified by the Khabarovsk library, proving that the words from the Gospel that Moskalenko quoted from the \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation\" are in all translations of the Bible. Secondly, the lawyers unsuccessfully requested that an extract from the Federal List of Extremist Materials (FSEM) be attached to the case, clearly showing that the \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation\" was included in the FSEM on July 27, 2018 (and the action imputed to Moskalenko took place in April of the same year).\nThe beginning of the debate in the case was postponed to August 30, 2019 at 14:00 (local time). During the debate, the prosecutor will announce what, in the opinion of the prosecutors, Valery Moskalenko deserves punishment for reading the Gospel. Probably, on the same day, Valery Moskalenko will address the court with the last word of the defendant.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-08-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190828","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Denis Peresunko is being prosecuted and interrogated as a defendant under Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2019-08-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20190827","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court supports the prosecutor and refuses the defense to re-summon the alleged \"secret witness\", as well as to appoint a linguistic examination.\nThe lawyer interrogates the defendant's sister, who characterizes Sergey Klimov on the positive side. The defense asks to consider the material evidence in the case in court. Despite the fervent objections of the prosecutor, the court grants this request.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-08-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190823","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190821","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yevgeny is again interrogated, this time as accused of extremism. The believer does not admit guilt.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aksenov in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk3/index.html#20190821","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Denis Peresunko is detained and interrogated as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2019-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20190821","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Prosecution witnesses are being questioned, including secret witness Dmitry Vasin (in reality: Yevgeny Denisovich Gomoyunov), as well as FSB operative Zadorin. A petition for the interrogation of a secret witness in accordance with the general procedure shall be filed. The court refuses, the witness is interrogated in a separate room with a changed voice.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190820","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A specialist in the field of religious studies was questioned at the hearing. He explains the difference between canonical (spiritual) and secular structures. Indicates that acceptance of the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses does not require affiliation with any legal entity, but is solely an act of a religious nature. The practice of religion in a given denomination is not made dependent on affiliation with any registered organization, but is considered as a personal right to choose religion.\nThe defense is interrogating Sergey Klimov's wife, Yulia. They have been married for 30 years. Through joint Bible study, their marriage is strong and happy. According to her, Sergey is a very kind person and has nothing to do with extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-08-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190816","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-comments"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court session began with the fact that the defense filed a motion to exclude evidence as inadmissible, namely examinations that were carried out with gross violations of the law. The court rejected the application. Then Moskalenko testified and explained to the court that his performance in the hotel complex \"Yerofey\" was peaceful. He discussed what Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28, 2019. The debate of the parties is expected to begin, during which it will become clear what punishment the prosecutor's office will request for Valery Moskalenko\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-08-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190815","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The deputy head of the convoy refuses to obey the judge's order and release the defendants Britvin and Levchuk from the cage. As a result, the defendants remain in the cage despite the court order that has entered into force on their release from it for the entire duration of the trial. Six prosecution witnesses are being questioned.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-08-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190814","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Vorobyova I. Y. satisfies the petition for the release of the defendants from the cage for the duration of the trial. The public prosecutor issues an indictment. The order of examination of evidence is determined. The questioning of prosecution witnesses has begun.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-08-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20190813","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court hearing is devoted to the interrogation of prosecution witness Alena Paevshchik, an expert psychologist of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who conducted a psychological and linguistic examination of video recordings of conversations about the Bible that Moskalenko conducted in April 2018. She considered that the words of Jesus Christ quoted by Valery Moskalenko from the Sermon on the Mount are proof of propaganda of exclusivity and calls for the continuation of the activities of the banned organization. In addition, Valeria Moskalenko's sister acted as a witness for the defense. In court, she explained that he was an example for her. She noticed that his faith had a positive effect on his brother.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-08-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190813","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of July 29, 2019, another wave of police raids on the apartments of believers took place in Novosibirsk. The next victims were Igor Muravyov, Anton Shakhmatov, Oleg Epifanov, Sergey Kozlyuk and Alexander Serikov. The investigation suspects them of professing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses. Personal property was seized. At about 8 a.m. on July 29, the search began in the apartment of 54-year-old Igor Muravyov. He himself was at work at that time. His wife managed to contact her husband and tell him about what happened, but after a while the connection with him was lost. Later it became known that Igor Muravyov was taken to the police station for interrogation. On the same day, information was received about two more searches carried out in the homes of Anton Shakhmatov and Oleg Epifanov. They were also taken to the local police station for questioning. It is known about searches in the apartments of Sergey Kozlyuk and Alexander Serikov. Details are being specified. In Novosibirsk, criminal cases for faith have already been initiated against six people. One of them, Yuri Savelyev, has been behind bars for more than six months. Believers claim that they have nothing to do with extremism. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-08-06T14:56:02+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/08/1017/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/08/1017/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/08/1017/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/08/1017/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/08/1017.html","regions":["novosibirsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"New searches and interrogations of peaceful Christians in Novosibirsk ","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 31, 2019, the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Karelia conducted at least 15 searches in the cities of Petrozavodsk and Kondopoga in the homes and workplaces of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. Men and women were detained for interrogation, some overnight. Several people are still not in touch, presumably they are detained. A criminal case was opened on the grounds that in 2017 the Supreme Court of Russia banned the activities of all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations in Russia at once. Law enforcement agencies interpret this decision as a total ban on the worship of Jehovah (\"Jehovah\" is the name of God in the Bible). In most cases, believers were caught by law enforcement officers at home. For some, the seizure groups came to their workplaces. Spouses Maksim and Maria Amosov were detained on the street, while the woman's coat was torn. The search in the apartment of Mikhail Gordeev, where he lives with his wife, minor daughters and mother-in-law, was carried out until the evening. During the searches, phones, tablets, computers and the like were seized from citizens. Judging by the investigators' questions, a criminal case was opened against 44-year-old Alexei Smelov from Kondopoga and 42-year-old Maxim Amosov from Petrozavodsk. Both men have families who are struggling with unfair criminal prosecution. Exactly 3 years ago, on July 28, 2016, the Karelian special services staged an act of intimidation for believers, breaking into the worship buildings of Jehovah's Witnesses in Petrozavodsk and Kostomuksha with machine guns. Believers were roughly knocked to the floor, pressed with their knees, kicked. Law enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-08-01T16:55:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/08/1012/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_hu_1448093d6183e596.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/08/1012/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/08/1012/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_hu_297fff4090394aee.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/08/1012/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_hu_dfefb035f606595a.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/08/1012.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case"],"title":"Searches and Detentions of Believers in Karelia ","type":"news"},{"body":"At about 11 o'clock in the morning, law enforcement officers call the Smelovs' doorbell and, posing as plumbers, seek to be allowed inside. Those who entered turn out to be employees of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Karelia: senior investigator Danila Vashchenko, head of the department in Kondopoga Vitaly Abazovik, senior detective B.O. Dudnik and specialist in the field of computer technology O.Y. Dagdanov. The search lasts more than four hours. Family members, especially the 14-year-old daughter, are very frightened. The system unit of the computer, laptop, phones, tablets, flash drives and the Bible are seized from believers. Law enforcement officers are also conducting a search in the car and at the workplace of Alexei Smelov.\nIrina, his wife, is taken to the FSB department in Kondopoga. The interrogation is conducted by investigator Vashchenko. Aleksey is also interrogated in Kondopoga, and then at about 22:00 he is taken to the main department of the FSB in Petrozavodsk. There, another investigator invites him to confess to the crimes. After his fingerprints were taken, he is allowed to go home around 11:30 p.m.\nSenior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Karelia, Major of Justice S. V. Grigoriev chooses Smelov a measure of restraint in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Smelov in Kondopoga","date":"2019-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kondopoga/index.html#20190731","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Petrozavodsk, the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Karelia conducts at least 11 searches in the homes and workplaces of citizens who are believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. Believers are detained for interrogation, some overnight.\nSenior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Karelia, Major of Justice S. V. Grigoriev chooses a preventive measure against Maxim Amosov in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior. At the same time, law enforcement officers take into account the fact that the believer has not been previously convicted, has not been prosecuted, has a permanent place of residence and work, and is married.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2019-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20190731","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dulova V., Dulova D. and Pryanikov A. are familiarizing themselves with the materials of the case under Article 217 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20190730","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is devoted to the questioning of prosecution witnesses who were supposed to recall that Valery Moskalenko used the rented premises in the spring of 2018 to conduct talks about the Bible. Witnesses gave contradictory testimony.\nThe next hearing is scheduled for August 13, 2019.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190730","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A secret witness who claims to have attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses for 5 years is being questioned. He is in the next room and refuses to answer most of the questions of the lawyer and the prosecutor, citing the fact that he does not want to do so. According to the witness, Sergey Klimov is the leader of the local believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190726","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Three prosecution witnesses were questioned. The first reports that he has never communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses. He also makes a statement that he had not previously given any testimony, despite the presence in the case file of the protocol of his interrogation. The second witness has attended meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses several times and considers them to be affable, good people who do not teach anything bad. Investigator Ivan Vedrentsev cannot explain the reason for the discrepancies in the protocols of interrogations of witnesses with their testimony in court.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190725","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The hearing is devoted to the questioning of prosecution witnesses. The state prosecutor was replaced, the prosecution was supported by A. Grigorenko. During the interrogation of one of the witnesses, the latter told the court that he had not testified against V. Moskalenko and did not know him at all. He told the court that he did not sign the record of the interrogation of the witness. It is worth noting that on the basis of his alleged testimony, Moskalenko has been held in a pre-trial detention center for almost a year. Then, at the request of the prosecutor, the court viewed a video of a Bible study with believers in the Yerofey hotel complex.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-07-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190724","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Darya Dulova was summoned for questioning as a suspect.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2019-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20190723","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Yavushkin is charged with committing a crime under Article 282.2, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and is interrogated as an accused. The wives of Bondarchuk and Yavushkin are being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2019-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20190723","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Pryanikov is involved in a criminal case and interrogated as an accused. V. Dulova is also being prosecuted and interrogated as a defendant in the case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2019-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20190722","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As it became known, in the early morning of June 26, 2019, in Budyonnovsk (Stavropol Territory), searches were carried out almost simultaneously in 6 houses of believers. The actions of law enforcement officers are connected with a series of arrests in nearby Neftekumsk, where three people have been in jail for more than 7 months. Update. According to updated data, on this day 9, not 6 searches took place in the homes of believers.\nSearches at the Budyonnivtsi began at about 6 a.m. In one case, the absent owner was tricked into returning home, where FSB officers were already inspecting the premises. One woman's home was searched in the presence of her 4-year-old son and adult daughter. In addition to his house, the 52-year-old believer's outbuildings, garage and car were searched. Security forces also invaded the homes of a 66-year-old widow and a 59-year-old man with a disability. Law enforcement officers were interested in the religious views of citizens, and also offered them to identify the residents of Neftekumsk from photographs, whose \"guilt\" lies in the fact that they \"after the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia to ban activities ... a religious organization [Jehovah's Witnesses] ... they have not renounced their religious views.\" It is noteworthy that, in addition to investigator Y. Koropov and Major Klopotova from the Budyonnovsky Department of Internal Affairs, as well as their employees V. Kapitsa, R. Safonov and A. Prokhorov, FSB officers from Stavropol and St. Petersburg participated in the searches. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-07-19T13:32:35+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/07/984/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_2_hu_95debb157caa4267.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/07/984/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/07/984/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_2_hu_e49c210e136e2d3f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/07/984/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_2_hu_abb6c4b63cdec885.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/07/984.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"A wave of searches of believers in Budyonnovsk","type":"news"},{"body":"A witness whose testimony also disagrees with the previous interrogation protocol is questioned. The woman cannot say anything bad about Jehovah's Witnesses, she has never noticed aggression in their actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190719","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The court session is devoted to the announcement of the charges by the state prosecutor A. Uvarova. After that, the state prosecutor proposed to interrogate a secret witness who, in the opinion of the investigation, could tell about the continuation of V. Moskalenko's activities in an extremist organization. The witness testified that the concept of a local religious organization first appeared after April 21, 2017, this concept had never existed before and Jehovah's Witnesses were considered a worldwide religious organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-07-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20190718","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["first-instance","secret-witness","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 9 a.m., police officers, acting rudely, detained Gevorgyan at his workplace and took him for interrogation, where he was held for 10 hours. From the circumstances of the interrogation, the believer concludes that a listening device was installed in his apartment.\n","caseTitle":"Gevorkyan case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-07-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod8/index.html#20190718","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of July 13, 2019, in Yevpatoria (Crimea), FSB officers detained 57-year-old Oleg Osetsky. During the special operation, he became ill, however, the searches continued throughout the night until 8 pm the next day. He was later released. That evening, friends and acquaintances, fellow believers, among whom was Oleg Osetsky, came to the local resident. In the meantime, the special services put up a cordon around the entrance, after which a group of FSB officers entered the apartment. The security forces interrogated those present on video, recorded their personal data, and also seized personal documents, CDs and printed publications.\nThis is not the first time that believers in Crimea have had problems. In June 2019, FSB officers conducted a series of raids, as a result of which a 52-year-old local resident was detained. Before that, believers complained about surveillance and wiretapping.\nAnother search in the apartment of a resident of Sevastopol took place about a month later, on July 7. In both cases, the townspeople were suspected only of adhering to the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nWhat other Crimeans, whose faith the security forces do not like, had to face, is described in the video \"Dzhankoy after the raid: how persecution cripples the lives of believers.\"\nThe Supreme Court's decision to ban 396 religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia should not have led to persecution of believers. This has been repeatedly assured by both the Ministry of Justice and the government. However, in reality, the ban turned into religious persecution for thousands of believers, and prison and torture for some civilians.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-07-17T23:49:08+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/07/977/190215_surgut2759_0_0_0_hu_afc8ef9914f1045.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/07/977/190215_surgut2759_0_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/07/977/190215_surgut2759_0_0_0_hu_110646edbd02672b.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/07/977/190215_surgut2759_0_0_0_hu_a5ed6cce72530181.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/07/977.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Special services detained another believer in Crimea","type":"news"},{"body":"On the evening of July 16 and the morning of July 17, 2019, about 10 searches were carried out in the homes of believers in Nizhny Novgorod and the city of Pavlovo (Nizhny Novgorod region), and equipment was seized. In at least one case, security forces forced civilians to lie on the floor. Men and women have been detained, and interrogations are underway.\nThe last time Nizhny Novgorod security officials put pressure on those who hold the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses was more than two years ago, even before the Supreme Court's decision to ban 396 organizations of believers came into force. Then the special services disrupted the worship service and planted a brochure included in the list of extremist materials. Update. In total, searches were carried out in 31 families of Nizhny Novgorod believers. 5 criminal cases were initiated against 7 men and 2 women. Persecution of faith is carried out by employees of the Nizhny Novgorod regional police department together with employees of the regional department of the FSB. Force support was provided by the SOBR of the regional department of the Russian Guard.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-07-17T23:39:57+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/07/976/190717_nizhniy_novgorod_hu_c76b515c04f5d1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/07/976/190717_nizhniy_novgorod.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/07/976/190717_nizhniy_novgorod_hu_bcc0ec49f1b7dbc8.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/07/976/190717_nizhniy_novgorod_hu_bb42be29c516becf.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/07/976.html","regions":["nizhegorod"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Mass operation against believers in the Nizhny Novgorod region","type":"news"},{"body":"Maksim Zavrazhnov was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity), the believer was detained and interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zavrazhnov in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2019-07-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod/index.html#20190717","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["282.2-1","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 9 and 11, 2019, searches were carried out in Krasnoyarsk in at least three apartments of citizens suspected of professing the views of Jehovah's Witnesses. Two people were questioned about their religion. In one case, law enforcement officials seized a Quran in the belief that it was relevant to a criminal case.\nOn the evening of July 9, 2019, a group of investigators searched the apartment of a family of believers. Phones, computers, storage media, notebooks with personal notes were seized from them. At the same time, the officers made sarcastic jokes about the religion of the searched. After the search, the head of the family was taken to the investigation department, where he received a summons for questioning as a witness. On the same day, another search of a believing woman took place. Electronic devices and spiritual books, including the Koran, were also seized from her apartment. The woman was taken to the investigation department and questioned about her religious views. Two days later, another family was searched.\nSince July 3, 2018, a criminal case against Andrey Stupnikov has been dragging on in Krasnoyarsk. He stayed in jail for 241 days and is currently banned from certain activities. In total, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, criminal prosecution for faith (in connection with Jehovah's Witnesses) was launched against three people.\nUpdate. On July 16, it is known that the operational-search measures were sanctioned by the Krasnoyarsk Garrison Military Court at the request of Lieutenant-General V. Ryazansky from the Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Federal Service of the National Guard of the Russian Federation. Relying on a court sanction, this body conducted examinations (in fact, searches) of 61-year-old Sergey Tolstonozhenko, 50-year-old Eduard Belyaev and Tatyana Feruleva, in whose apartment the Koran was found and seized.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-07-15T09:19:22+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/07/960/190206_saransk532_3_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/07/960/190206_saransk532_3_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/07/960/190206_saransk532_3_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/07/960/190206_saransk532_3_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/07/960.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"In Krasnoyarsk, new searches and interrogations for faith, the Koran was confiscated","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator summons 8 witnesses for questioning. The investigator refuses to give copies of the interrogation, stating that this is \"not allowed\".\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2019-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20190713","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two witnesses were questioned. One of them mentions that he signed his testimony given during the investigation without reading it, and cannot vouch for the correctness of the information contained in the interrogation protocol.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190711","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two police witnesses were questioned. The first confirms that Klimov talked to others on religious topics, and the main idea of Jehovah's Witnesses is that \"Jehovah is the true God.\" It is difficult to explain the arguments of the prosecution. The second agrees that a denomination and a legal entity are not the same thing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190710","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Search and interrogation of Vahan Mkhitaryan. The security forces insult him and beat him for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2019-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20190709","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["search","interrogation","siloviks-violence"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Judge Dmitry Borisov questioned A.S. Dudko, an operative of the CPE of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Tomsk Region, who had been conducting operational-search measures (ORM) against Klimov and other believers even before the official publication of information about the inclusion of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Severnaya, Tomsk\" in the list of extremist organizations. A court hearing will be held on July 11, 2019, during which the judge will continue to question prosecution witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2019-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20190709","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["first-instance","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Potylitsyn, Andrey Maksimovich and Elena Mishneva come for interrogation at the FSB, where it turns out that the case involves a hidden video recording made in the house of one of the believers at the moment when she had guests. When asked by the lawyer who made the recording, the investigator replies: \"Our employee.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-07-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20190705","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogation of Sergey Potylitsyn in the Arkhangelsk FSB.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-07-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20190702","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigators are interrogating Yevgeny — so far as a witness — to find out whether he was a member of a local religious organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Aksenov in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk3/index.html#20190626","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 18, 2019, searches and detentions for religious beliefs continued in the Primorsky Territory. In the city of Ussuriysk, officers of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation searched the apartments of two believers who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Mobile phones and other electronic devices were seized from Sergey Korolchuk and Dmitry Tishchenko. Dmitry Tishchenko's wife was interrogated as a witness to the \"crime\".\nAt the same time, Sergey Korolchuk was detained and placed in a temporary detention center, where he stayed until June 20. During the interrogation, it turned out that Sergey had been under covert video surveillance for a long time. The believer was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nEarlier, on June 5, 2019, Sergey Melnikov was detained in Ussuriysk and sent to a pre-trial detention center for two months. In general, this is the seventh criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Primorsky Territory. Five believers in the region remain in detention. Despite this, the Russian authorities claim 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.\" Public figures, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other Russian and international organizations have repeatedly drawn attention to religious persecution in Russia.\nUpdate. On October 23, 2019, in Ussuriysk, 45-year-old Vitaliy Ilinykh and his wife Irina underwent another search.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-06-21T23:05:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/941/190206_saransk532_0_0_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/941/190206_saransk532_0_0_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/941/190206_saransk532_0_0_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/941/190206_saransk532_0_0_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/941.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","hidden-surveillance","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"In Primorye, new searches for faith, one believer stayed behind bars for two days","type":"news"},{"body":"On June 3, 2019, the Sovetsky District Court of Makhachkala sent 40-year-old Arsen Abdullaev, 38-year-old Maria Karpova, 34-year-old Anton Dergalev and 27-year-old Marat Abdulgalimov to the pre-trial detention center for 2 months. Two days earlier, on June 1, 2019, in Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Kizlyar, and Derbent, masked and bulletproof FSB officers armed with assault rifles invaded approximately 10 homes of law-abiding local residents accused of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nDuring the intrusion into the Abdullaevs' apartment, the security forces knocked the head of the family to the floor face down, and blocked his wife and son in the room. They announced a search warrant and immediately \"found\" 2 religious brochures in the corridor, which were planted by someone from the seizure group. After that, without being given the opportunity to eat, Arsen and his wife, Suat, were taken for interrogation to the \"E\" center, and later to the republican FSB, where they were interrogated until the evening. The operation was led by an FSB investigator known as Ivan Yemelyanov.\nDuring the interrogation, the spouses were orally told that they were both suspected under the article \"Organization of the activities of an extremist organization\", Arsen as an \"organizer\", and Suat as a \"participant\". The investigator offered Arsen to plead guilty, but when he said that he had nothing to confess to, the investigator said: \"Then there will be consequences.\" After that, Arsen was detained.\nDagestan became the 39th region of Russia, where the same type of criminal cases have been opened against Jehovah's Witnesses. Law enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-06-03T15:32:46+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/888/190215a_surgut533_0_0_hu_fc94768baaa44e95.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/888/190215a_surgut533_0_0_hu_21547093e5780931.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/888/190215a_surgut533_0_0_hu_cb711479156726e2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/888/190215a_surgut533_0_0_hu_2395b217dfd3d655.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/888.html","regions":["dagestan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","siloviks-violence","plant"],"title":"In Dagestan, a raid on Jehovah's Witnesses. Three men and one woman were arrested","type":"news"},{"body":"Ivashin signs the protocol of acquaintance with the case materials.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2019-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20190601","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 24, 2019, in Kirov, officers of the Police Center for Countering Extremism (CPE) invaded the apartment where 60-year-old Anatoliy Tokarev lives with his family. A criminal case was opened against him under the article \"Organization of extremist activity\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) for \"joint singing of biblical songs ... in his apartment.\"\nEmployees of the Center for Counteracting Extremism offered Anatoly Tokarev cooperation with the investigation in exchange for refusing to prosecute members of his family, but he refused (such cooperation implies the \"confession\" of a believer in extremist activities that he never engaged, in fact, self-incrimination). At the direction of the detective O.V. Bratukhin, Anatoly and his son packed their belongings with them, but the policeman later admitted that they were not going to arrest them yet. During the search, phones and computer equipment were taken from the family.\nAfter the search, Anatoliy was taken for interrogation to Georgy Malykh, an investigator of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Kirov region, which is investigating the case of Andrzej Oniszczuk, who has been languishing in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Kirov region for almost 8 months, as well as other Jehovah's Witnesses. Anatoly Tokarev learned that on May 8, 2019, a criminal case was opened against him under the article \"Organization of extremist activity\" for the fact that, according to the investigation, he \"organized ... including in his apartment... meetings of followers and participants of this meeting in compliance with the actions characteristic of this association, expressed in the joint singing of biblical songs ... study of religious literature, the so-called \"Holy Scripture\" (Bible), which is included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials Containing the Doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nAnatoliy Tokarev, his wife and children were released, but he had to sign an undertaking to appear for interrogation and provide the investigation with a new phone number (which he should acquire instead of the one seized during the search).\nLaw enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-05-28T15:39:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/883/190206_saransk532_0_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/883/190206_saransk532_0_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/883/190206_saransk532_0_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/883/190206_saransk532_0_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/883.html","regions":["kirov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","interrogation"],"title":"A new criminal case for faith and search in Kirov","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 22, 2019, 51-year-old Aleksandr Parkov, 35-year-old Arsen Avanesov and his 66-year-old father Vilen Avanesov were detained in Rostov-on-Don. A criminal case has been opened against them for organizing extremist activities just because they profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Dozens of other believers were released after interrogation.\nUpdate. On May 26, 2019, Victoria Mamelko, judge of the Leninsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, decided to send all three to custody for 2 months. They are kept in SIZO-1 in the Rostov region.\nIt is known that at least 15 searches were conducted in the apartments of Rostov residents who were suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In some cases, riot policemen, breaking into apartments, used force, seized electronic devices, photographs, and Bibles from residents.\nFor interrogation, the believers were taken to the building of the Center for Countering Extremism on Saryan Street. Suspects Arsen and Vilen Avanesov, as well as Alexander Parkov, are now being held in the temporary detention facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at 28 Voroshilovsky Prospekt. The court hearing on the election of a measure of restraint is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 24.\nThe persecution of believers was initiated by employees of the First Investigation Department of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia. The detention was supervised by senior investigator M. Antipov.\nLaw enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-05-23T15:33:04+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/873/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_1_hu_765855e7508e113a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/873/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/873/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_1_hu_5244a58cfc2591f6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/873/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_1_hu_cc52c705e3b36c65.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/873.html","regions":["rostov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["ivs","new-case","interrogation"],"title":"Three Believers Imprisoned in Rostov-on-Don","type":"news"},{"body":"Khabarov and Komissarov were summoned for questioning at the FSB of the city of Pskov. Both have an obligation to appear. The investigator insists that the believers inform her about their movements.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Komissarov in Porkhov","date":"2019-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov2/index.html#20190522","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["interrogation","summon"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning, security forces in masks and bulletproof vests under the leadership of A. A. Chaikin invaded the apartment of Andrey Okhrimchuk and conducted a search in the presence of his 11-year-old daughter. The believer is not allowed to observe the search, which takes place simultaneously in all rooms. Electronic devices and Bibles are seized from the spouses. In addition to the apartment, Andrey's car is also searched. All family members are under a lot of stress. The believer's wife subsequently has to seek medical help and undergo treatment.\nAbout 3 hours later, Ohrimchuk was taken for interrogation to the Center for Countering Extremism.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Okhrimchuk in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don9/index.html#20190522","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["search","interrogation","minors","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 18, 2019, the judge of the Central District Court of Volgograd, Andrey Oleynikov, decided to send four civilians who were detained during a raid on believers on May 16, 2019, to a pre-trial detention center for two months. Valery Rogozin, Sergei Melnik, Igor Egozaryan and Vyacheslav Osipov were sent to prison only because the authorities consider them Jehovah's Witnesses. All four are charged with Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - participation in extremist activities.\nIvan Valkovsky, whose detention was reported earlier, was released on the same day. Information about the detention of D. Peresunko and V. Tarasov (81 years old) was subsequently not confirmed. Surveillance, summons and interrogations of believers in the city continue.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-05-21T17:47:02+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/861/depositphotos_21862193_2_2_hu_8840cec15fee8f3d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/861/depositphotos_21862193_2_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/861/depositphotos_21862193_2_2_hu_62802ad46aa503fd.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/861/depositphotos_21862193_2_2_hu_2848070554300b5b.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/861.html","regions":["volgograd"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","interrogation","282.2-2"],"title":"In Volgograd, Four Believers Were Detained for 2 Months","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 16, 2019, in Volgograd, at least 5 believers were detained by FSB and police officers, some at their workplace. The detainees Sergey Melnik (46), Valery Rogozin (57), Igor Egozaryan (54), Vyacheslav Osipov (48) and Ivan Valkovsky (36) were taken to the building of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation at 2 Gagarin Street.\nRefinement. The text has been amended because the previously published information about the detention of Denis Peresunko and 81-year-old Vladimir Tarasov has not been confirmed.\nVyacheslav Osipov was detained right at his workplace. At the same time, law enforcement officers did not submit any documents or court orders. Earlier, searches were carried out in their apartments. According to some believers, the police behaved politely during the searches. The investigator decided to place everyone in a temporary detention facility for a period of 48 hours. Additional details are being established.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-05-17T16:38:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/852/depositphotos_18573119_6_hu_d5cee966f90916.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/852/depositphotos_18573119_6.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/852/depositphotos_18573119_6_hu_51a8cf3809faf296.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/852/depositphotos_18573119_6_hu_526cdc1b7d7f3266.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/852.html","regions":["volgograd"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"title":"Mass Detentions for Faith in Volgograd","type":"news"},{"body":"Tatyana Galkevich is charged with committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and interrogated as an accused. A decision was also made to bring Valentina Vladimirova as a defendant in a criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2019-05-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20190517","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Smolensk Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2). According to the investigation, Valentina Vladimirova (born in 1956), Tatyana Galkevich (born in 1959) \"participated in joint prayers to 'Jehovah' and discussion of Bible interpretations.\" Vladimirova is also accused of \"providing the premises of her apartment for holding meetings\" of fellow believers in conditions of secrecy.\nLaw enforcement officers conduct a series of searches in the homes of other local believers. One of them, A.Zh., is taken away by the security forces directly from the hospital. During the interrogation, the investigator asks prepared questions about religion.\nValentina is detained. Her apartment is being searched, but law enforcement officers do not find evidence of the crime. The woman is interrogated for about 14 hours, at which time she becomes ill, she has to call an ambulance. During the interrogation, investigator O. K. Bulgakov focuses on the woman's religion.\nAfter interrogation, Valentina is imprisoned for 48 hours in a temporary detention facility. According to Valentina, before being transferred to the pre-trial detention center, she is subjected to psychological pressure in order to force her to confess to something she did not commit.\nThe protection of the believer is complaining about the actions of the security forces.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2019-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20190514","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","search","interrogation","ivs","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 8, 2019, searches were carried out in Omsk in approximately 5 homes of citizens whom law enforcement officers consider to be Jehovah's Witnesses. The raid was sanctioned the day before by Oksana Voltornist, a judge of the Kuibyshevsky District Court of Omsk. The searches took place as part of a criminal case against the Polyakovs.\nInvestigators brought to court a list of people who, according to the Investigative Committee, were previously members of the Omsk, Kazakh congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. The court was not interested in the question of whether \"Omsk, Kazakh\" was related to the organization banned by the court. The very existence of the list was considered by Judge Voltornist to be sufficient reason to turn the lives of innocent citizens into a nightmare by authorizing searches of their homes.\nFor example, one of the houses was invaded by a group of 8 people, some of them wearing masks. During the search, investigators and operatives rummaged through closets, filmed everything, humiliated the human dignity of citizens and made offensive comments about their faith. In at least one case, the investigating officer did not allow the landlady to cross out the remaining empty fields when drawing up the report.\nAfter the searches, the believers were taken for interrogation to investigator Denis Levchenko. This criminal case was initiated in June 2018. Spouses Sergey and Anastasia Polyakov spent exactly five months in solitary confinement. By subjecting the spouses to such cruel treatment, law enforcement officers forced them, in fact, to incriminate themselves and other people. In December 2018, the couple were placed under house arrest. Their current preventive measure is a written undertaking not to leave.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-05-09T23:12:09+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/834/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_hu_5714af0d470f0912.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/834/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/834/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_hu_a4d5176d412b10a4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/834/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_1_hu_cd87270a34f44d1d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/834.html","regions":["omsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","families"],"title":"A new wave of searches in the homes of believers in Omsk","type":"news"},{"body":"On April 19, 2019, FSB officers simultaneously invaded at least six homes of civilians whom the authorities suspect of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. It became known about the initiation of a criminal case against 64-year-old Alexander Seredkin, 44-year-old Valery Maletskov and 48-year-old Marina Chaplykina. On April 21, 2019, the Oktyabrsky District Court refused to allow the investigator to detain Seredkin and Maletskov. Instead, they chose a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest. Marina Chaplykina signed a recognizance not to leave.\nAleksandr Seredkin is charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with organizing the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, he \"organized meetings and led the reading and discussion of literature recognized as extremist.\" Valery Maletskov and Marina Chaplykina are charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The investigation believes that they assisted A. Seredkin. The case was initiated by the senior investigator for especially important cases of the Novosibirsk Region Directorate of the FSB of Russia, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice E.V. Selyunin. More than 70 people were interrogated in the case.\nSearches in the homes of believers followed a similar pattern. A loud knock on the door was heard at 20:45 in the house of Valery Maletskov, who lives with his wife and young child. Without waiting for an answer, the door was broken into. Shouting \"Stand, do not move, raise your hands!\" 5 people in camouflage, masks, with weapons and tools to break the door burst into the house. After that, 9 more people in civilian clothes immediately entered the house. They stated that the house would be searched by court order. The certificates were presented by police Lieutenant Colonel A.V. Pinaev and FSB Captain D.S. Maslyukov The operation was led by an FSB officer who refused to show the certificate. The search lasted until 3 a.m., during which they seized passports, phones, computer equipment and a CD with a recording of their wedding. After the search, the spouses were taken to the Federal Security Service of Russia Directorate for the Novosibirsk Region at 49 Kommunisticheskaya Street. There, at 5 a.m., their interrogation continued on video. After interrogation, Valeriy Maletskov was placed in an isolation ward. The man appealed to the investigator with a petition for the application of a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave due to special circumstances (the only breadwinner in the family, works 2 jobs, in the care of a young child and a 72-year-old mother with a disability of group II). However, investigator Selyunin asked the court to send the man to jail, without even mentioning his petition in court.\nUpdate. In total, searches were carried out at 12 addresses of believers.\nIn the autumn of last year, a criminal case was opened in Novosibirsk against Yuri Savelyev, who is now in a pre-trial detention center.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-04-25T16:15:45+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/790/police-034407_0_2_2_hu_b3a75d6446bf5b00.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/790/police-034407_0_2_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/790/police-034407_0_2_2_hu_9c2c1347edee10ce.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/790/police-034407_0_2_2_hu_cec6f3ae74f8e0a8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/790.html","regions":["novosibirsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","house-arrest","elderly","282.2-1","282.2-2","ivs"],"title":"A new criminal case for faith is being opened in Novosibirsk, about 70 people have been interrogated","type":"news"},{"body":"The homes of believers in Smolensk are searched, and they are taken by the security forces for interrogation to the Investigative Department of the FSB, from where they never leave. It becomes known that a criminal case has been initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The case is being investigated by the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Smolensk region.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shalev and Others in Smolensk","date":"2019-04-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk2/index.html#20190425","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 20, 2019, Irina Buglak, who was detained on April 19 during searches in the homes of believers in Partizansk (Primorye Territory), was arrested and sent to a pre-trial detention center on suspicion of extremism. The court considered talking about biblical topics at home \"a serious crime against the foundations of the constitutional order.\"\nThe first search in the homes of partisans suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses began on April 19 after 8 p.m. in the apartment of 80-year-old Nelly Tarasyuk. At this time, the landlady was visiting several women. Security officials from the FSB and the Investigative Committee rang the doorbell and introduced themselves as medical workers. Those present opened, after which 8 law enforcement officers entered the apartment and began to search the house, filming what was happening on video. During the search, Nelly Tarasyuk became ill, it was necessary to call an ambulance.\nAt night, those who were in the apartment, except for the hostess, were taken to the investigation department. The detainees were released in turn from 4 to 7 a.m. Everyone was released except 44-year-old Irina Buglak.\nAt three o'clock in the morning, the security forces took Irina Buglak to her place of residence to conduct another search there. According to eyewitnesses of the events, during the interrogations, the operatives admitted that the operation had been prepared since 2018, they were spying on the woman on social networks and tapping the phone. Irina's left arm was lost from the stress of the searches. Nevertheless, she was taken to the local temporary detention center.\nOn April 20, 2019, the judge of the Partizansky City Court, Maria Sundyukova, decided to arrest Irina Buglak for 2 months - until June 20, 2019. At the same time, the court ignored the fact that Irina's detention was carried out with violations - she was not provided with a lawyer in a timely manner and her rights were not explained.\nBochkarev, an investigator of the Investigative Department for Partizansk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, who petitioned for Irina's arrest, accuses her of continuing the activities of the local religious organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Partizansk\". The investigator believes that this organization was banned by a court decision, but in fact this LRO ceased to exist in 2015 and was never banned by the court.\nAccording to investigators, Irina met with fellow believers to communicate on spiritual topics. As stated in the court order on her arrest, \"the person was caught after committing a crime, obvious traces of a crime were found in his home.\" The investigator considers prayers and discussions of the Bible to be a \"serious crime committed against the foundations of the constitutional order.\" This is not prohibited either by the Russian Constitution or by the decision of the Supreme Court, which, according to the Russian government, concerns only the legal bodies of Jehovah's Witnesses, and not the religion of citizens.\nAn appeal has already been filed against the decision of Judge Maria Sundyukova with the Primorsky Regional Court. In addition, an appeal is being prepared on the fact of the illegal arrest of a peace-loving woman to the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Primorsky Territory, Yuri Melnikov, as well as to the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-04-24T19:25:40+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/788/depositphotos_6406965_1_hu_1bbec167c0c66ac.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/788/depositphotos_6406965_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/788/depositphotos_6406965_1_hu_67809cd636efcf6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/788/depositphotos_6406965_1_hu_2407383a2cdbcb51.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/788.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","health-risk"],"title":"A resident of Primorsky Krai was sent to a pre-trial detention center for her faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Ivashin has been charged and is being interrogated as an accused. A preventive measure was chosen - a written undertaking not to leave the place. The investigator announces the end of the investigation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2019-04-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20190424","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of April 19, 2019, in Minusinsk, officers of the Investigative Committee and the Federal Security Service with the participation of Rosgvardia fighters invaded the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. Searches were carried out in 5 houses. More than 30 people were detained for questioning and later released. A criminal case has been opened against 42-year-old Dmitry Maslov under the article \"organization of extremist activity\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). He signed a recognizance not to leave.\nDuring one of the intrusions, an employee of the National Guard pushed 76-year-old Alexander Potemkin, because of which the man fell and received bodily injuries. His house was searched, electronic devices were seized.\nReligious persecution in his city was launched by V. Kolenichenko, acting head of the Minusinsk District Department of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory, who on April 19, 2019 authorized the searches on his own, explaining that \"going to court with a petition for a search is not possible due to the late time of the day.\" Earlier in the day, a criminal case was opened against Dmitry Maslov for the fact that, according to investigators, he rented a holiday cottage and organized a worship service there.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-04-23T17:24:33+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/782/190215_surgut2759_hu_c81fc800fb49377f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/782/190215_surgut2759.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/782/190215_surgut2759_hu_8dd81f682b5a7b72.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/782/190215_surgut2759_hu_27160f679404e0ad.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/782.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement","siloviks-violence"],"title":"Criminal Case, Searches and Interrogations in Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory","type":"news"},{"body":"Lyudmila Shut, a 72-year-old believer, is being involved as a witness in a criminal case on extremism. The woman is interrogated right at her home.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shut in Razdolnoye","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volno-nadezhdinskoye2/index.html#20190419","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of April 10, 2019, in Abakan, armed law enforcement officers in masks invaded the homes of at least two families of local residents who were suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Late at night, at the end of the searches, 44-year-old Roman Baranovsky was detained.\nAccording to preliminary information, a criminal case was initiated against Roman Baranovsky under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"participation in the activities of a liquidated organization\"). His mother, who lives with him, was interrogated.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\nUpdate. On April 10, 2019, a criminal case was initiated against Roman Baranovskiy and his mother, 68-year-old Valentina Baranovskaya, under Article 282.2 (1). As part of the case, on the basis of the investigator's order, a total of 4 searches were carried out, Bibles, personal records, electronic devices and various data carriers were seized.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-04-11T16:47:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/746/190206_saransk532_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/746/190206_saransk532_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/746/190206_saransk532_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/746/190206_saransk532_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/746.html","regions":["khakassia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","282.2-2","interrogation","elderly","families","282.2-1"],"title":"Searches and a Criminal Case for Faith in Khakassia","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator S. Khmelenko and unidentified persons in civilian clothes interrogate Natalia Blum and Ruslan Zalyayev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2019-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20190405","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 26, 2019, FSB investigator S. Bosiyev charged Artem Gerasimov, who was detained for interrogation during searches in 8 houses of believers in Alupka, Gurzuf and Yalta (Crimea), with organizing extremist activities (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). After interrogation, he was released.\nAccording to the investigator's ruling, Artem Gerasimov's guilt lies in the fact that he held meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, \"realizing the public danger\" of this. Gerasimov is also accused of \"getting acquainted with literature\" containing statements \"degrading human dignity on the basis of attitude to religion.\" The investigator did not give any explanations or specific examples.\nIt is noteworthy that during the hearings of the case on the ban of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and another 395 local organizations of believers, not a single fact was heard proving that the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses inspired any real crimes. Human rights activists and other members of the public consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be a peaceful religion, which is alien to the ideas of enmity and hatred on any grounds.\nAfter the ban on Jehovah's Witnesses organizations in Russia, including Crimea, persecution of believers began, despite the Russian government's explanation that the ban should apply only to legal entities and should not restrict the right of believers to practice this religion. Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed bewilderment at the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-04-03T14:26:20+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/718/190320_yalta2401_0_hu_ddbadf1891b7a990.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/718/190320_yalta2401_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/718/190320_yalta2401_0_hu_ae5d4feb221aeca7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/718/190320_yalta2401_0_hu_36266e8e9b0e34a2.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/718.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","282.2-1"],"title":"FSB declared a resident of Yalta an extremist for his beliefs","type":"news"},{"body":"The \"operation of the FSB of the city of Pskov\" begins, during which searches are carried out in two houses of believers. Breaking into one of them, the security forces attack 52-year-old Sergei Komissarov, striking him on the head. Sergey, his wife, as well as 44-year-old Alexei Khabarov were taken for interrogation to the regional center - to the main Directorate of the FSB of Russia in the Pskov region. The men were taken on their own recognizance, they turn out to be suspects in a criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Komissarov in Porkhov","date":"2019-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov2/index.html#20190403","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 3, 2019, in the city of Porkhov (Pskov region), FSB officers broke into the apartment where the married couple Sergey and Svetlana Komissarov live. The security forces knocked the head of the family to the floor, took away his and his guests' mobile devices and forbade them to record what was happening. Thus began the \"operation of the FSB of the city of Pskov\", in the context of which another search took place on the same day.\nAs Sergey said, in the morning at about 11:00 a.m., unknown people began to call persistently at the door of the apartment where they live. \"I went to the door, the lock was not closed, I opened the door, I saw a lot of people. Not understanding what was happening, I began to close it, then there was an unexpected attack, blows to the head, I was thrown to the floor. After that, the whole crowd flew into the apartment. Sergey was presented with a court order for a search. Then the security forces under him hacked into his accounts on several Internet resources and, under dictation, recorded the information in the protocol. The computer, tablet and all information media were confiscated by law enforcement officers.\nAccording to eyewitnesses, none of those present were allowed to photograph, rewrite or in any other way record the names, ranks and positions of operatives. The search lasted approximately 4.5 hours. At about 4:30 p.m., the search began in the apartment of two of Sergey's guests. The security forces seized laptops, a tablet, a phone, a bank card and flash drives from them.\nAs a result, 52-year-old Sergey Komissarov, his wife, as well as 44-year-old Alexei Khabarov were taken for interrogation to the regional center - to the main Directorate of the FSB of Russia in the Pskov region. Around midnight, everyone was released, and the men were ordered not to leave the place.\nAs it became known, the searches took place within the framework of a criminal case on extremism, which was initiated by the senior investigator for especially important cases of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia in the Pskov region, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Irina Pravdivtseva.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-04-03T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/747/190215a_surgut533_hu_fc94768baaa44e95.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/747/190215a_surgut533_hu_21547093e5780931.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/747/190215a_surgut533_hu_cb711479156726e2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/747/190215a_surgut533_hu_2395b217dfd3d655.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/747.html","regions":["pskov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation"],"title":"FSB hacked into accounts of believers and conducted searches in the Pskov region","type":"news"},{"body":"On March 26, 2019, at approximately 7:00 a.m., there was a soft knock on the door of the apartment where the spouses Pavel and Elena Popov live with their young daughter in Yemanzhelinsk (Chelyabinsk region). The owners were told through the door that there was some kind of accident with their car in the yard. When they opened the door, they saw about 10 masked men with machine guns and a sledgehammer to kick down the door.\nThe couple were informed that their home would be searched because they professed the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A computer, phones, tablets, family photos, books and passports were seized. After the search, the spouses were taken for interrogation to another city, presumably to Chelyabinsk. The child was left in the care of family friends. According to law enforcement officers, whether the spouses will be arrested \"depends on how they cooperate.\" (Law enforcement officers across the country have threatened believers to incriminate themselves or others by \"confessing\" to engaging in extremist activities.) The case against believers is being handled by the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Chelyabinsk Region.\nSimultaneously with the operational activities in Yemanzhelinsk, searches in the homes of believers, according to reports, are taking place in the Metallurgichesky district of Chelyabinsk.\nEarlier, after the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, the Russian Federation admitted that it had violated the rights of 150 deaf Jehovah's Witnesses in Chelyabinsk in connection with the disruption of their worship services, and paid 30,000 euros in compensation for moral damage and 60,544 euros in compensation for legal costs. The ECHR ruling in this case, known as Konstantin Kuznetsov and Others v. Russian Federation, states: \"It is undeniable that the joint study and discussion of liturgical texts by members of the Jehovah's Witnesses community is a recognized form of professing [their] religion during worship and teaching.\" This ruling was issued in 2007.\nUpdate. A total of 10 searches were conducted in the homes of believers in the Chelyabinsk region on March 26, 2019.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-26T18:41:50+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/690/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_0_hu_188976aa29143af0.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/690/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/690/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_0_hu_f31e4dbf1419b25e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/690/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_0_hu_47c3b832d75185b9.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/690.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","minors","interrogation"],"title":"Searches and Criminal Case in the Chelyabinsk Region","type":"news"},{"body":"On March 13, 2019, in Severodvinsk (Arkhangelsk region), searches were carried out in at least 7 homes of citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case has been initiated under the article \"organization of the activities of an extremist organization\". 61-year-old Vladimir Teterin and 37-year-old Sergey Potylitsyn were involved in the case as suspects. Vladimir Teterin signed a recognizance not to leave.\nThe searches were carried out by FSB investigators P. Yuriev, I. Kozodubov, I. Mironov and others. About 20 conscripts were involved as witnesses. The searches were authorized by the Severodvinsk City Court. Some of the believers were taken to Arkhangelsk, where they were interrogated at the FSB Directorate at 54 Troitsky Prospekt. After interrogations, which lasted until late at night, everyone was released.\nEarlier, on February 18, 2019, 39-year-old Yevgeny Yakku was arrested in Arkhangelsk on a similar charge. Later, the court chose a preventive measure for him in the form of a ban on certain actions.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-21T21:31:07+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/679/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_hu_5c4c9ebd7271043.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/679/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/679/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_hu_421cc24b5469cb8e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/679/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_0_hu_4afab3bd5e6710d8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/679.html","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","elderly","282.2-1"],"title":"Searches and a Criminal Case for Faith in Severodvinsk","type":"news"},{"body":"On March 20, 2019, in the Crimean cities of Yalta and Alupka, at least 6 homes of local followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses were attacked by FSB officers. A criminal case was opened against the believers under the article \"organization of the activities of an extremist organization.\" Several people were detained for questioning. 34-year-old Artem Gerasimov was taken to the republican center - Simferopol.\nDuring the searches, computers and other electronic devices, as well as Bibles, were seized from believers. The case against the believers is being conducted by FSB investigators A. Lavrov and S. Bosiev.\nEarlier, on November 15, 2018, a major operation against believers took place in Dzhankoy (Crimea).\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-20T18:30:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/675/190320_yalta2401_hu_70587dbf24ff2f60.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/675/190320_yalta2401.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/675/190320_yalta2401_hu_94e528d1dff8cdbd.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/675/190320_yalta2401_hu_dfdaa9beeacba0d9.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/675.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Searches and Arrests for Faith in Crimea ","type":"news"},{"body":"The morning of March 20, 2019, for Jehovah's Witnesses in Magadan began with an invasion of their homes by FSB officers. Searches were carried out in at least 4 houses of believers, but there are suspicions that searches were carried out in another 5 houses, and their residents were taken to the FSB for interrogations. According to law enforcement officers, 9 new criminal cases have been initiated in the city for believing in God.\nDuring the searches, all electronic devices were seized from citizens: tablets, smartphones, laptops, cameras, all memory cards and flash drives, as well as notebooks and other personal belongings. The search in the Solntsev family took place in the presence of their 9-year-old child. Nothing is known about the new arrests.\nEarlier, on May 30, 2018, a criminal case was opened in the city and 4 believers were sent to jail for several months. Now all four are under house arrest.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\nUpdate. On April 9, 2019, it became known that 9 criminal cases initiated against 3 men and 6 women were merged by the investigation into one proceeding and attached to the case of Puida and others.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-20T18:28:20+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/674/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_hu_188976aa29143af0.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/674/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/674/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_hu_f31e4dbf1419b25e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/674/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_0_1_hu_47c3b832d75185b9.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/674.html","regions":["magadan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","minors"],"title":"Mass searches of believers in Magadan","type":"news"},{"body":"On February 28, 2019, in the cities of Nefteyugansk and Pyt-Yakh (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), located near Surgut, searches were carried out in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Aleksandr Nikanorov, 37, a father of a 7-month-old child, was detained in Pyt-Yakh, but he was released after interrogation.\nOn February 15, 2019, mass searches took place in Surgut and Lyantor. On February 17, 2019, the court sentenced three citizens to a measure of restraint in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center. A criminal case under the article \"organization and participation of an extremist organization\" was initiated against 19 local residents, including women.\nA week earlier, on February 6, 2019, searches were conducted in the city of Urai (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), 38-year-old Andrey Sazonov was arrested. After 20 days, the court placed him under house arrest.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-18T17:28:40+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/667/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_hu_991140f937d91078.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/667/180603_tomsk_obysk2385.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/667/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_hu_b0fb01ee607b8778.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/667/180603_tomsk_obysk2385_hu_f8ed6b73be5f6cfd.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/667.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","minors"],"title":"Searches in cities near Surgut","type":"news"},{"body":"Georgy and Tatyana Parfentiev were interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2019-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20190318","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB officers conduct searches in the homes of believers in Luchegorsk (Primorye Territory). In some places, searches and interrogations last for 7 hours. Two believers, 55-year-old Yuriy Belosludtsev and 63-year-old Sergey Sergeyev, were detained and taken to Dalnerechensk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2019-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20190317","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Potylitsyn on the summons comes to the FSB for interrogation, which is conducted by investigator P. Yuriev. He takes a written undertaking not to leave Potylitsyn.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20190314","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 27, 2019, at least four apartments of local residents suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Ulyanovsk. A number of citizens were detained and taken for interrogation to the local department of the FSB. Five citizens were detained for 48 hours to choose a measure of restraint for them.\nSergey Mysin, 53, and his wife Natalia (the couple have a daughter), Andrey Tabakov, 46, Khoren Khachikyan, 33, and Mikhail Zelensky, 58, were detained.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-02-28T15:05:24+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/641/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_1_hu_ef9922f011dd685f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/641/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/641/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_1_hu_9ee4384f48cdbbd9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/641/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_1_hu_a56c2aa557bee22e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/641.html","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","families"],"title":"Searches and detentions of 5 believers in Ulyanovsk","type":"news"},{"body":"In the cities of Nefteyugansk and Pyt-Yakh (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), located near Surgut, searches are being conducted in the homes of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In the city of Pyt-Yakh, 37-year-old Aleksandr Nikanorov is detained, but released after interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2019-02-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20190228","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 16, 2019, the hotline of the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR) received an appeal with a request to take measures to the investigator of the Surgut Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Dmitry Leonidovich Asmolov in connection with reports of torture occurring on the first floor of the building of the Investigative Committee of Russia on Ostrovsky Street, 47, in Surgut in between his interrogations.\nOn February 15 and 16, 2019, at least 7 peaceful Jehovah's Witnesses were tortured — electric shocks, strangulation to the point of unconsciousness, and sophisticated beatings. After the torture, the investigators forced them to answer the questions: \"Where do the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses take place? Who comes to the meetings? What are the names of the elders? What's the password on your phone?\"\nAccording to believers, torture was used in between interrogations conducted by the following investigators: investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Committee for the city of Surgut of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Tkach Stepan Vladimirovich, investigator of the Surgut Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Asmolov Dmitry Leonidovich, investigator Bogodelov Sergey Alekseevich. After the torture, the investigators helped the believers to come to their senses, offered water, paper handkerchiefs and gently reproached the believers for bringing themselves to \"trouble\" with their taciturnity.\nThose of the believers who were released recorded bodily injuries and appealed to the supervisory authorities, including the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, outlining the circumstances of the incident.\nAfter the hotline received a message about the torture of 57-year-old Sergey Loginov, he was immediately released, but after that he was again detained and under torture forced to write an explanation that no one had tortured him. After that, he was not allowed to go home. It is not known what is now in the pre-trial detention center with him, as well as with two other arrested - 42-year-old Yevgeny Fedin and 52-year-old Artur Severinchik.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-02-20T15:36:52+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/624/lori-0002534797-bigwww-crop_hu_ff17023a73f28f8f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/624/lori-0002534797-bigwww-crop_hu_b163a81166b9a189.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/624/lori-0002534797-bigwww-crop_hu_6f52431d4b183f94.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/624/lori-0002534797-bigwww-crop_hu_b0fea021f92a5c0c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/624.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["complaints","torture","interrogation","sizo"],"title":"Believers in Surgut appealed to the hotline of the TFR on the fact of torture","type":"news"},{"body":"At least 7 peaceful Jehovah's Witnesses were subjected to electric shocks, strangulation to the point of unconsciousness, and sophisticated beatings. The torture was carried out on the first floor of the building of the Investigative Committee of Russia at 47 Ostrovsky Street in Surgut. By torture, believers were forced to answer the questions: \"Where do the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses take place? Who comes to the meetings? What are the names of the elders? What's the password on your phone?\"\nOn the morning of February 15, 2019, mass searches began in the homes of believers in Surgut, after which they were taken to the building of the Investigative Committee. During interrogation, they refused to incriminate themselves and their fellow believers. After the lawyer on duty left, they were tied with tape behind their backs and beaten, stripped naked, doused with water and used a stun gun. The torture continued for several hours.\nAt least three believers remain in the pre-trial detention center.\nA criminal case was opened against 19 local residents for the so-called \"organization of an extremist organization.\"\nThose of the believers who were released recorded bodily injuries and appealed to the supervisory authorities, outlining the circumstances of the incident.\nBelievers will seek a thorough investigation of the sadistic treatment, the identification of the organizers and participants of the torture conveyor. Torture, cruel or degrading treatment is a criminal offence. The Russian Federation is a signatory to the UN Convention against Torture and Inhuman Treatment.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-02-19T23:27:59+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/622/lori-0005433418-bigwww-crop_hu_346cc6b3f86ce8c6.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/622/lori-0005433418-bigwww-crop_hu_2e5c529cd97a2ade.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/622/lori-0005433418-bigwww-crop_hu_d5d375bd9f22cb6d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/622/lori-0005433418-bigwww-crop_hu_354c8aea0e6d5030.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/622.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["torture","interrogation","sizo","complaints"],"title":"Torture of Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut","type":"news"},{"body":"Early in the morning of February 15, 2019, in Surgut, Lyantor and other settlements of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, mass searches were carried out in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to incomplete data, 15 people were detained and taken to the investigating authorities.\nIt is not known whether the raids are related to the investigation of the criminal case in Urai (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), in which the 38-year-old father of two children, Andrei Sazonov, has already been sent to jail . The case was opened there by the Investigative Committee of Russia for imaginary organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Searches of believers, numbering in the hundreds, turn the lives of innocent people into a nightmare, undermine their health, cause deep emotional trauma and cast a shadow on their reputation in the eyes of neighbors, employers and others.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, 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.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-02-15T15:35:14+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/616/police-034407_0_2_1_hu_b3a75d6446bf5b00.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/616/police-034407_0_2_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/616/police-034407_0_2_1_hu_9c2c1347edee10ce.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/616/police-034407_0_2_1_hu_cec6f3ae74f8e0a8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/616.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation"],"title":"Large-scale operation against Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut","type":"news"},{"body":"Mass searches are being carried out in the homes of citizens of Surgut, Lyantor and other settlements of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. At least 15 people were detained and taken to the investigating authorities for interrogation.\nIt becomes known about the use of torture during interrogations in the Investigative Committee (electric shocks, strangulation to unconsciousness and beatings) against 7 detained believers: Sergey Loginov (born in 1961), Yevgeny Kayryak (born in 1986), Vyacheslav Boronos (born in 1966), Artyom Kim (born in 1988), Alexey Plekhov (born in 1977), Savely Gargalyk (born in 1960), Sergey Volosnikov (born in 1977).\nThe hotline of the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR) receives an appeal from affected believers with a request to take measures to the investigator of the Surgut Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Dmitry Leonidovich Asmolov in connection with incoming reports of torture.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2019-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20190215","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["search","interrogation","torture"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 6, 2019, starting at 6:00 a.m., in the capital of Mordovia, FSB officers conducted at least 20 searches in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. 31-year-old Vladimir Atryakhin, husband and father of two young children, was detained. The issue of the measure of restraint should be decided on February 8.\nA total of 8 people were detained, according to preliminary information, most of them were released after interrogation. Believers report that police officers initially behaved rudely, but since the believers remained unfailingly friendly, they even recommended that believers eat before being detained, knowing that the detention procedure could be delayed.\nIt is known that a criminal case has been initiated, but it is not yet known under what article and against whom. The search warrant was issued the day before by the Leninsky District Court of Saransk. Additional circumstances are being investigated.\nDespite concerns about the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, human rights defenders, the Human Rights Council under the President of Russia and the President himself, repressions against believers have recently intensified. Recently, a guilty verdict was passed on a Danish citizen, Dennis Christensen, just for professing his faith.\nUpdate. Together with Atryakhin, Aleksandr Shevchuk and Georgiy Nikulin, a total of 3 people, were detained and sent to the pre-trial detention center. According to updated data, searches were carried out in 9 families.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-02-07T16:19:21+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/595/police-034407_0_2_0_hu_b3a75d6446bf5b00.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/595/police-034407_0_2_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/595/police-034407_0_2_0_hu_9c2c1347edee10ce.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/595/police-034407_0_2_0_hu_cec6f3ae74f8e0a8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/595.html","regions":["mordovia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","minors","interrogation","new-case"],"title":"Searches of believers in Saransk. Father of young children detained","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Kemerovo Region, Major of Justice Efimov M. I. makes a decision to initiate a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Kogut Kh., and to accept it for proceedings. He was prosecuted as a defendant in case No. 1190732000100083.\nKogut Hasan was summoned to the FSB SO to pick up the seized laptop, but as a result he was detained. Protocols of interrogation and detention have been drawn up.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20190206","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Kuznetsov, Nadezhda Konkova, Karina Sahakyan, Anatoly Boyko were summoned for interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2019-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20190129","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The FSB conducts searches in the city of Furmanov in the homes of citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yevgeny Spirin was detained and interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2019-01-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20190127","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 20, 2019, at least 11 searches were conducted in the homes of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Nevelsk, as well as in the village of Nogliki. This is the first action of this kind after President Putin expressed dissatisfaction with the persecution of believers of this religion and promised to deal with it. The events began on Sunday morning at 11:10 in the village of Nogliki (Sakhalin region). Armed FSB officers stormed the apartment of Alexander Ryndin, where guests had gathered at home. The 47-year-old owner was punched in the face and knocked to the floor. The search in the apartment lasted 5 hours. Then Aleksandr Ryndin was taken to the FSB department for interrogation. His 14-year-old child was also questioned in the presence of witnesses, a teacher from his school and 2 special forces. His guests were also taken away to have their apartments searched. Electronic devices, books, photographs, and even a greeting card for the newlyweds with the inscription: \"Be an example in love and faithfulness to Jehovah and to each other\" were seized from citizens. Among others, two 80-year-old women were taken to the local FSB for interrogation. After searches and interrogations, everyone was released. A criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated on December 24, 2018 against 57-year-old Sergey Kulakov from Nevelsk. D. Melnikov, an investigator of the Sakhalin Oblast Directorate of the FSB, believes that in the fall of 2017, Sergey Kulakov \"led a religious group consisting of residents of Nevelsk professing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses, provided material and other support for the group's activities, convened appropriate meetings, religion, ensured the performance of religious rites and ceremonies, taught religion and religious education.\" The judge of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City Court, Galina Masterkova, to whom the FSB officer applied for a search warrant, considered that the above circumstances were enough to unleash persecution of innocent believers in her own city. The search warrants were signed by the judge on January 17, 2019.\nRussian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. In addition to the president, prominent public figures of Russia, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, drew attention to this problem. Jehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with extremism and insist on their complete innocence.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-01-23T10:58:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/01/576/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_hu_c9bd0eb287696891.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/01/576/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/01/576/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_hu_ed7e80912590418e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/01/576/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_hu_bbe657a20f775f02.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/01/576.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","minors","elderly","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"The FSB conducted a series of searches in the homes of believers on Sakhalin","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator again interrogates Filatov, who reports that the local religious organization was liquidated after the court decision. Later, during another interrogation, Filatov clarifies that the believers gathered as private individuals in accordance with the right given by the Russian Constitution.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2019-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20190116","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 18, 2018, a new complaint \"Moskalenko v. Russia\" was sent to the European Court of Human Rights with a request to consider it as a priority in accordance with the policy of the Strasbourg Court.\nOn August 2, 2018, FSB and OMON officers invaded at least 5 houses of civilians in Khabarovsk. The police seized religious literature, mobile phones and other personal belongings of citizens. Among others, Valery Vasilyevich Moskalenko was interrogated and taken into custody. He is accused of participating in worship services and \"hymns reflecting the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\" If convicted, he faces up to 6 years in prison.\nThe complaint draws attention to the violation by the Russian Federation of several articles of the European Convention at once, including Articles 9, 3, 8, 17 and/or 18 (considered alone or jointly with other articles). Thus, article 18 of the Convention prohibits the imposition of restrictions for purposes other than those for which they were intended. In this regard, the complaint emphasizes: \"The declared goal of combating extremism serves as a cover for the State for the illegal goal of eradicating the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\"\nTo date, more than 40 complaints from Jehovah's Witnesses have been filed with the European Court of Human Rights against Russia. Among them are \"MRO Taganrog and Others v. Russia\" No. 32401/10 and 21 other complaints (communicated on March 6, 2014); MRO Samara and Others v. Russia No. 15962/15 and 6 other complaints (communicated on September 4, 2017); \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and Kalin v. Russian Federation\" No. 10188/17 (communicated on December 1, 2017); Christensen v. Russia No. 39417/17 (communicated on 4 September 2017); \"Markin and Trofimov v. Russia\" No. 20/519/18; Suvorov and Others v. Russia No. 29779/18; Polyakovy v. Russia No. 32532/18; Klimov v. Russia No. 40768/18; Puida and Others v. Russia No. 42412/18; Britvin \u0026 Levchuk v. Russia (filed November 1, 2018); Bazhenov and Others v. Russia (filed November 30, 2018).\n","category":"rights","date":"2019-01-01T20:15:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/01/556/kollazhik6922_hu_a4614aaf3c00dcdf.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/01/556/kollazhik6922.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/01/556/kollazhik6922_hu_4bae8bd42ec4e939.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/01/556/kollazhik6922_hu_91bc4f94a51f9d59.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/01/556.html","regions":["khabarovsk","france"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["complaints","echr","search","interrogation"],"title":"Moskalenko v. Russia: New Complaint to the ECHR in the Case of Jehovah's Witnesses ","type":"news"},{"body":"Some cases of violation of the rights of believers that occurred in 2018 are published.\nOn January 21, 2018 , in Ilovaisk, two men disrupted a worship meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses. They knocked down a stand with a microphone, took away a smartphone and a tablet from two believers, and then beat several participants in the meeting, including a woman. The attackers threatened physical violence, said they were authorized to do so by the \"central church,\" and accused Jehovah's Witnesses of \"destroying the Orthodox faith.\" Children witnessed what was happening, they were very frightened. The believers called the police. The DPR security forces who arrived interviewed those present and promised to check whether Jehovah's Witnesses were a banned organization. The believers also tried to submit an application to the military commandant's office, but the document was not accepted there.\nOn February 22, 2018, in the village of United (Makiivka), a man beat up two women who were talking to people about the Bible. At the same time, the man insulted believers and threatened them with murder. One of the victims was a 60-year-old woman.\nOn March 19, 2018 , in the village of Bulavinskoye, unknown persons broke the window of the Kingdom Hall, entered and set fire. Several benches were burned, traces of autopsy attempts remained on the metal safe. Burnt matches, the contents of a first-aid kit and household chemicals were scattered throughout the room. Some of the equipment disappeared from the building. The arsonists left a note to the believers: \"You have 200,000 rubles and everything will be fine.\" Thefts have already been committed in this building - in October 2017. Then the DPR police refused to initiate a criminal case.\nOn April 12, 2018, in the village of Nizhnyaya Krynka, the DPR security forces came to the home of a 61-year-old local resident, Olga A. (not her real name). One of the employees hit an elderly woman in the kidney area. They took her phone, keys to the apartment and took her away for interrogation to the local police station. At the police station, the woman was insulted and beaten, and a gas mask was put on her to get a confession of theft (allegedly during a conversation on biblical topics, Olga stole money from one of the local residents). Olga was kept in the department for a day without food. The woman was released only after her acquaintances saw her through the window of the police station. At home, Olga discovered the loss of several tens of thousands of rubles that her relatives had previously sent her. According to those who have known Olga for many years, she has an impeccable reputation. Olga herself claims that she never talked with the allegedly robbed woman.\nOn September 5, 2018, in Shakhtersk, against the backdrop of a trial to ban the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, the DPR security forces summoned one of the believers for questioning about religious activities. Dmitry B. was summoned by phone, the caller introduced himself as a police officer and threatened with riot police in case of refusal to voluntarily appear. Dmitry B. arrived at the police station. He refused to talk about his religious activities, referring to Article 44 of the DPR Constitution, which allows him not to testify against himself. A high-ranking police officer tried to search him and convince him that he was misinterpreting the provisions of the Constitution. Dmitriy was kept in the police station for about 3 hours, after which he was released.\nOn December 19, 2018, in Snezhnoye, a group of 10 people, including presumably administrative staff, entered the Kingdom Hall and sealed all doors and windows.\"\n","category":"analytics","date":"2018-12-25T15:47:36+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/553/gorlovka_dnr147_hu_edba96866b5e05c4.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/553/gorlovka_dnr147.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/553/gorlovka_dnr147_hu_40e0cf04053f2329.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/553/gorlovka_dnr147_hu_291489c4041c2c9f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/553.html","regions":["dnr"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["vandalism","meetings-disruption","review","siloviks-violence","minors","hatred-attacks","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"Violation of the rights of believers in a separate territory in the Donetsk region of Ukraine in 2018","type":"news"},{"body":"During 2018, the situation with freedom of religion in the territory of the Donetsk region, which left the jurisdiction of Ukraine, worsened. Local authorities banned the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, equating a peaceful denomination with extremists. The believers were under surveillance, and in different cities law enforcers summoned them for interrogations and threatened them with arrests. According to a similar scenario, the situation developed in Russia, where the ban on the organization turned into total oppression of hundreds of thousands of people.\nFrom January to June 2018, representatives of the DPR law enforcement agencies showed increased attention to the worship buildings of Jehovah's Witnesses - Kingdom Halls. In such cities as Donetsk, Yasinovataya, Snezhnoye, Zugres, Yenakievo, and Dokuchaevsk, prosecutorial checks, conversations with believers, and inspections of Kingdom Halls were conducted. Later, this resulted in the confiscation of buildings. By August 29, 2018, a total of 16 Kingdom Halls had been taken from local Jehovah's Witnesses.\nSince June 2018 , security forces in Donetsk, Torez, Snizhne, Shakhtersk, Yenakiyevo, Makiivka, and Yunokommunarovsk have begun collecting data on Jehovah's Witnesses. Some men and women were summoned for interrogation on summonses, others were taken to police stations right on the street and from home.\nIn July and August 2018, the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched. One in Yenakiyevo, another in the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye (Novoazovsky district).\nOn August 22, 2018 , the local Supreme Court, at the request of the DPR prosecutor's office, recognized a number of information materials of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the official website, as extremist. On September 5, 2018, the local Ministry of Communications ordered telecom operators to block the site.\nOn September 26, 2018, the Supreme Court of the DPR banned the activities of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses in the controlled territory, accusing the organization of extremist activities. At the same time, neither the prosecutor nor the court considered it necessary to hear the arguments of Jehovah's Witnesses in their defense.\nIn October-November 2018, the security forces made additional efforts to identify Jehovah's Witnesses. Some believers reported being under surveillance. In the village of Talmanovo, the security forces made rounds of the residents, notifying them against receipt that the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses were banned.\nIn Yenakiieve, there were reports that law enforcement agencies had been ordered to \"find, arrest, and neutralize Jehovah's Witnesses engaged in the preaching work.\"\nSerious concerns are caused by reports from various sources about the preparation of mass detentions. The situation threatens to turn into massive violations of the rights of thousands of civilians, as is happening in the Russian Federation. (Although the Russian authorities claim that the country's Supreme Court decision to ban a religious organization applies only to legal entities, dozens of innocent people have become prisoners of conscience. The decision of the Russian Supreme Court has been appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, which intends to consider the complaint of Jehovah's Witnesses as a matter of priority.)\n","category":"analytics","date":"2018-12-24T15:56:18+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/551/foto._otobrannye_zdaniya_dlya_bogosluzheniy_v_donecke_i_makeevke6868_hu_524d631898c0f81a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/551/foto._otobrannye_zdaniya_dlya_bogosluzheniy_v_donecke_i_makeevke6868.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/551/foto._otobrannye_zdaniya_dlya_bogosluzheniy_v_donecke_i_makeevke6868_hu_2ce09f735e055c6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/551/foto._otobrannye_zdaniya_dlya_bogosluzheniy_v_donecke_i_makeevke6868_hu_5c05663cbb90e539.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/551.html","regions":["dnr"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["review","interrogation","search","website"],"title":"Overview of the situation in the isolated territory in the Donetsk region of Ukraine","type":"news"},{"body":"On November 30, 2018, in Luhansk, 22-year-old A.A. (initials changed) was detained, searched and beaten just because he was found in possession of a Jehovah's Witnesses business card.\nNot far from the Luhanska station, armed men in the uniform of the LPR law enforcement agencies stopped and searched A.A.'s car. They announced that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses had been banned on their territory since February 2018, and took him to Luhansk, to the building where the Security Service of Ukraine had previously been located. After 2 hours of waiting, the interrogation began. The man was handcuffed and beaten, presumably with a book. At the same time, the security forces tried to get information from him about Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as about his participation in this religion. Later, they began to take the young man from office to office, pulling a hat over his eyes. At one point, someone said, \"Yes,\" and A.A. was hit in the solar plexus. When he asked permission to call his wife, he was told, \"You're missing.\" After a six-hour interrogation, the security forces took the man to his home for a search to seize religious literature. In the end, he was released. He and his wife were forbidden to observe the precepts of his religion under threat of imprisonment.\nAs a result of the incident, the man was subjected to cruel and degrading treatment, restriction of the right to freedom of religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-12-24T15:53:55+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/550/foto._sryv_bogosluzheniya_v_alchevske_avgust_2017_goda6867_hu_af167701022cad49.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/550/foto._sryv_bogosluzheniya_v_alchevske_avgust_2017_goda6867_hu_cc20b4a4b85d5a68.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/550/foto._sryv_bogosluzheniya_v_alchevske_avgust_2017_goda6867_hu_e6deb1c206044d97.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/550/foto._sryv_bogosluzheniya_v_alchevske_avgust_2017_goda6867_hu_5389dd16a6af8d5a.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/550.html","regions":["lnr"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","ivs","interrogation"],"title":"Detention and beating for faith in Luhansk","type":"news"},{"body":"On December 9, 2018, at least 8 searches were carried out in Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory) in apartments, private houses and non-residential premises of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Konstantin Samsonov (41), Aleksandr Akopov (26) and Shamil Sultanov (41) were sent to jail. Another man is wanted. The criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated by the Investigative Directorate of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Stavropol Territory on December 7, 2017.\nMany law enforcement officers, including those from the regional center, were involved in the searches. In most places, masked soldiers armed with assault rifles drove up in an off-road military truck (Ural).\nCitizens were subjected to degrading treatment. During one search, a woman was forced to fully undress in the presence of witnesses (women). In addition, a minor (17 years old) was subjected to a body search with exposure to his underwear. A woman with group II disability was not allowed to use the toilet for a long time. A young girl, in front of whom the search took place, cried with fear. Another woman required emergency medical attention after the search. An ambulance team was also called to Konstantin Samsonov directly for the court hearing, during which he was sent to a pre-trial detention center.\nDuring the searches, books, communication equipment, computers, notebooks, electronic storage devices, personal money, bank cards, vehicle documents, photographs, etc., were seized.\nIt is noteworthy how the FSB motivated the need to detain citizens: \"After the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia to ban activities ... Samsonov K.V. did not renounce his religious views\" (the identical wording was also used in the investigator's petition to the court against Shamil Sultanov). Earlier, dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , expressed concern about the growing religious repression.\nEarlier, on August 26, 2017, 18 citizens who were vacationing with children on the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Neftekumsk, were blocked by a detachment of armed police officers and taken to the police station under the threat of force. In November, 9 searches in the homes of believers were conducted in Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-12-14T15:37:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/537/police-034407_0_5_0_hu_b3a75d6446bf5b00.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/537/police-034407_0_5_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/537/police-034407_0_5_0_hu_9c2c1347edee10ce.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/537/police-034407_0_5_0_hu_cec6f3ae74f8e0a8.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/537.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","new-case","282.2-1","personal-inspection","minors","disability","health-risk"],"title":"Arrests, Searches and a Criminal Case in the Stavropol Territory","type":"news"},{"body":"On December 2, 2018, in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a group of more than 10 armed law enforcement officers in masks invaded the home of a local resident who was receiving guests in his house that day. All 13 people in the house were suspected of reading the Bible together (officially holding \"collective religious speeches and services\", \"distributing extremist literature\", \"routine training in the postulates of the religious association Jehovah's Witnesses\", \"watching videos of a banned religious structure\") and taken for interrogation to the investigative department. It became known that a criminal case was initiated against 44-year-old local resident Sergey Ledenev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization), and a written undertaking not to leave was taken from him.\nThis is at least the third criminal case for faith initiated in Kamchatka against citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe case of the Popovs in Vilyuchinsk (Kamchatka Territory) was initiated on July 25, 2018 under Parts 1 and 1.1 of Article 282.2 (organization of the activities of an extremist organization and involvement in the activities of an extremist organization). On July 30, 2018, a series of searches were carried out in the city, Mikhail and Elena Popov were arrested. Later, the measure of restraint was mitigated. Mikhail spent 11 days behind bars, Yelena - 12 days behind bars and under house arrest. The investigation is ongoing.\nThe case of the Bazhenov spouses and others in Yelizovo (Kamchatka Territory) was initiated on August 17, 2018 under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist organization activities). On August 19, 2018, searches were conducted in the city in 4 apartments of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Konstantin Bazhenov and his wife Snezhana, as well as 71-year-old Vera Zolotova, were sent to a temporary detention center. After 2 days in the isolation ward, the women were released. Later, Konstantin Bazhenov was also sent on his own recognizance not to leave (he was released from custody by an appeal decision of the court), having spent 11 days behind bars.\nRussian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, have already drawn attention to this problem. Believers insist on their complete innocence.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-12-06T15:20:21+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/529/kamchatka-01_0_hu_5d69934b29636179.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/529/kamchatka-01_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/529/kamchatka-01_0_hu_e7653ac47ea518db.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/529/kamchatka-01_0_hu_3c3274413462a6d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/529.html","regions":["kamchatka"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","282.2-1","interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"The Third Criminal Case for Faith in Kamchatka","type":"news"},{"body":"On November 25, 2018, in the city of Spassk-Dalny (Primorye Territory), five people were detained and sent to an isolation ward in the wake of searches in the homes of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Two days later, 28-year-old Dmitry Malevan, 59-year-old Alexei Trofimov, 59-year-old Olga Panyuta and 66-year-old Olga Opaleva were placed under house arrest. One man was released without a preventive measure.\nIt is noteworthy that on November 13, 2 weeks before this happened in reality, the media, citing the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, disseminated information about the arrest of 5 believers. It was also reported that a criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization).\nEarlier, in Spassk-Dalny, an FSB operation took place to disrupt a friendly meeting. On the evening of August 12, 2018, at least 17 FSB officers invaded rented premises on Krasnoznamennaya Street in Spassk-Dalny (Primorsky Territory), where a friendly meeting was taking place with the participation of 28 people. Phones and tablets were seized from those present. Until late at night, citizens were asked questions under the protocol, for example: was the name \"Jehovah\" pronounced at the meeting? Was the Bible read in the New World Translation? The basis for these actions was the decision to conduct a number of operational-search activities \"Inspection of premises, buildings, structures, terrain and vehicles\", which was issued on August 10, 2018 by the acting head of the Service in the village of Kamen-Rybolov of the FSB of Russia in the Primorsky Territory. As a result, the rented premises were searched, as well as the houses and cars of several citizens.\nThus, a total of at least four criminal cases have been initiated in the Primorye Territory against citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The case of Valentin Osadchuk is being investigated by the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in Vladivostok. The case of Dmitry Barmakin, who came to take care of his wife's sick mother, but instead ended up in a pre-trial detention center, is being investigated by the body of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Pervorechensky district of Vladivostok. The case in the village of Razdolnoye (Primorsky Territory), during which a brutal military operation against civilians was carried out, is being investigated by the Investigative Department for the Nadezhdinsky District of the Investigative Committee of Russia. Law enforcement agencies across the country mistakenly interpret peaceful meetings of believers as \"extremist activity.\" Dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , expressed concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-12-06T15:15:29+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/12/528/depositphotos_75905113_5_hu_a7e12beae6cb7bec.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/12/528/depositphotos_75905113_5.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/12/528/depositphotos_75905113_5_hu_d58f9b884b44bb7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/12/528/depositphotos_75905113_5_hu_eb91f4ca8be731ca.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/12/528.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","ivs","house-arrest","elderly","interrogation"],"title":"Primorye: Criminal Case and Arrests in Spassk-Dalniy","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogations of believers who are in the status of witnesses are resumed.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2018-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20181201","regions":["penza"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"More than 200 police and FSB officers were involved during the raid conducted on November 15, 2018 in the city of Dzhankoy (Crimea). That evening, FSB officers, with the support of the police, invaded at least 8 homes of local residents who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. At least 25 law enforcement officers were thrown to storm each of the houses.\nA criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against 46-year-old Sergey Filatov, a father of four children. More than 35 law enforcement officers drove up to his house in 3 minibuses, several official cars and a 50-seater bus, about half of them were special forces soldiers armed with pistols. Some cars were without license plates, some had visible numbers of the Rostov region. Sergey Filatov's house was searched, he was interrogated and released on his own recognizance.\nIt is known that the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the Center for Countering Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Republic of Crimea, and police officers from the regions of Russia participated in the military operation. According to media reports, law enforcement officers from Moscow also participated in the operation. CCTV footage shows that law enforcement officers, armed with devices for breaking doors, without knocking or ringing, put a ladder to the gate and entered households, knocking out doors.\nLaw enforcement officers acted rudely, allowing derogatory comments about believers. After the search, two citizens discovered the loss of cash savings - large sums of money. In another case, the loss of jewelry made of precious metal was discovered.\n78-year-old Alexander Urs had his hands twisted behind his back, because of which he fell. He was forcibly lifted and, turning his face to the wall, was pushed hard against the wall. From hitting the wall, a hematoma remained on his face. Many hematomas are also recorded on the legs. In Soviet times, Alexander Ursu was repressed for his faith, and was later rehabilitated. During the search, the 50-year-old believer's blood pressure rose, part of his face, torso and arm were paralyzed. An ambulance was called, the man was hospitalized with a microstroke.\nDuring the search, one of the women had high blood pressure and an ambulance was called. While medics treated the 53-year-old woman, law enforcement officers continued to search her home.\nOne of the men, returning home the next morning after interrogation, found a rout in his house. His 22-year-old wife was taken to the hospital. As a result of psychological trauma, she had a miscarriage. The young couple have no children and are grieving the tragedy.\nA criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated by the investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Lieutenant of Justice A. Chumakin. The investigation was entrusted to a team of investigators consisting of 11 people. According to investigators, Sergey Filatov continued the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, which was liquidated by the Supreme Court of Russia in 2017. This activity allegedly was expressed \"in holding meetings, religious speeches, as well as promoting the religious ideas of the said organization, using for these purposes the dwelling at the place of its registration and actual residence.\"\nThe Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights referred to such criminal cases in its appeal to the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia. \"Accusations of citizens that they read the Bible together and pray to God are interpreted as \"continuation of the activities of an extremist organization.\" The Council considers that such an interpretation is not consistent with the legal position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. There is a contradiction between the declared position of the Government of the Russian Federation and law enforcement practice. This cannot but cause concern, since criminal prosecutions and arrests have become systemic.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-11-28T15:56:54+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/11/526/web_image_filatov_sergey_hu_37494ef6b6a5b07.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/11/526/web_image_filatov_sergey.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/11/526/web_image_filatov_sergey_hu_6d5917184f84daec.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/11/526/web_image_filatov_sergey_hu_b91600ae55b2ad0e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/11/526.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","elderly","siloviks-violence","health-risk"],"title":"The Dzhankoy Searches Are the Largest Operation Against Believers in Recent Times","type":"news"},{"body":"On November 21, 2018, in Nevinnomyssk (Stavropol Territory), starting at 6 a.m., 9 searches were conducted in the homes of citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Computers and other electronic devices were seized from believers.\nDuring one of the searches, a man, a disabled person of group I, was detained. During another search, spouses with a one-year-old child were detained. The child was left in the care of one of the relatives. During the interrogation, the 77-year-old believer required emergency medical attention. All those who were detained for questioning were released. It is not known whether a criminal case has been opened and what the believers are suspected of. The searches in the homes of believers, which take place throughout Russia, were a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, which imposed a ban on the activities of all registered legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses. The decision of the Supreme Court is appealed to the ECHR as a matter of priority. Meanwhile, dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, express concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-11-27T23:15:04+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/11/525/police-034407_0_5_hu_c745ca0ce87593ad.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/11/525/police-034407_0_5.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/11/525/police-034407_0_5_hu_6588ff4e9afd779c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/11/525/police-034407_0_5_hu_3e3030f75d39506f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/11/525.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","disability","minors","elderly"],"title":"Mass Searches of Believers in Nevinnomyssk ","type":"news"},{"body":"During interrogation, Filatov tells the investigator that the ideas of extremism are alien to him. Nevertheless, he is charged with organizing extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2018-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20181121","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Mass searches in the homes of believers from Nevinnomyss, followed by interrogations lasting several hours. Security forces seize phones, books, computers, other electronic devices and flash drives. One of the victims of the search reports the loss of money.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2018-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20181121","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 12, 2018, the Industrial District Court of Khabarovsk sent to jail 46-year-old Vitaly Zhuk, 48-year-old Nikolai Polevodov and 50-year-old Stanislav Kim, suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The arrests were preceded by an operation with the participation of riot police to capture citizens who had gathered in a café for a friendly non-religious meeting.\nOn November 10, 2018, a friendly meeting was held in a rented café in Khabarovsk, which was attended by about 55 people. The purpose of the meeting was to treat and entertain, it was not religious in nature. Half an hour after the start, at least 30 riot policemen led by FSB investigators suddenly invaded the building, breaking down the doors. The fighters dispersed around the perimeter of the room, ordered everyone to stay in their seats and forbade touching phones and tablets. After that, everyone who was in the café was interrogated (including minors), fingerprinted and photographed, and many had their tablets and phones seized. All this lasted 5 hours. Several men and a woman of retirement age were detained and taken away for searches. On November 12, 2018, Svetlana Telina, judge of the Industrial District Court of Khabarovsk, decided to arrest Vitaliy Zhuk for 2 months. Following him, Stanislav Kim and Nikolai Polevodov were sent to the pre-trial detention center.\nA criminal case under 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated on November 10, 2018 by the Investigative Directorate for the city of Khabarovsk of the Investigative Committee of the Khabarovsk Territory. Vitaliy Zhuk, Stanislav Kim and Nikolay Polevodov are prosecuted under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"organization of activities of an extremist community\"), and two women, one of them of retirement age, are prosecuted under Part 2 (\"participation in the activities of an extremist community\"). The proceedings in the case were entrusted to a group of 8 investigators, the investigator for especially important cases D. Shlenchak was appointed its head.\nEarlier, on August 2, 2018, the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory conducted searches in at least 4 houses of Khabarovsk residents who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. 51-year-old Valery Moskalenko was sent to pre-trial detention center-1 in the Khabarovsk Territory. Law enforcement agencies across the country mistakenly interpret peaceful meetings of believers as \"extremist activity.\" Dozens of human rights activists, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , express concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-11-13T16:53:48+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/11/514/police-034407_0_2_hu_c745ca0ce87593ad.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/11/514/police-034407_0_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/11/514/police-034407_0_2_hu_6588ff4e9afd779c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/11/514/police-034407_0_2_hu_3e3030f75d39506f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/11/514.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["leisure-disruption","sizo","interrogation","elderly","282.2-2"],"title":"In Khabarovsk, the disruption of a friendly meeting, searches and new arrests for faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Early in the morning, Denis Filippov, a senior detective of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory, under the guise of an examination, searches the apartment of Anatoly Gorbunov. Galina, Anatoly's wife, tells the details: the security forces, having woken up their neighbors in the stairwell, exerted psychological pressure on them, threatened to kick down the door, and also set up guards near the windows.\nDuring the search, a laptop, a tablet, two phones, a flash drive and a hard drive are seized. Later, at about 10:00 a.m., Anatoliy Gorbunov was brought for interrogation to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and released an hour later.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gorbunov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2018-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk5/index.html#20181107","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 18, 2018, in the city of Dyurtyuli (Bashkortostan), at least 11 searches were conducted in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. 31-year-old Anton Lemeshev was arrested, he was sent to the pre-trial detention center until November 20, 2018.\nThe searches began early in the morning and lasted for 2-3 hours. All electronic devices, phones, computers, SIM cards, money, bank cards, passports, postcards, photographs, personal letters were seized. 15 people, including a minor girl, were taken to the investigative committee for questioning. After interrogation, most were released.\nIt is not yet known what exactly Anton Lemeshev and other citizens are suspected of.\nEarlier, on April 10, 2018, after mass searches in the capital of Bashkortostan, 32-year-old Anatoly Vilitkevich was arrested. He is charged under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of an extremist organization) due to the fact that he allegedly professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. After 2 days, he was sent to Ufa pre-trial detention center No. 1, where he spent 71 days. He is currently under house arrest. His arrest was a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, which imposed a ban on the activities of all registered legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the association in Ufa. The decision of the Supreme Court is appealed to the ECHR as a matter of priority. Meanwhile, dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, express concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-10-19T17:02:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/494/dyurtyulinskiy_rayonnyy_sud3928_hu_17f57f64d6549234.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/494/dyurtyulinskiy_rayonnyy_sud3928.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/494/dyurtyulinskiy_rayonnyy_sud3928_hu_d582e8f1ef3e37e5.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/494/dyurtyulinskiy_rayonnyy_sud3928_hu_214900fb67151a47.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/494.html","regions":["bashkortostan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","minors"],"title":"In Bashkiria, a new criminal case for faith and arrest","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator summons local residents suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses for interrogation and conducts other investigative actions. During confrontations with Ekaterina Petrova, believers learn that she, on the instructions of the special services, secretly filmed her conversations about faith in God.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2018-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20181001","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["interrogation","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 20, 2018, searches were conducted throughout Kostroma in the homes of citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Earlier in this city, after a harsh detention by the National Guard, 22-year-old Sergei Rayman was arrested; his wife Valeria was banned by the court from certain actions.\nDuring the new searches, at least 4 citizens, men and women, were detained and taken for interrogation. They were later released. Presumably, the raids are related to the criminal case against the Rayman spouses, who are accused under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of an extremist organization and participation in the activities of an extremist community) only on the grounds that, according to the investigation, citizens gathered in their house twice to discuss the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-09-21T15:43:39+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/09/478/180725_kostroma_vtorzhenie_istochnik_foto_tv_centr38042_hu_4854c360ed913aa2.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/09/478/180725_kostroma_vtorzhenie_istochnik_foto_tv_centr38042.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/09/478/180725_kostroma_vtorzhenie_istochnik_foto_tv_centr38042_hu_3b2a93c103894ca4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/09/478/180725_kostroma_vtorzhenie_istochnik_foto_tv_centr38042_hu_192e772d263e87d1.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/09/478.html","regions":["kostroma"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","prohibition-of-actions","families"],"title":"Mass searches in homes of believers in Kostroma","type":"news"},{"body":"FSB officers come to the places of residence of believers and subject them to interrogations, some are summoned for interrogation to the police station.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2018-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20180921","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case against Igor Turik, officers of the FSB Directorate for the Perm Territory A. Abramov, V. V. Naumov and V. S. Skosyrev search the apartment and car of Valery Petrenko. The witnesses are 2 employees of the rapid response team - Maxim Spirin and Sergey Borodulya.\nReligious literature, several copies of the Bible, bank cards, electronic devices, CDs, a media player, storage media, a system unit, and personal records are seized from the believer.\nPetrenko is being interrogated at the FSB office in Berezniki by the same officers who conducted the search. They ask Petrenko questions about why and when he became one of Jehovah's Witnesses, whether he knows Igor Turik, where the meetings of believers were held, and who is their leader.\nThe investigation blames Valery Petrenko for conducting divine services and the rite of baptism.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Petrenko in Berezniki","date":"2018-09-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/berezniki/index.html#20180917","regions":["perm"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 27, the Maysky District Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic continued hearings in the criminal case against Yuriy Zalipayev, who faces up to 5 years in prison for his faith.\nFive witnesses were questioned at the trial: three members of the operational-investigative team who in August 2016 participated in the seizure of literature at the place of worship in Maysky, an assistant prosecutor and one local resident.\nSenior Assistant Prosecutor Denis Shapovalov testified that he was not aware of any cases of distribution of extremist literature by Jehovah's Witnesses in Mayskoye. This is what the investigation accuses Yuriy Zalipaev. According to Denis Alekseevich, believers are well aware of what literature is included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials and do not use it. He also confirmed the arguments of the defense that almost all witnesses in the case received calls from the phone, the number of which belongs to the FSB officer Svetikov Sergey Alexandrovich.\nTwo members of the investigative team said that although they seized \"extremist\" literature, it was discovered before their arrival and they did not know by whom.\nFinally, an interrogated local resident, an education worker, told the court that in August 2016, an unknown woman gave him the magazine \"Awaken!\", which he immediately threw away. It remains unclear how investigators found the man, who received the literature a full year before the first interrogation in the case.\nAccording to the prosecution, Yuriy Zalipayev distributed banned literature and also called on other Jehovah's Witnesses to beat Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The believer rejects these accusations. He faces up to 5 years in prison under Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (incitement to hatred or enmity) and under Part 1 of Article 280 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public calls for extremist activities).\nThe next meeting is scheduled for September 7, 14:00. The dates of subsequent meetings are tentatively known: 17, 21, 24 and 28 September; October 19.\n","category":"trial","date":"2018-08-31T16:57:41+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/08/469/web_image_001_hu_aa5f22494f1cdfc.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/08/469/web_image_001.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/08/469/web_image_001_hu_a7fbb238204d7b6c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/08/469/web_image_001_hu_ba9ed42269298618.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/08/469.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","fsem","282.2-1","280-1","fabrications"],"title":"A criminal trial for faith against a local resident continued in Mayskoye","type":"news"},{"body":"A search is being conducted in the apartment of Marina Eliseeva. Not only Marina is being interrogated, but also her minor daughter.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2018-08-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20180827","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["search","interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Bazhenova and Zolotova are being prosecuted. Both women are chosen as a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave. Bazhenova and Zolotova are being interrogated as accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2018-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20180824","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The security forces are searching the homes of several residents of Yelizovo, including the apartment of Vera Zolotova, who is visiting her acquaintances at that moment. 9 people, including the Bazhenovs' 17-year-old daughter, are taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. The Bazhenovs and Vera Zolotova were detained as suspects and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2018-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20180819","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Authorities conduct interrogations of believers and their young children.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2018-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20180819","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["interrogation","minors"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of August 2, 2018, the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory conducted searches in at least 4 houses of Khabarovsk residents who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. 51-year-old Valery Moskalenko was detained. According to preliminary data, on August 3, 2018, the court chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention.\nSome of the citizens who were searched were taken to the police station, where they were interviewed, fingerprinted and released. Others were sent to the FSB building, where they were interrogated by investigator V.S. Balakirev.\nDuring a search in the house of Valery Moskalenko, his 83-year-old mother, who had a pacemaker installed, became ill and an ambulance was called. At the end of the search, which lasted about 5 hours, Valeriy Moskalenko was taken away. According to the investigators, it is known that a case was opened against him under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Law enforcement agencies across the country mistakenly interpret peaceful meetings of believers as \"extremist activity.\" Dozens of human rights activists, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , express concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-08-03T17:18:54+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/08/379/depositphotos_21862193_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/08/379/depositphotos_21862193.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/08/379/depositphotos_21862193_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/08/379/depositphotos_21862193_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/08/379.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","sizo","interrogation","elderly","health-risk","282.2-2","new-case"],"title":"A local resident was arrested in Khabarovsk for his faith","type":"news"},{"body":"On July 19, 2018, in the village of Razdolnoye (Primorsky Territory), armed masked law enforcement officers rudely broke into the homes of local residents who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. During the assault, law enforcement officers hit the 75-year-old landlord in the face. Shouting: \"Lie down!\" his hands were twisted behind his back.\nWhen armed law enforcement officers broke into another apartment, there were at least seven people aged 70 or more, some of them disabled, together with the hostess. One woman had a seizure. An ambulance arrived at the scene and took the woman to intensive care.\nAmong others, investigators A.A. Sendzyuk and D.A. Shevchenko, FSB officer N.B. Belyaev, and Alexander Zhertovskoy, an employee of an unidentified law enforcement agency, participated in the operation against civilians. The case is being investigated by the Nadezhdinsky District Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia.\nDuring the searches, phones, tablets, computers were seized from citizens. The detained citizens were taken for interrogation to the village of Volno-Nadezhdinskoye (Primorsky Territory). The interrogation dragged on until late at night.\nThis is the third criminal case for faith in the Primorsky Territory. The first case, against Valentin Osadchuk, is being investigated by the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in Vladivostok. The second case, against Dmitry Barmakin (sent to the pre-trial detention center until September 27, 2018), is being investigated by the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Pervorechensky District of Vladivostok.\nCurrently, criminal prosecution for faith, accompanied by rough searches and arrests of law-abiding citizens, occurs in 7 of the 9 regions of the Far Eastern Federal District, namely: in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), in the Amur, Magadan and Jewish Autonomous Regions , Primorsky (3), Khabarovsk and the Kamchatka Territory. Law enforcers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, have already drawn attention to this problem.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-08-01T16:21:35+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/08/376/police-034407_0_0_hu_c745ca0ce87593ad.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/08/376/police-034407_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/08/376/police-034407_0_0_hu_6588ff4e9afd779c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/08/376/police-034407_0_0_hu_3e3030f75d39506f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/08/376.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","siloviks-violence","health-risk","disability","interrogation"],"title":"In Primorye Territory, the Third Criminal Case for Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Dozens of armed FSB and CPE officers, under the direction and initiative of investigator Ushakevich, conduct searches in the homes and cars of local residents, some of which were not authorized by the court. Operatives detain and interrogate the Popovs.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Popovs in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2018-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk/index.html#20180730","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 22, 2018, in the city of Berezovsky (Kemerovo Region), at least three dwellings of believers were searched. One of the apartments of the FSB officers in the Kemerovo region decided to storm from the balcony, despite the fact that the hostess opened the door to another group of employees. At the same time, a window was broken, the fragments of which injured the hostess (dissection of the forehead and arm).\nLater, the believers were interrogated by the senior investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Kemerovo region, M. I. Efimov, and a number of other employees. On July 24, by the decision of the judge of the Central District Court of Kemerovo N.M. Naumova, two believers, Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk, were placed in custody until September 19, 2018. Sergey Britvin is a disabled person of the second group. A criminal case was opened under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). This case, as in the case of Dennis Christensen, is based on the testimony of a \"secret witness\", whose name the investigation does not disclose.\nLaw enforcement agencies across the country mistakenly interpret peaceful meetings of believers as \"extremist activity.\" Dozens of human rights defenders, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation , expressed concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-07-27T20:12:54+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/374/depositphotos_21862193_0_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/374/depositphotos_21862193_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/374/depositphotos_21862193_0_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/374/depositphotos_21862193_0_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/374.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo","health-risk"],"title":"In the Kemerovo region, two believers were placed in custody","type":"news"},{"body":"Sergey Britvin and Vadim Levchuk were detained. Detention protocols have been drawn up. Both were questioned as suspects. Interrogation protocols have been drawn up.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2018-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20180723","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Beloglazov conducts searches in 7 houses of residents of Blagoveshchensk. The searches were authorized by Oleg Filatov, judge of the Blagoveshchensk City Court of the Amur Region.\nIt becomes known that the operatives installed a listening device in the apartment where Dmitry Golik lives with his wife. For almost six months, the details of their personal lives were listened to.\nBeloglazov initiates a criminal case against Dmitry Golik under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believer is issued a decision on the measure of restraint in the form of a subscription not to leave and proper behavior. He is interrogated in the status of the accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2018-07-20T16:43:11+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20180720","regions":["amur"],"tags":["search","hidden-surveillance","new-case","recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 15, 2018, four groups of law enforcement officers led by Major Alexander Bukov simultaneously broke into the apartments of civilians in Penza just because they allegedly profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Electronics, photographs, documents, and personal records were seized in all apartments. About 40 people were taken to police stations for questioning, leaving the children alone at home.\nSome police officers humiliated and intimidated believers during searches. In one case, a female investigator forced six women to fully undress for a body search.\nAfter interrogations, which lasted well after midnight, criminal cases were opened against four believers under various parts of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – participation in the activities of an extremist organization or organization thereof. Vladimir Alushkin was remanded in custody until September 14, 2018 inclusive. Vladimir Kulyasov, Andrey Magliv and Denis Timoshin were placed under house arrest for the same period.\nLaw enforcement officers across the country mistakenly mistake citizens' joint religion for participation in an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, as well as the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, have already drawn attention to this problem.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-07-20T15:34:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/372/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_hu_452b2859e91a6b76.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/372/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/372/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_hu_f107157da6664010.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/372/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_hu_34e9e3ddb05b2843.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/372.html","regions":["penza"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","personal-inspection","282.2-2","new-case","ivs","house-arrest","sizo"],"title":"Mass Searches and Detentions Took Place in Penza  ","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigators are interrogating about 40 believers called in as witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2018-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20180719","regions":["penza"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of believers accused of extremism continue.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2018-07-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20180718","regions":["penza"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Olga Stupnikova, Andrey's wife, is being interrogated as a witness.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stupnikov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2018-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk4/index.html#20180716","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Groups of law enforcement officers under the leadership of Major Alexander Bukov simultaneously break into the apartments of Penza civilians Vladimir Alushkin, Andrey Magliv, Denis Timoshin, G. Chuvilina and Vladimir Kulyasov. At the same time, a search was being conducted in the house of Sergey Bozgalov, 90 kilometers from Penza. Many have been interrogated, four are behind bars.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2018-07-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20180715","regions":["penza"],"tags":["search","interrogation","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Andrey Stupnikov was brought in as an accused and interrogated. During interrogation, he uses Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stupnikov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2018-07-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk4/index.html#20180712","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 26, 2018, in the city of Shuya (Ivanovo Region), police conducted new searches in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. Adults and a young child were interrogated, and three citizens were asked not to leave on their own recognizance. Earlier, on April 20, 2018, mass searches were already carried out in the homes of believers in the city. 40-year-old Dmitry Mikhailov was sent to a pre-trial detention center.\nAccording to investigators, a hidden video camera was installed in one of the believers' apartments. After new searches, the believers were taken to the body of the Investigative Committee. A 10-year-old girl was also taken there and interrogated there. During the interrogation, in the presence of the school psychologist, the child was forced to disclose the religion of the family, she burst into tears. Her mother threatened that if she refused to cooperate with the investigation, she could be charged with another crime - \"involving minors in the commission of a crime.\"\nIt became known that new criminal cases were initiated and a written undertaking not to leave four local residents, a man and three women, including Elena Mikhailova, the wife of Dmitry Mikhailov, was taken. Since May 29, 2018, Dmitry Mikhailov has been in custody in a pre-trial detention center, although he is the only son of an elderly mother and takes care of her, has a permanent place of residence and work, as well as other close social ties in the city of Shuya.\nThe accusation is built by substituting concepts: the constitutional right of everyone to profess his religion and the criminal offense of participation in an extremist organization. Electronic devices, hard drives, cameras, personal notes, documents, Bibles, including in the Orthodox Synodal translation, musical notes and even a children's diary of a music school were confiscated from citizens. A new criminal case has been initiated. The investigator for all cases is Captain of Justice Alexander Ryazantsev. Earlier, believers in this city reported that during interrogations, Captain Ryazantsev insulted them and their religious beliefs.\nThe repression for faith in Shuya drew the attention of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation. On June 20, 2018, the Council mentioned criminal proceedings in this city and called on the Prosecutor General's Office to check the legality of initiating these and similar cases in other cities.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-07-10T23:28:09+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/366/22_13360_hu_fd3d2b4bce912796.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/366/22_13360.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/366/22_13360_hu_71b89035c09b70e7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/366/22_13360_hu_b242336996e811a3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/366.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["minors","interrogation","search","recognizance-agreement","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"New searches in Shuya, 10-year-old child interrogated","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator A. A. Ryazantsev also prosecutes Elena Mikhailova and Aleksey Arkhipov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, interrogates them and takes written undertakings not to leave the place from the believers.\nHe also prosecutes Svetlana Ryzhkova under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of extremist activity). The investigator interrogates the believer and takes from her a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180709","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 30 and July 1, 2018, in the city of Lensk (Yakutia), police raids were conducted in 8 homes of local citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. After the searches, 22 people were taken to the police station, 15 people were interrogated. A criminal case was initiated against 42-year-old Igor Ivashin under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and a written undertaking not to leave was taken from him.\nThe searches were carried out by employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), including Andrey Romanenko and Andrey Myreev. During the interrogations, the investigators claimed that the citizens had been under surveillance for more than six months.\nRussian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The Human Rights Council under the President of Russia drew attention to this problem: \"Accusations of citizens that they read the Bible together and pray to God are interpreted as \"continuation of the activities of an extremist organization.\" The Council considers that such an interpretation is inconsistent with the legal position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation ... This cannot but cause concern, since criminal prosecutions and arrests have become systemic.\"\nWhat is happening in Lensk is of great concern to Jehovah's Witnesses around the world. The last time such close attention of believers was to this city was 17 years ago, after the devastating flood of 2001, during which three families of Jehovah's Witnesses lost their homes and many others suffered. They and other victims were assisted by their fellow believers from all over Russia through the nearby town of Mirny (Yakutia).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-07-06T17:21:20+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/361/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_hu_468fe1d1fbbba777.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/361/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/361/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_hu_619a7fd0852b7191.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/361/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_hu_40d9309332b42448.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/361.html","regions":["sakha"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","recognizance-agreement","282.2-1"],"title":"In Yakutia, mass searches in the homes of believers ","type":"news"},{"body":"Andrey Stupnikov is being interrogated as a suspect. He refuses to be interrogated at night due to poor health. By the decision of the judge of the Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Krasnoyarsk, Belova, M. M. Stupnikov is taken into custody for a period of 2 months, that is, until September 2, 2018 inclusive.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stupnikov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2018-07-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk4/index.html#20180704","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["sizo","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Igor Ivashin was interrogated as an accused. For him, a preventive measure is chosen in the form of a written undertaking not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2018-07-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20180702","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Interrogations of believers continue.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2018-07-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20180701","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"By order of investigator Andrei Myreev, mass searches are being conducted. Investigators interrogate believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2018-06-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20180630","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being initiated against Dmitry Mikhailov's wife, Yelena, as well as Svetlana Ryzhkova and Svetlana Shishina under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing of extremist activities). Women are interrogated as suspects and signed recognizances. The investigator is also interrogating Aleksey Arkhipov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-06-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180627","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1","recognizance-agreement","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"New searches in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAfter new searches, believers are taken to the body of the Investigative Committee. A 10-year-old girl was also taken there and interrogated there. During the interrogation, in the presence of the school psychologist, the child is forced to reveal the religion of the family, she cries. Her mother threatens that if she refuses to cooperate with the investigation, she may be charged with another crime - \"involving minors in the commission of a crime.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180626","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["search","interrogation","minors","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 12, 2018, in Saratov and the region, law enforcement officers conducted mass searches in the homes of citizens who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Three people were arrested and sent to a pre-trial detention center: 43-year-old Konstantin Bazhenov, 35-year-old Aleksey Budenchuk and 33-year-old Felix Makhammadiev.\nAt least 7 searches are known in the city of Saratov and the village of Shiroko (Saratov region). Acting extremely rudely, law enforcement officers broke down apartment doors. So, having come with a search to Konstantin and Irina Bazhenov, the special forces mistakenly cut the door to their neighbors and only then, having figured it out, broke the door to the apartment of the spouses. During the searches, all equipment, books, photographs, notebooks, personal savings, savings books, and foreign passports were seized from citizens.\nDuring at least 2 searches, prohibited items were planted. For example, during a search in the village of Shirokoye, in the house of Aleksey and Tatyana Budenchuk, in the sleeve of a children's jacket hanging on a hanger, the visitors shoved and defiantly \"found\" two books, one of which is included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Aleksey Budenchuk was detained.\nMore than 10 people were taken to the FSB for interrogation, some were interrogated almost until midnight. In general, during interrogations, believers followed the admonition from the Bible: \"I will bridle my mouth until the wicked are before me. I was mute and silent, and silent even about good things\" (Bible, Psalms 38:2, 3).\nOn June 14, 2018, it became clear that Konstantin Bazhenov, Feliks Makhammadiyev, Aleksey Budenchuk were charged under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\"). Svetlana Gogoleva, judge of the Frunzensky District Court of Saratov, chose a measure of restraint in the form of 2-month detention (until August 12, 2018) for these law-abiding respected citizens.\nSuch a serious violation of the rights of believers is a direct consequence of a terrible miscarriage of justice - the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to indiscriminately liquidate and ban all 396 organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Law enforcement officers, driven by unknown motives, pass off the joint religion of law-abiding citizens for participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-06-15T16:31:02+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/06/349/police-034407_0_6_hu_c745ca0ce87593ad.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/06/349/police-034407_0_6.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/06/349/police-034407_0_6_hu_6588ff4e9afd779c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/06/349/police-034407_0_6_hu_3e3030f75d39506f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/06/349.html","regions":["saratov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","plant","ivs","sizo","interrogation","282.2-1"],"title":"Saratov: Searches, Planting and Arrest of Three Believers","type":"news"},{"body":"On the morning of June 3, 2018, a raid was carried out in Tomsk on the basis of religious repression. The interrogations lasted until 2 a.m. Sergey Klimov, 48, was arrested and sent to a temporary detention facility.\nOn Sunday, at approximately 10:00 a.m., law enforcement officers, including special forces soldiers, invaded a number of houses where believers live. About 30 people were gathered on a bus and taken for interrogation to the Center for Countering Extremism. Among the detainees was an 83-year-old woman. It is known that during the day an ambulance came to the building where the interrogation was carried out several times, one person was hospitalized.\nSearches were carried out in homes and private cars. Phones, tablets, computers, Bibles, personal records, photos, money, bank cards were seized. Law enforcement officers refused to hand over the acts of seizure of things and copies of interrogation protocols. One of the detainees was intimidated by being expelled from the university. It is also reported that some of the investigators were clearly slandered. It is known that the case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Russian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\nThe arrested Sergey Klimov is in the temporary detention facility for suspects and accused at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Tomsk Region at the address: Tomsk, Elizarov St. 46/4. The issue of choosing a preventive measure for him must be decided no later than June 5, 2018.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-06-04T18:17:29+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/06/339/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver5108_hu_17a7f6510007a8a6.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/06/339/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver5108.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/06/339/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver5108_hu_fa10a11985b59e0e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/06/339/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver5108_hu_5745fb0cb44e8fa9.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/06/339.html","regions":["tomsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","ivs","elderly","282.2-1"],"title":"Raids and arrests in Tomsk ","type":"news"},{"body":"On April 10, 2018, Anatoliy Vilitkevich was arrested during a search of his apartment in Ufa. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Bashkortostan upheld the decision of the lower court on his detention. At the same time, searches were carried out in 7 more dwellings of Ufa residents.\nAlyona Vilitkevich recalls: \"At 6:40 in the morning, the doorbell rang. We were still asleep. Tolya opens the door and I see that people enter the corridor, two in masks with machine guns, and then 8 people entered.\nElena Kozhevnikova: \"When my husband asked through the door: \"Who is there?\", They said: \"You are pouring us.\" He said, \"Actually, we live on the ground floor.\" They said: \"The Investigative Committee. Open it.\" There was a very loud knock, I had to open it. Then they put a machine gun right in his forehead. They pushed them back and started shouting: \"Where is the family?! Where is your family?!\"\nAlfiya Ilyasova: \"I was at home with the children. My daughter is seventeen years old and my son is eight years old.\"\nVenera Mikhailova: \"The children were all shocked, everyone was raised.\"\nOksana Lapina: \"And my grandson, who is 4 years old, got scared, began to cry a lot.\"\nOlesya Yakimova: \"I actually woke up from the fact that my mother was screaming that the police. She didn't know what to do. For us, this is, of course, a non-standard situation, stress. A huge crowd of people on two defenseless women.\"\nDuring the searches, all electronic devices, telephones, and personal records were seized from believers, including teenagers and children.\nOksana Lapina: \"They confiscated two Bibles of the Synodal translation, my personal notes. My daughter's 9th grade book was confiscated. Apparently, they thought that the anthology was somehow connected with Christ.\nImmediately after the searches, all believers, including those with small children, were taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.\nOlesya Yakimova: \"When we were brought to the Investigative Committee, having climbed to the 2nd floor, my mother immediately became ill and fainted.\"\nElena Kozhevnikova: \"I ran up to my sister, she was already lying on the floor, on the dirty floor. We were shouting, 'Help, somebody!'\nOlesya Yakimova: \"That is, my mother was practically dying in my arms. Her breathing stopped, she screamed in pain, her chest was bursting, her pulse was not beating. And just a crowd of people, men who surrounded me, looked at it all as if it was really some kind of farce and circus.\nElena Kozhevnikova: \"They stepped over her hands, which fell like this all the time, they went to the smoking room over us while we were lying on the floor. At some point, it seemed to me that she was already dying, because she turned blue and said: \"I see the light\"... Then the ambulance arrived. She was taken away. Her daughter was released with her, but I was not.\"\nOlesya Yakimova: \"That is, I actually almost lost my mother that day.\"\nAs a result, Olesya's mother spent almost two weeks in the hospital. Even after a while, those who survived these raids can barely find the words to describe their feelings.\nVenera Mikhailova: \"I've never seen people attacked like that. It was very painful, as if a huge tank had been driven through the chest.\nOlesya Yakimova: \"And they talked like criminals.\"\nSuzanne and Artur Ilyasov: \"We didn't do anything wrong, but they came at us with machine guns, and as if we were some kind of criminals. That was very frustrating.\"\nElena Kozhevnikova: \"My husband said that he had never experienced such humiliation in his 50 years of life.\"\nUnfortunately, such humiliation of civilians has become the norm in modern Russia.\nOperational video footage published by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation shows armed law enforcement officers breaking down the door of believers and shouting: \"Police! On the floor! On the floor! Hands on the back of my head!\"\nOver the past two months, dozens of searches have been conducted in more than 10 regions of Russia. Hundreds of law enforcement officers are involved. At time of writing, 12 believers are in custody.\nAlyona Vilitkevich: \"Of course I miss it, maybe I've already realized a little bit of what happened, that while he will be there. But now, I just miss it, it's not enough. Because always, every day together, together, but not here.\"\nAnatoliy Vilitkevich from Ufa remains in custody by a court decision. Relatives and friends of Anatoliy very much hope that despite the threats of law enforcement officers, the outcome of this criminal case is still not predetermined.\nAlyona Vilitkevich: \"An investigator came in, I asked him: \"Excuse me, but can I ask if I can take the SIM card?\" He says very rudely and angrily: \"No! You can buy new phones, a new tablet and look for a new husband!'\"\nAlfiya Ilyasova: \"One of the detectives said that you will have a suspended sentence, and Anatoly Vilitkevich will have a real term. It turns out that they have already passed a sentence on us in advance.\nMass searches and arrests of believers were a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court to liquidate and ban the activities of all legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nYaroslav Sivulsky of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses says: \"During the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, representatives of the Ministry of Justice repeatedly argued that the court's decision would not affect ordinary believers in any way. It will apply only to legal entities, but what do we see in fact? Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religion, is being violated, and the norms of international law are being violated.\"\nJehovah's Witnesses filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. It will be considered as a matter of priority. In the meantime, Alena Vilitkevich reads touching letters from her husband again and again and hopes that soon he will be free. \"Alenchik, I love you,\" Anatoly writes to her from custody, \"Apparently, we won't be able to see each other yet. But don't give up and hold on. I will also try. Please call my mom, she needs your help now. You're strong with me. I've always known that. If you can, say hello from me to your everyone and everyone I know. I love you.\"\n","category":"overview","date":"2018-06-04T18:14:33+03:00","duration":"6:54","image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/06/338/picture_vilitkevich_0_hu_60a137a6aea19200.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/06/338/picture_vilitkevich_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/06/338/picture_vilitkevich_0_hu_a29a2ac2c7d690d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/06/338/picture_vilitkevich_0_hu_4a59aaa1922d40cc.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/06/338.html","regions":["bashkortostan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["review","search","sizo","minors","interrogation","health-risk","siloviks-violence"],"title":"Arrests of believers all over Russia","type":"video"},{"body":"Sergey Klimov was detained and interrogated. He was charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2018-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20180604","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["interrogation","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Mikhailov is being interrogated as an accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180531","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 27, 2018, in Naberezhnye Chelny (Tatarstan), law enforcement officers raided 10 apartments of local residents who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Ilham Karimov, 37, Vladimir Myakushin, 30, and Konstantin Matrashov, 29, were arrested.\nSearches and interrogations in the homes of peaceful believers began on Sunday evening and continued until late at night. Law enforcement officers introduced themselves as employees of the Investigative Committee and the FSB. All electronic devices, mobile phones, and passports were seized from the believers, including 4 men, 10 women (including the elderly) and a child.\nIn the coming days, the issue of the measure of restraint for the detainees should be resolved. It became known that the criminal case was initiated under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Russian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization. This criminal prosecution is a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia, which on April 20, 2017, liquidated and recognized as \"extremist\" 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-05-30T00:41:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/05/332/police-034407_0_3_hu_c745ca0ce87593ad.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/05/332/police-034407_0_3.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/05/332/police-034407_0_3_hu_6588ff4e9afd779c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/05/332/police-034407_0_3_hu_3e3030f75d39506f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/05/332.html","regions":["tatarstan"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","elderly","minors","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"Three believers arrested in Tatarstan after mass raids ","type":"news"},{"body":"Dmitry Mikhailov, a 40-year-old resident of Shuya (Ivanovo region), who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, was found to be suspected of participating in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and a written undertaking not to leave was taken from him. Early in the morning of April 20, 2018, in the city of Shuya, searches were simultaneously conducted in 4 apartments of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nDuring one of the searches, riot policemen, having invaded the believers, put a gun to the head of their neighbor in the communal apartment, although he did not offer any resistance, and forced this peaceful man to lie on the floor, so that he remained in this position for about 15 minutes. During another search, the man was threatened with handcuffs to prevent him from getting legal advice over the phone. The woman, whose house was searched, could not follow the actions of the operatives, because she had to calm a small child. After the searches, women who exercised their right under Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation during interrogation were intimidated with criminal prosecution. Phones and tablets were taken away from citizens, which in most cases they need for work and everyday affairs. Bank cards and various kinds of documentation were also seized.\nPolice officers participated in the searches, for example, Major Mikhail Konstantinov, senior commissioner of the UEEX for economic crimes, and Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Konovalov, deputy head of the Center \"E\" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Ivanovo region. One of the believers said that during the interrogation, investigator Aleksandr Ryazanov used insulting characteristics in relation to his religious views.\nThe case of Dmitry Mikhailov was initiated on April 19, 2018 by a senior investigator of the Komsomolsk Interdistrict Investigation Department, seconded to the Investigative Department for the city of Shuya of the Investigative Department for the Ivanovo Region, Captain of Justice Robert Barseghyan. On the same day, Sergey Garber, a judge of the Shuisky City Court, authorized a search of Dmitry Mikhailov's house. The initiation of the criminal case was preceded by operational-search activities that lasted several months, including wiretapping of believers' phones and secret video recording. The criminal case was a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate and ban the activities of all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Law enforcers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-05-15T15:58:10+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/05/313/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_0_hu_cb8bbc79fc28e15e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/05/313/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/05/313/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_0_hu_7df984e635d864c2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/05/313/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_0_hu_9b4e644f4360b76d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/05/313.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","recognizance-agreement","minors","interrogation","siloviks-violence","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"A Criminal Case for Faith in the Ivanovo Region","type":"news"},{"body":"44-year-old Roman Markin and 61-year-old Viktor Trofimov, residents of Polyarny (Murmansk region), were sent to a pre-trial detention center for almost 2 months on suspicion of \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). They did not get in touch after the searches, which took place on April 18, 2018 in this city in 7 apartments belonging to citizens who are considered Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe searches were carried out almost simultaneously, with the participation of armed riot police, who acted extremely rudely. In the evening, Roman Markin was at home with his 16-year-old daughter. At 7:40 p.m., the door to their apartment was kicked down by riot police. At gunpoint, they were forced to lie on the floor and searched. Markin's daughter was taken away and interrogated until 3 a.m. Elsewhere, an elderly man opened the door to a group of armed commandos, and they pushed him with such force that he fell. By their actions, law enforcement officers bruised two more women who were visiting. The teenagers, siblings, were put against the wall and ordered to hold their arms outstretched. A total of 17 citizens were searched, all electronic devices were seized and taken away for interrogation, which lasted until 7 am.\nThe criminal case was initiated on April 12, 2018 by the Investigative Department for ZATO Aleksandrovsk (which includes the cities of Polyarny and Snezhnogorsk) of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Murmansk Region. The believers were interrogated by several investigators, including Ivan Misa. The case was a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate and ban the activities of all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Law enforcers often mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\nIt is noteworthy that earlier, on October 23, 2016, brochures submitted to the FSEM were planted at the service of Jehovah's Witnesses in Snezhnogorsk. Law enforcement officers then drove up to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and, referring to a \"message received,\" said that there might be weapons in the building. Weapons, as expected, were not found, but banned brochures were demonstratively \"discovered\". The epidemic of such falsifications led to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, which became the reason for the arrests of believers.\nRoman Nikolaevich Markin (born in 1974) and Viktor Fedorovich Trofimov (born in 1957) are in pre-trial detention center No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Murmansk Region.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-05-11T11:30:15+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/05/312/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_hu_468fe1d1fbbba777.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/05/312/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/05/312/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_hu_619a7fd0852b7191.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/05/312/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver5107_hu_40d9309332b42448.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/05/312.html","regions":["murmansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","interrogation","minors"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses Civilians Detained for 55 Days in the Arctic","type":"news"},{"body":"On the evening of April 18, 2018, three searches were conducted in the homes of local residents in the city of Polyarny (Murmansk region). 16 citizens, including minors, were taken for interrogation to the investigative department. They were asked questions about the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. The interrogations continued until 7 a.m. the next day.\nTwo citizens, men 44 years old and 61 years old, who were seen in the police, do not get in touch. Presumably, they were arrested.\nEarlier, on April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation ruled to liquidate the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Polyarny\", along with other 395 registered associations of this religion throughout the country. Thus, the searches were a direct consequence of this decision of the Supreme Court.\nUpdate. Later it became known that a total of searches took place in 6 houses, the last of them ended at 4:15 am. The interrogations of 13 people continued until 6 a.m.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-04-20T12:24:38+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/04/300/police-034407_0_hu_6c5ecc25b4d71c14.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/04/300/police-034407_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/04/300/police-034407_0_hu_74301eacedcd83c9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/04/300/police-034407_0_hu_659d7304e419ca3a.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/04/300.html","regions":["murmansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","interrogation","minors"],"title":"In the Murmansk Region, Searches and Arrests of Citizens Believed to Be Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"},{"body":"As part of the criminal case, a series of searches are taking place in Vladivostok, during which FSB officers interrogate 83-year-old Yelena Zaishchuk, 66-year-old Nailya Kogay and 42-year-old Valentin Osadchuk. Law enforcement officers take a written undertaking not to leave the place from elderly women, and Osadchuk was detained for 48 hours.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2018-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20180419","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","elderly","interrogation","ivs","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From 19:00, simultaneous searches begin in 7 houses, the last of them ends at 4 am. The interrogations of 13 people continue throughout the night until 6 am.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Markin and Trofimov in Polyarny","date":"2018-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/polyarny/index.html#20180418","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Starting from 06:30, 5 searches are carried out in Ufa, as well as 3 more searches near Ufa, in the villages of Krasny Yar and Nikolaevka. Interrogations are being conducted. Anatoliy Vilitkevich was detained. When he is taken away by the police, one of the officers tells his wife that now she will not see him for a long time, and the investigator in the case advises her to \"look for a new husband.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2018-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20180410","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["search","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 14 and 15, 2018, at the hearing in the criminal case of Jehovah's Witness Arkadya Hakobyan in the Prokhladnensky District Court (Kabardino-Balkaria), expert Irina Balova was questioned, who fulfilled the conclusion underlying the charge against Hakobyan under Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (incitement to hatred, humiliation of dignity). The court identified significant shortcomings in this conclusion and decided to appoint a new examination in the case.\nExpert Balova analyzed the disgusting \"statements\" that are falsely attributed to Arkada Hakobyan from the \"memoirs\" of several prosecution witnesses, who, judging by the location of their mobile phones, were not even in the vicinity of the worship building on the day they indicated. At the same time, a number of defense witnesses claim that Hakobyan did not say anything like this either on the specified day or at any time at all. Among the methodological shortcomings of the examination, one can note the fact that the expert ignored the absence of a punctuation mark in the analyzed statement, which allows interpreting it in a completely different way.\nThe defense submitted a reasoned motion to the court on the need for a new examination. Despite the objection of the public prosecutor, the court ruled to appoint a comprehensive psychological and linguistic examination of the case.\nThe hearing will continue on April 17, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.\n","category":"trial","date":"2018-03-20T23:05:42+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/03/291/akopyan4501_hu_dc10eeceebd43813.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/03/291/akopyan4501.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/03/291/akopyan4501_hu_809738d7cbb81855.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/03/291/akopyan4501_hu_a7b265990662df45.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/03/291.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["first-instance","interrogation","282.2-1","studies-violations"],"title":"In Kabardino-Balkaria, the court recognized the examination of the prosecution as \"vicious evidence\"","type":"news"},{"body":"In the evening, large groups of law enforcement officers, consisting of police officers, the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and armed SOBR fighters, invade the private homes of Belgorod residents who are believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. In some cases, citizens are knocked to the floor, put against the wall, searches are carried out in their homes, which are accompanied by offensive comments. Bibles, all electronic devices and data carriers, passports, money, and in some cases even photographs hanging on the wall are seized from believers.\nAfter the searches, dozens of detainees are taken for interrogation. Among them is a group of deaf people who have gathered for friendly communication. At the police department at 60 Knyaz Trubetskoy Street, passport data is collected from them, fingerprints are taken, summonses are issued to believers, after which most are released. The last of the released leaves at 9 am the next day.\nAnatoliy Chaliapin and Sergey Voikov were taken into custody for 48 hours.\nAn investigation team consisting of 12 employees of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been created.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Voykov and Shalyapin in Belgorod","date":"2018-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belgorod/index.html#20180207","regions":["belgorod"],"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","interrogation","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Experts will come to the Ostankino District Court of Moscow and from there answer questions from the Leningrad Regional Court (St. Petersburg) via videoconferencing. The court intends to clarify the inconsistencies noted in the examination.\nEarlier, the Vyborg court ruled to recognize the Russian Bible, published by Jehovah's Witnesses, as extremist material (Holy Scripture - New World Translation, 2007). The copyright holder, the Pennsylvania Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, did not agree with the court's decision and filed an appeal.\nThe first hearing in the appellate instance was held in the Leningrad Regional Court on December 6, 2017. The case is heard by a panel consisting of the presiding judge Larisa Gorbatova, the judge-rapporteur Tatyana Khruleva and the judge Igor Kosarev. During the hearing , the attention of the judges was attracted by obvious contradictions in the examination, on which the court of first instance relied, so it was decided to interview experts - Natalia Kryukova, V.S. Kotelnikov, A.E. Tarasov. The survey is scheduled for December 20, 2017.\nNatalia Kryukova is the permanent head of the Center for Socio-Cultural Expertise, whose work is the basis of many cases against Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe case will be heard in the Leningrad Regional Court on December 20, 2017 at 14:30 at the address: St. Petersburg, Fontanka Embankment, 6. The experts will answer questions from the court, as well as representatives of the parties, while in the Ostankino District Court at 35, 1st Ostankinskaya Street, 312, Moscow. The participation of experts in the court session is ensured by the judge of the Ostankino court Olesya Sushkova (room 312).\n","category":"literature","date":"2017-12-19T13:07:52+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2017/12/278/171206_lenoblsud4234_hu_6ee15c9af0f51fe1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2017/12/278/171206_lenoblsud4234.jpg","webp":"/news/2017/12/278/171206_lenoblsud4234_hu_ca579e781ec96f16.webp","webp2x":"/news/2017/12/278/171206_lenoblsud4234_hu_cc79ef655ad5ddbc.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2017/12/278.html","regions":["stpetersburg","leningrad_obl","moscow"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["Bible-ban","expert-conclusions","interrogation","bible-ban","fabrications"],"title":"On December 20, a judicial interrogation of experts who found extremism in the Bible will take place","type":"news"},{"body":"Interrogation of Konstantin Samsonov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2017-11-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20171128","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On Saturday, August 26, 2017, 18 citizens who were resting with children on the shore of the lake in the vicinity of the city of Neftekumsk (Stavropol Territory) were blocked by a detachment of armed police officers who arrived by bus and 5 cars. Police Lieutenant Colonel Ostrikov, who led the operation, stated that \"an anonymous call was received that Jehovah's Witnesses had gathered on the river, and they were banned.\" Under the threat of force, citizens were forced to enter a police bus and taken to the police station.\nMore than half of the detainees were children, the elderly and the disabled. For 3 hours, the police interrogated them, asking questions about their attitude to religion, and the children were interrogated despite the disagreement of their parents, without explaining their rights and obligations. The children were frightened and crying. Everyone, without exception, experienced severe stress. Some citizens noted in the interrogation record that they had experienced degrading treatment at the hands of the police. In particular, it was expressed in the fact that citizens were loaded into a dirty bus inside, they were not allowed to use the phone, they were escorted to the toilet, and they made sarcastic remarks during interrogation.\nIt is noteworthy that for several days before this event, the police went around the houses of these citizens, trying to establish their place of work, occupation, etc. Despite the absence of any signs of illegal actions, the police did not apologize to the citizens for the disrupted rest.\n","category":"from-the-scene","date":"2017-08-30T12:01:33+03:00","duration":"1:21","image":{"jpg":"/news/2017/08/210/lake-13629_hu_ea88a788615be849.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2017/08/210/lake-13629.jpg","webp":"/news/2017/08/210/lake-13629_hu_539aa76cf7505047.webp","webp2x":"/news/2017/08/210/lake-13629_hu_e87d506f72cd3d0.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2017/08/210.html","regions":["stavropol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","disability","minors","interrogation","leisure-disruption"],"title":"In the Stavropol region, a police raid on citizens during a picnic","type":"video"},{"body":"Armed law enforcement officers detained 18 people who were resting on the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Neftekumsk. More than half of the detainees are children, the elderly and the disabled. The detainees were taken for interrogation - they were asked about their attitude to religion. The children were interrogated despite the protests of their parents. ","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2017-08-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20170826","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["interrogation","minors","elderly","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Respected in the circle of fellow believers, 44-year-old Dane Dennis Christensen was sent to the pre-trial detention center of the city of Orel for 2 months. He is charged with continuing the activities of an organization that was banned for extremism (Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). He was arrested on May 25, 2017, during a joint Bible reading conducted by local Jehovah's Witnesses in a building on Zheleznodorozhnaya Street.\nOn the evening of May 25, at 7:30 p.m., the street near the building belonging to one of the believers began to fill with cars and buses with armed masked men - riot policemen. Under the direction of an FSB investigator, the group entered the building and blocked believers who were forbidden to touch phones and tablets. Document checks, searches and interrogations continued until the morning. Searches were conducted in a number of believers' homes.\nOn Friday, May 26, 2017, Judge Svetlana Naumova decided to choose a measure of restraint in the form of detention for 2 months against Dennis Christensen. Dennis's wife, Irina Christensen, as well as lawyers, intend to use all possible legal remedies. The Consulate of the Kingdom of Denmark was notified of the incident.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2017-05-27T09:42:31+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2017/05/170/dennis_cristensen3385_hu_da9eda5e08e3620e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2017/05/170/dennis_cristensen3385.jpg","webp":"/news/2017/05/170/dennis_cristensen3385_hu_71a30e5395414a1a.webp","webp2x":"/news/2017/05/170/dennis_cristensen3385_hu_724006e3888c17a2.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2017/05/170.html","regions":["oryol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","282","search","interrogation"],"title":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses, a Danish citizen, was arrested in the Oryol region for two months ","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 25, 2017, in the city of Oryol, at least 15 armed men, including FSB officers, entered the house where local Jehovah's Witnesses were located. Law enforcement officers reported that a criminal case had been opened under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (continuation of the activities of an organization that was banned for extremism). One of the believers was arrested. The passport data of all those present were rewritten, explanatory notes were taken, tablets were seized. The men were taken to the FSB building, where some of them were held until the next morning. Searches were conducted in several homes of believers.\nIt is known that a criminal case was initiated against at least one of the believers, Dennis Christensen, a foreign citizen. He was arrested and held in the FSB building.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2017-05-26T17:43:12+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2017/05/168/police-033384_hu_b95076d94ad70556.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2017/05/168/police-033384.jpg","webp":"/news/2017/05/168/police-033384_hu_eb33a8e7112a6cdf.webp","webp2x":"/news/2017/05/168/police-033384_hu_1463b4b2c0b5310d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2017/05/168.html","regions":["oryol"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","interrogation","new-case"],"title":"In the Oryol Region, Searches, Arrest and a Criminal Case Under the Article Extremism Against Jehovah's Witnesses ","type":"news"},{"body":"The Sergiev Posad City Court continues to consider the criminal case against Vyacheslav Stepanov and Andrey Sivak. Believers are being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Stepanov and Sivak in Sergiyev Posad","date":"2017-01-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sergiyev-posad/index.html#20170125","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the course of the retrial, expert N. Kryukova is interrogated, who admits that she assesses the religious direction of Jehovah's Witnesses negatively and that her assessment of words and expressions depends on the representative of which religious direction pronounces them.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Stepanov and Sivak in Sergiyev Posad","date":"2016-11-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sergiyev-posad/index.html#20161121","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["retrial","interrogation","studies-violations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 11, 2016, at least 25 law enforcement officers disrupted a worship service of one of the Jehovah's Witnesses communities in St. Petersburg. The Kingdom Hall on Luzhskaya Street was searched until the ceiling was opened. Many of the men were taken to police stations and the Investigative Committee. Bibles, electronic tablets, and telephones were seized from believers without proper registration. Minors were interrogated. The believers intend to appeal against the actions of law enforcement officers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2016-10-12T14:33:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2016/10/49/police-01_0_hu_f3ef7eeda4ab78c3.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2016/10/49/police-01_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2016/10/49/police-01_0_hu_866c87b03e0dcc36.webp","webp2x":"/news/2016/10/49/police-01_0_hu_71e88a92e6a29efb.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2016/10/49.html","regions":["stpetersburg"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","meetings-disruption","interrogation","minors"],"title":"In St. Petersburg, police and investigators disrupted a worship service of Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"}]