[{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region initiates a criminal case against Roman Kuchin on suspicion of extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuchin in Kurgan","date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan7/index.html#20260526","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aleksandr Ursu, a resident of Dzhankoy, Crimea, has faced religious repression for almost his entire life: childhood spent in exile, a series of searches in recent years, and the arrest of his son Viktor. On April 28, 2026, law enforcement officers once again searched Aleksandr\u0026#39;s home. This time, a criminal case was initiated against him.\nThe operation was conducted by Investigator Anna Romanova, accompanied by attesting witnesses and an FSB officer. Family members report that the latter behaved rudely; it later emerged that he had previously taken part in investigative actions in Viktor\u0026#39;s case. Officers seized personal notes, mobile phones, an internet router, and flash drives. In addition, they took the elderly couple\u0026#39;s personal savings — about 100,000 rubles.\nAleksandr has encountered similar actions by law enforcement officers on several occasions. During a search in 2018, officers used force against him: they knocked him to the ground and twisted his arms behind his back, leaving him with abrasions and bruises. At the time, Aleksandr was 78 years old. Officers came again 5 years later — this time arresting Aleksandr\u0026#39;s son. Viktor Ursu is currently serving a 6‑year prison sentence imposed by the court.\nIn early April 2026, the 75th anniversary of Operation North was marked; the international community remembered the repression under Stalin and the deportation of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses to Siberia. Today, Russian law enforcement agencies have subjected nearly 1,000 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses to criminal prosecution, at least 37 of them in Crimea.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-05-01T10:41:45+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2026/05/011041/image_hu_387efc86f385a4d9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2026/05/011041/image_hu_3d4aee97c58508b7.jpg","webp":"/news/2026/05/011041/image_hu_f875ec4e139af90e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2026/05/011041/image_hu_5a5f2dcc93078ac5.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/05/011041.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","families","new-case"],"title":"Lifetime of Repression: 86‑Year‑Old Aleksandr Ursu Faces Criminal Prosecution for His Faith","type":"news"},{"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":"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 investigator, Senior Lieutenant N. V. Pashchenko, initiates a criminal case against Valentina Krivulya. She is accused of \"participating in the discussion of the content of the religious books of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the so-called Holy Scripture (Bible)\" in the period from 07/31/2020 to 02/13/2022.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Krivulya in Vyselki","date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki14/index.html#20260327","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator N. V. Pashchenko opens a criminal case against Anna Bochko, a resident of the village of Buzinovskaya.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Bochko in Vyselki","date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki15/index.html#20260327","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee N.V. Pashchenko initiates a criminal case against Galina Novikova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Novikova in Vyselki","date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki16/index.html#20260327","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the investigation department, Major Vladislav Bogdanov, opened a criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the couple Bondur and others in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk2/index.html#20260325","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Head of the Investigative Department for the closed administrative-territorial formation of Vilyuchinsk of the Investigative Committee for the Kamchatka Territory, Vladislav Bogdanov, initiated a criminal case against Pavel Baturov and Yevgeniya Vasilyeva. They are suspected of participating in the activity of an extremist organization and involving others — a resident of Vilyuchinsk and other unidentified individuals — in it. According to the ruling, Baturov and Vasilyeva \"undertook active actions... expressed in participating in religious events and teaching the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baturov and Vasilyeva in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk3/index.html#20260325","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A raid targeting Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Chita and several other locations in the Trans‑Baikal Territory took place on March 19, 2026. At least 10 people were made defendants in a new criminal case.\nThe investigation is being conducted by senior investigator S. Urbazayev of the Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of the Russian Federation for the Trans‑Baikal Territory. Five people are suspected of organizing the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC), and another five are suspected of participating in it (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC).\nAccording to available information, one believer — Anatoliy Pozdnyakov, 67, — has been placed under house arrest, while three others — Vitaliy Astakhov, Svetlana Arefyeva, and Olga Beznosenko — under a recognizance agreement.\nUpdate. On March 21, the court placed two more believers, Aleksey Karpov and Bakhtier Raupov, in pretrial detention. Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Chita have been subjected to criminal prosecution for 6 years already. The first raid took place in February 2020 and resulted in prison terms for three people.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-03-19T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/03/201611.html","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","house-arrest","recognizance-agreement","282.2-1","282.2-2","sizo"],"title":"Large‑Scale Raid in Trans‑Baikal Territory — At Least 30 People Affected","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior investigator FSB Lieutenant S. I. Urbazaev opens a criminal case against Anastasia and Vitaly Astakhov, Anatoliy Pozdnyakov, Olga Beznosenko, Aleksey Karpov, Bakhtiyor Raupov, Roman Vasilenko, Irina Parkhomenko, Anna Guseva and Svetlana Arefyeva.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Karpov and Others in Chita","date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita3/index.html#20260317","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 17, 2026, searches were conducted in Nizhny Novgorod and the surrounding area at 10 homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. In total 16 people from 5 families were affected. Among them were Sergey and Viktoriya Verkhoturov, who had served sentences for their faith several years earlier.\nOn the day of the searches, the court ordered four men — Sergey Verkhoturov, Maksim Kalinin, Anatoliy Chepkasov, and Yevgeniy Konkov — to be placed in a pretrial detention center.\nThe raid was carried out as part of a new criminal case for participating in the activity of an extremist organization, which the Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated on March 5, 2026, against unidentified persons. The searches were initiated by Investigator A. E. Stifeyev.\nThe Investigative Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region has initiated 12 out of 13 criminal cases against 26 believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/03/191523.html","regions":["nizhegorod"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","families","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Searches at Homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nizhny Novgorod: Four Believers in Pretrial Detention","type":"news"},{"body":"On March 7, 2026, the Moskovskiy District Court of Cheboksary sent Albert Pilshchikov, 45, to a pretrial detention center. A day earlier, he was detained in Naberezhnye Chelny on the grounds of a criminal case.\nIn 2020, Albert, who lived in Cheboksary at the time, was among the believers whose homes were searched by law enforcement officers.\nOver the past 9 years, criminal cases have been initiated against 10 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Chuvashia. These believers are mostly elderly people. One of the defendants received a 5-year suspended sentence — he will be 90 by the time he has served it.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2026-03-07T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2026/03/101532.html","regions":["chuvashia"],"subtitle":"His Home Was Searched 6 Years Ago","tags":["new-case","search","sizo","282.2-1"],"title":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses Arrested in Chuvashia.","type":"news"},{"body":"The senior investigator-criminalist of the FSB, Major of Justice D. V. Baranov, opened a criminal case against Pilshchikov. The believer is charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization for participating in peaceful meetings for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pilshchikov in Cheboksary","date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary2/index.html#20260306","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice V. E. Baltachev, senior investigator of the third department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against Sergey Malyutin and takes him on a recognizance agreement.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyutin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk13/index.html#20260305","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement","elderly","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region is initiating a criminal case against unidentified persons on suspicion of participating in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Verhoturov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod12/index.html#20260305","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"Senior investigator Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Aleksandr Busarov opens a criminal case against 70-year-old Lydia Starostina. He suspects her of participating in the activities of an extremist organization, which, according to the investigation, was expressed in attending peaceful meetings for worship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Starostina in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2026-02-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod10/index.html#20260209","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Nizhny Novgorod Investigative Committee Aleksandr Busarov opens a criminal case against Galina Tokareva. According to the investigation, the woman participated in meetings for worship of the local community of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tokareva in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2026-02-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod11/index.html#20260209","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Novoaltaisk Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory initiates a criminal case against 63-year-old Sergey Petrov for participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergey Petrov in Talmenka","date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/talmenka/index.html#20260203","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vadim Kharasov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Unit for the Investigation of Organized Criminal Activity of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Bashkortostan, initiates a case against Ruslan and Roza Tazyrov under the article on organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\nWithin the framework of the same case, Andrey Gubeev, Sergey Bastayev, Alfiya Javadova and Maria Gareeva are involved as defendants - they are charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\nAccording to the investigation, the believers \"organized and held meetings in public places through video conferencing ... for the purpose of promoting the activities of a banned organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tazyrov and Others in Ufa","date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa2/index.html#20260203","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant D. B. Alushin, investigator of the Federal Security Service Directorate for the Ulyanovsk Region, initiates a criminal case. Igor Balashov is suspected of organizing the activity of an extremist organization; Igor Popov, Aleksandr and Irina Elizarov are suspected of participating in it. According to the investigator, the illicit actions were expressed in \"assembling clandestine meetings, organizing religious talks and meetings for worship.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Balashov and Popov in Dimitrovgrad","date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dimitrovgrad/index.html#20260202","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol A. Rudoy opens a criminal case against a 59-year-old resident of the village of Mirnoye, Galina Privalova. She is suspected of financing extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Privalova in Simferopol","date":"2026-01-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol5/index.html#20260126","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee A. Rudoy opens a criminal case against 27-year-old Anna Moroz. He suspects a resident of the village of Molodezhnoye, Simferopol district, of financing extremism, which she allegedly carried out in March 2022.\nOn the same day, a similar case was opened against another believer from the neighboring village of Mirnoye.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moroz in Simferopol","date":"2026-01-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol6/index.html#20260126","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee Y. G. Platonova initiates a criminal case under an extremist article against several residents of Prokopyevsk. In her opinion, they \"committed deliberate actions aimed at participating in the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court ... a decision has been made to liquidate it.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shishkina in Prokopyevsk","date":"2025-12-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk5/index.html#20251218","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 11, 2025, two women practicing the religion of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses were detained in Saky, Crimea. Their homes were searched; a criminal case was initiated. Yelena Ivashina, 50, and Olga Podlesnaya, 54, were placed under house arrest by the Kievskiy District Court of the city of Simferopol.\nTheir case has been separated from Voronchikhin\u0026#39;s case, which is currently being heard in the Simferopolskiy District Court. According to available information, Ivashina has already been charged with financing the activity of an extremist organization.\nNow, 33 more Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses from Crimea have been prosecuted. Twelve of them are serving sentences in penal colonies, one in prison, and another in forced labor.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/case.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/12/170824.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"Case Initiated Against Them and Both Under House Arrest","tags":["ivs","house-arrest","new-case","282.3-1"],"title":"Two Women from Crimea Charged for Extremism for Their Faith.","type":"news"},{"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":"Senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Crimea V. V. Zabiyaka opened a criminal case against Olga Podlesnaya, accusing her of financing the activities of an extremist organization.\nAccording to the investigation, the believer \"transferred money as donations.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Podlesnaya in Simferopol","date":"2025-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol3/index.html#20251127","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Crimea V. V. Zabiyaka opened a criminal case against Elena Ivashina, accusing her of financing the activities of an extremist organization.\nThe investigator claims that the believer \"transferred money as donations.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashina in Simferopol","date":"2025-11-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol4/index.html#20251127","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the Investigation Department for the Kansky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, I. V. Piskun, opens a criminal case against Andrey Sorokin, Yelena Kamenskaya and Elena Grosheva for extremism.\nSorokin was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Kamenskaya — under parts 1.1 and 2 of Article 282.2, and Grosheva — under Part 2, Part 1.1 of Article 282.2. According to the ruling, Sorokin \"conducted educational disputes,\" and Kamenskaya and Grosheva \"conducted door-to-door visits in the city of Kansk... carried out explanatory work, thereby involving new adepts.\" This is how the investigation interprets the peaceful conversations of believers about the Bible.\nAndrey Sorokin, Yelena Kamenskaya and Yelena Grosheva are detained and placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Others in Kansk","date":"2025-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kansk/index.html#20251120","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","282.2-1.1","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant of Justice A. A. Tkachenko, initiates a criminal case for organizing the activity of an extremist organization against Aflatun Safarov; for participating in the activity of an extremist organization — against Viktor Kononov, Aleksandr and Zakhar Vakarev. Another defendant in the case is Amaliya Malchugova, who is suspected of participating in the activity of an extremist organization and involving others in it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononov and Others in Uyar","date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uyar/index.html#20251023","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-1","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 23, 2025, a search was conducted at the home of a couple in the town of Abaza (Republic of Khakassia). Since their house had been damaged by fire earlier, they were temporarily staying with relatives. The search was carried out at their place as well.\nAccording to preliminary information, the investigative actions were conducted by the same agency that previously organized the searches in the villages of Mayna and Sizaya. Electronic devices, several copies of the Bible, and personal notes were seized from the family.\nUpdate. The investigative measures have affected five believers. Three of them are currently in pretrial detention, including Aflatun Safarov, 62, and Viktor Kononov, 60. In addition, two women aged 77 and 69 — Amaliya Malchugova and Tatyana Barakhtenko — have also been subjected to prosecution. They have been placed under a recognizance agreement.\nA criminal case against the believers has been initiated under three parts of Article 282.2 of the RF CrC. The case is being handled by A. A. Tkachenko, an investigator of the Uyar Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/10/281458.html","regions":["khakassia"],"subtitle":"Recent Raid in Khakassia Affected Elderly Jehovah’s Witnesses","tags":["search","sizo","elderly","new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"Five Suspects — Three in Pretrial Detention.","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 20, 2025, Sabina Albegova, 26, a resident of Vladikavkaz, was arrested. The Investigative Committee charged her with extremism for participating in peaceful religious meetings of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. Two days later, the court sent the believer to a pretrial detention center.\nA few hours before Sabina\u0026#39;s arrest, at 6 a.m., the house of her husband\u0026#39;s parents was searched. Electronic devices were seized from the owners and their guests. The task force was led by Mikhail Tuayev, investigator of the Investigative Committee.\nAfter her arrest, Sabina Albegova was informed that she was suspected of participating in the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC) and sent to a temporary detention facility in Vladikavkaz. By court decision she was placed in pretrial detention center No. 1 for the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania on October 22.\nAccording to available information, the criminal case against Sabina Albegova is related to another case that was initiated against one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Vladikavkaz back in January 2025.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-10-20T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/10/280840.html","regions":["osetia"],"subtitle":"Court Detained Local Woman For Her Faith","tags":["sizo","search","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Search and Arrest in Vladikavkaz.","type":"news"},{"body":"Mikhail Tuaev, senior investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, initiates a criminal case against 26-year-old Sabina Albegova for participating in meetings for worship.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Albegova in Vladikavkaz","date":"2025-10-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladikavkaz/index.html#20251013","regions":["osetia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 9, 2025, law enforcement officers raided the homes of three female believers in Birobidzhan. One of them, Yelena Shestopalova, 60, is the mother of Vladlena Kukavitsa, who has been on trial for her faith for over a year.\nYelena was getting ready to go to her daughter\u0026#39;s trial when her house was searched. It happened at 7 a.m. Her husband, who was ill with SARS, was also in the apartment. Around the same time, searches took place at the homes of two other women and lasted from 1.5 to 3 hours. One of them was detained at her workplace. Electronic devices, Bibles, and personal notes were seized from the believers.\nIt turned out that a few days earlier, criminal cases had been initiated against Yelena Shestopalova, Olga Chebrak, 54, and Nataliya Kocheva, 63, on suspicion of participating in the activity of an extremist organization. The initiator was FSB investigator Dmitriy Yankin, who over the past 5 years has already initiated cases against at least 20 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Birobidzhan. The search warrant was issued by Olga Klyuchikova, the same judge who is handling the case of Yelena\u0026#39;s daughter.\nCurrently, the number of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses being prosecuted in Birobidzhan has reached 30.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/10/151414.html","regions":["jewish"],"subtitle":"Raid Affected Three Local Residents","tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","families"],"title":"New Searches at Homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Birobidzhan.","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Baltachev opened a second criminal case against Yelena, this time under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The ruling alleges that she \"deliberately financed extremist activities ... by placing at the disposal of participants in illegal extremist activities an apartment at their place of residence.\" This is how the investigation interprets the friendly communication of fellow believers in her house.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mironova in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-10-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk12/index.html#20251008","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"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":"FSB investigator Captain of Justice Dmitry Yankin opens a criminal case against Yelena Kopatskaya for participating in religious meetings, expressed in joint discussion of the Bible, singing songs and praying.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kopatskaya in Birobidzan","date":"2025-10-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzan25/index.html#20251007","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Dmitry Yankin initiates a criminal case against Irina Savkina under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The ruling states that Savkina, \"realizing her belonging to [the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses], continued the activities of an extremist organization in the course of many (at least four) secret meetings held on the Internet ... in the form of a collective religious assembly.\"\nThe investigation considers illegal the discussion of religious materials, the singing of songs and joint prayers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savkina in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-10-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan26/index.html#20251007","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin issued a decision to initiate a criminal case against Olga Chebrak under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe wording of the document is almost similar to that contained in the cases of Elena Shestopalova and Natalia Kocheva.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chebrak in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-10-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan27/index.html#20251007","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator, Captain of Justice Dmitry Yankin opens a criminal case against Yelena Shestopalova for participating in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shestopalova in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-10-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan24/index.html#20251003","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin issued a decision to initiate a criminal case against Natalya Kocheva under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigation believes that Natalya continued the activities of \"an extremist organization in the course of many (at least four) conspiratorial meetings ... in the form of a collective religious assembly... consisting of a public study of various extremist materials, the performance of songs from a special collection of religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, prayers, sermons.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kocheva in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-10-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan28/index.html#20251003","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"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":"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":"Denis Sushchenko, senior investigator of the first department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, initiates a criminal case under parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yudin and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2025-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok14/index.html#20250911","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"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":"The Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol opens a criminal case against 52-year-old Jehovah's Witness Vladimir Chertov. He is charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chertov in Alushta","date":"2025-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alushta/index.html#20250804","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It has become known that a criminal case against Valeriy Minsafin has been initiated. Investigator S. Grachev charges him with participating in the activity of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan6/index.html#20250716","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["282.2-2","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator S. V. Grachev opened a criminal case against Igor Suslov on suspicion of participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Suslov in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk3/index.html#20250623","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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 materials for Andrey Lukin are made into separate proceedings. Now his case is being considered separately from the case of Viktor Velikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Moscow","date":"2025-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow10/index.html#20250604","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vyacheslav Lebedev, investigator of the Investigative Committee, initiates criminal cases against Anton Novopashin, Yuriy Pichugin, Andrey Plekhanov and Gonhi Djachi.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pushkov and Others in Tomsk","date":"2025-05-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk3/index.html#20250529","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is initiated against Igor Prityko. It is the 23rd case against Jehovah's Witnesses in this region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prityko in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan23/index.html#20250528","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Zalim Ashinov opens a criminal case against 74-year-old disabled person of group III Yuriy Sergeechev and 57-year-old Aleksey Dmitriev from Adygeisk. The investigation interprets ordinary conversations about God with a local resident as involvement in an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dmitriyev and Sergeechev in Adygeysk","date":"2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/adygeysk/index.html#20250428","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","elderly","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice Natalia Vikhareva, senior investigator of the Koptevsky Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Northern Administrative District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow, initiates a criminal case against Maria Pankova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pankova in Moscow","date":"2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow9/index.html#20250422","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Gaydyshev. The ruling states that the believer \"appointed brothers or sisters to hold meetings for the ministry, organized preaching on holidays.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaydyshev in Shadrinsk","date":"2025-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk4/index.html#20250418","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Denis Sushchenko, investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, opens a criminal case against Yegor Pogrebnyak, Anatoliy Baranov, Kirill Krymsky and Anastasia Dyldina under another article - Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the decision to initiate a criminal case, the believers allegedly financed extremist activities, and the fact of the transfer of voluntary donations to Yuriy Bycha is cited as evidence.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2025-04-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20250404","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"the couple Postnikovs are being searched - this time in a new criminal case for faith against Oleg.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20250403","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["search","282.2-1","new-case","ivs","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Ivanovo Region N. Y. Toropova opened another criminal case against Yuriy Dementyev and Sergey Solovyov - \"involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Solovyov and Others in Ivanovo","date":"2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ivanovo/index.html#20250403","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 3, 2025, in Birobidzhan (Jewish Autonomous Region) a new wave of searches of the homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses took place. Four families of believers were affected, including Oleg Postnikov, Aleksandr Krushevskiy and Anatoliy Artamonov, who had previously been subjected to criminal prosecution. Oleg Postnikov was placed in a pretrial detention center.\nThe search warrants were issued on April 2, 2025 by the Birobidzhan District Court as part of a new criminal case against Oleg Postnikov. It was initiated on March 21, 2025 by investigator Dmitriy Yankin, whose career has been built on the prosecution of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses: since 2018, he has handled 18 cases of believers in Birobidzhan, and during this time he was promoted from lieutenant to captain.\nThe search at Aleksandr Krushevskiy\u0026#39;s home, who has a hearing disability, began at 9 am and lasted for 3 hours. In the morning of the same day, 60-year-old Oleg Postnikov was summoned to the Investigative Committee, allegedly to fit him with a tracking bracelet. At that time, his house was being searched. A similar situation happened with 73-year-old Anatoliy Artamonov — he was told that he urgently needed to come to the Investigative Committee and pick up the phones seized during the previous search. From there, he was taken home by car and it was searched in his presence.\nOleg Postnikov and his wife have already received suspended sentences when they were convicted for their faith in a previous case. Earlier, the daughter of Anatoliy Artamonov and his grandson Yevgeniy were also prosecuted. The case against Larisa Artamonova in 2019 was initiated by the same Dmitriy Yankin. Now her elderly father has also come to Yankin's attention; he is defending his innocence in court together with Aleksandr Krushevskiy.\nBirobidzhan is not the first place in which an investigator climbs the career ladder by initiating cases against Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. A similar trend is observed in other regions, when entire families or believers previously convicted under articles for extremism are brought to criminal responsibility.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/04/081349.html","regions":["jewish"],"subtitle":"Criminal Case Initiated Against Oleg Postnikov, Who Is Still Serving Suspended Sentence for his Faith","tags":["search","ivs","sizo","new-case","elderly"],"title":"New Wave of Searches in Birobidzhan.","type":"news"},{"body":"At least seven searches took place on March 27, 2025, in Tambov at the homes of those whom the investigation considers to be Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses. A criminal case has been initiated against one believer. He is suspected of \u0026quot;organizing the activity of a religious association... by organizing religious presentations and meetings for worship.\u0026quot;\nThe search warrants were issued by the Leninskiy District Court of Tambov at the request of the local Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. Cell phones, laptops, tablets, external storage devices, notebooks, and personal notes were confiscated from the believers. In one case, law enforcement officers took away a book by religious scholar Sergey Ivanenko, and in another, according to the owners, law enforcement officers said that \u0026quot;you can\u0026#39;t have a Bible at home, but you need to buy it in church, if needed.\u0026quot;\nJehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in the Tambov Region faced prosecution because of their faith back in 2010, when the first searches were carried out and an investigation under an extremist article began. Later, the ECHR declared the incident a violation of religious freedom and awarded compensation to the believers. Despite condemnation from the international community, the prosecution of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Russia continues.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2025/03/310942.html","regions":["tambov"],"subtitle":"Prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in This Region Has Been Ongoing for 15 Years Already","tags":["search","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"New Searches in Tambov Region.","type":"news"},{"body":"Dmitriy Yankin, senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case under part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization) against Oleg Postnikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Postnikov in Birobidzhan","date":"2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan22/index.html#20250321","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses are searched in Tomsk, after which three married couples are detained.\nThe criminal case is initiated by the investigator for especially important cases of the second department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Tomsk Region, Captain of Justice Lebedev V. S.\nYevgeniy Dodolin reports that he was detained at 11:00, although the case was initiated and accepted for proceedings only at 16:00.\nVladimir Pushkov is accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, and Aisulu Tastaibekova, Yevgeniy and Yana Abramovs, Yevgeniy and Tatyana Dodolins are accused of participating in the activities of this organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pushkov and Others in Tomsk","date":"2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk3/index.html#20250320","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","ivs","282.2-1","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice V. E. Baltachev, Senior Investigator of the Third Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against Elena Mironova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the woman \"took part ... in religious meetings and gatherings... holding conversations with residents of Chelyabinsk, watching educational videos.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mironova in Chelyabinsk","date":"2025-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk12/index.html#20250314","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice A. N. Prydatko, senior investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Saratov Region, initiates a criminal case on organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Proshenkov and Others in Saratov","date":"2025-02-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov5/index.html#20250228","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Aleksey Bolotov, lieutenant of justice, opens a criminal case against 41-year-old Andrey Mikhailov. The investigation considers the discussion of the Bible with friends to be the organization of the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhailov in Tambov","date":"2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tambov3/index.html#20250226","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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 case against Tatyana Maz is separated into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2025-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20250205","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case of Tatyana Maz is separated from the case of other believers in Vladivostok.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maz in Vladivostok","date":"2025-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok13/index.html#20250205","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice R. N. Tazhikenov, senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, opened a criminal case against Nikolay and Larisa Kosov. They are accused of \"participation in the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court made an enforceable decision to liquidate it in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Kosovs in Cherkessk","date":"2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk6/index.html#20250204","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","families","282.2-2"],"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":"Lieutenant Colonel Denis Mirolyubov, an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Department for the city (closed administrative-territorial unit) of Ozersk, initiates a criminal case against five believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Repin and Others in Ozersk","date":"2025-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ozersk/index.html#20250116","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Margarita Chupina initiates a criminal case for participation in the activities of an extremist organization against unidentified persons who, in her opinion, are \"active participants in the religious organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses \"Slavgorod\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barsukov and Yeliseyev in Slavgorod","date":"2024-12-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/slavgorod/index.html#20241225","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Southern Administrative District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Y. Shumilova initiates a criminal case on participation in the activities of an extremist organization and involvement of third parties in it.\nThe reason for the criminal prosecution was the conversations of Petrochenko and her co-religionists with Olga Grigorieva, who feigned an interest in the Bible. The believers met with the woman in one of the Moscow shopping centers from September 2022 to April 2024.\nThe case contains a study by specialists of the ANO \"Center for Socio-Cultural Expertise\" — Natalia Kryukova, A. Tarasov and V. Kotelnikov. These experts are known to be extremely biased against Jehovah's Witnesses. They appeared in the cases of other believers, as well as in the process of liquidation of legal entities of this denomination.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow","date":"2024-12-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow6/index.html#20241204","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that criminal prosecution against Vadim Kutsenko, who was dropped in January 2021 under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, is being resumed . It is included in the Rosfinmonitoring list.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ermolaev and Others in Chita","date":"2024-11-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita/index.html#20241104","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["new-case","rosfinmonitoring"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that criminal prosecution is being resumed against Vadim Kutsenko, who was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in January 2021. It is included in the Rosfinmonitoring list.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kutsenko in Chita","date":"2024-11-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita2/index.html#20241104","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["new-case","rosfinmonitoring"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case is separated from the case of other believers in Saransk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Velichko in Saransk","date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk3/index.html#20241028","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol A. A. Farimov initiates a criminal case against Vitaliy Burik under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigation interpreted Vitaliy's peaceful confession of faith as \"active actions of an organizational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of the extremist organization LRO Jehovah's Witnesses of Kerch, banned by the court, expressed in the organization of propaganda meetings.\"\nJudge of the Kiev District Court of Simferopol Denis Didenko authorizes a search of Vitaliy Burik's house.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Burik in Kerch","date":"2024-10-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kerch2/index.html#20241008","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Korenovsk Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnodar Territory initiates a criminal case against Sergey Nazarov for participating in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Nazarov in Vyselki","date":"2024-09-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki13/index.html#20240916","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator for especially important cases Mukhin initiates a criminal case against Aleksandr Protasov on suspicion of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Protasov in Novocheboksarsk","date":"2024-09-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocheboksarsk2/index.html#20240903","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 9, 2024, searches were carried out in three homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Karachay-Cherkessia and Stavropol. It is already the third invasion of the homes of believers by the security forces. Three criminal cases were initiated under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC.\nIn the village of Kardonikskaya, searches were carried out at the homes of Maria Ogoreva, 62, and her daughter Svetlana, as well as at Tatyana Pasynkova, 59, the mother of Aleksey Pasynkov. On the same day in Stavropol, FSB officers searched the house of Aleksey, this time in the case against his wife Yulia. The couple are raising a disabled child who is completely dependent on the help of his parents.\nThe criminal cases against Maria, Tatyana and Yulia were initiated on July 23, 2024. They are being investigated by Senior Lieutenant of Justice A.A. Khasanov, who works for the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic.\nThe Pasynkovs and the Ogorevs have been under prosecution since 2019. Their cases develop according to a similar pattern: first, the believer himself is suspected, and then his family members are prosecuted.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-08-09T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/search.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/08/260952.html","regions":["karachaevo","stavropol"],"subtitle":"Three women Became Suspects in Cases for Extremism","tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","families","elderly"],"title":"New Raids Against Believers in Karachay-Cherkessia and Stavropol.","type":"news"},{"body":"The criminal case against the six believers is being transferred to the investigative unit of the Main Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The investigation team is headed by the deputy head of the department, Yevgeniy Mokhnonogov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Anufriev and Others in Kstovo","date":"2024-08-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kstovo/index.html#20240808","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Captain of Justice D. T. Mamedova, Senior Investigator of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department for the Northern Administrative District of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow, separates the criminal case against unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation from the case of Aleksandr Serebryakov into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Moscow","date":"2024-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow10/index.html#20240805","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Captain of Justice D. T. Mamedova, Senior Investigator of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department for the Northern Administrative District of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the city of Moscow, separates the criminal case against unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation from the case of Aleksandr Serebryakov into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Velikov in Moscow","date":"2024-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow7/index.html#20240805","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea, Senior Lieutenant Y. A. Merkulov, opens a criminal case against 68-year-old Tamara Bratseva for \"organizing the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court made a decision to liquidate it in connection with extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brattseva in Razdolnoye","date":"2024-08-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/razdolnoye/index.html#20240805","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior FSB investigator Nikita Rudenko opens a criminal case against Anatoly Yevtushenko for participating in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yevtushenko in Krasnodar","date":"2024-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar3/index.html#20240725","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Senior Lieutenant of Justice A. A. Khasanov initiates criminal cases against the couple of Aleksey, Yulia, and his mother, Tatyana , under part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20240723","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice A. A. Khasanov, investigator of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, initiates a criminal case against Yulia Pasynkova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yuliya Pasynkova in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy4/index.html#20240723","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice A. A. Khasanov, investigator of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, initiates a criminal case against Tatyana Pasynkova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tatyana Pasynkova in Mednogorsk","date":"2024-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy5/index.html#20240723","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","families","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anuar Khasanov, an investigator of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Karachay-Cherkessia, initiates a criminal case against Maria Ogoreva for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The woman is suspected of \"maintaining contacts with persons professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, including those living in other regions of the Russian Federation, in order to participate in worship services and study the Holy Scriptures.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mariya Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy6/index.html#20240723","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Anuar Khasanov, an investigator of the Zelenchuk Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, brings Svetlana Ogoreva as an accused.\nAccording to the investigation, Svetlana \"took part in the activities of a religious association,\" and also \"by means of remote communication (the Internet) maintained contacts with persons professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in order to participate in divine services and study the Holy Scriptures with reading and discussing quotations from the Bible.\"\nSvetlana is chosen a preventive measure in the form of a recognizance not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2024-06-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy/index.html#20240624","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Deputy Nazarov Interdistrict Prosecutor Y. Viltsan approves the indictment against Pavel Chemrov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chemrov in Nazarovo","date":"2024-06-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo2/index.html#20240621","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Lieutenant of Justice Y. V. Prokopov, an investigator of the investigative unit for the investigation of organized criminal activities of the Investigative Directorate of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Samara, initiates a case against Samvel Babayan, accusing him of organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Babayan in Samara","date":"2024-06-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara2/index.html#20240619","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Department of Internal Affairs \"Kstovsky\", Captain of Justice E. A. Ryabkova initiates a criminal case for participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Anufriev and Others in Kstovo","date":"2024-06-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kstovo/index.html#20240617","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan Airat Giniyatullin initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Kupreev in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2024-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"#20240606","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Airat Giniyatullin issued a decision to initiate a criminal case against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ishberdin and Starikov in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2024-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnye-chelny3/index.html#20240606","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Golubenko initiates a criminal case against Sergey Fedorov. The believer is accused of organizing the activity of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, in the period from July 2018 to March 2024, he performed \"organizational, informational and control functions\" in several regions of the country.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk","date":"2024-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk3/index.html#20240606","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case against Vitaliy Manuilov is separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klokov in Barnaul","date":"2024-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul4/index.html#20240604","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of June 4, 2024, security forces invaded the homes of at least three families of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Izhevsk. One man was sent to pretrial detention, two were banned from certain actions.\nA criminal case against the believers \u0026ndash; the fourth in the region \u0026ndash; was initiated by the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic a day earlier. The case proceedings are being conducted by investigator Artur Selin.\nThe search at the home of Aleksandr Stefanidin, 32, and his wife began at about 7 a.m. and lasted 2 hours. Electronic devices and flash drives were seized from the family. After that, Aleksandr was taken for interrogation. On June 5, the judge of the Industrialniy District Court of Izhevsk, Aleksandr Shishkin, sent Stefanidin to the detention center.\nAnother of those against whom the case was initiated, is pensioner Indus Talipov, 73.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-06-04T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"svg":"/img/news/prison.svg"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/06/070956.html","regions":["udmurtia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","sizo","prohibition-of-actions","families","elderly"],"title":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses from Izhevsk Placed in Pretrial Detention Center After Searches","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the First Department for Investigation of Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Udmurt Republic, Major of Justice Artur Selin, initiates a criminal case against Indus Talipov, Valery Knyazev and Aleksandr Stefanidin for organizing extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Knyazev and Talipov in Izhevsk","date":"2024-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk3/index.html#20240603","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice S. G. Ermolaev, senior investigator for particularly important cases of the FSB of Russia in the Kurgan region, initiates a criminal case against a resident of Kurgan, Irina Kamshilova, accusing her of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The investigation interpreted meetings with friends to discuss biblical topics as a violation of anti-extremist legislation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kamshilova in Kurgan","date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan4/index.html#20240528","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice S. G. Ermolaev, senior investigator for particularly important cases of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia in the Kurgan region, initiates a case against 28-year-old Anastasia Gaitur under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe decision to initiate a criminal case states: \"Gaytur A.A. takes part in conducting remote religious meetings of collective religious meetings for worship ... consisting of sequential actions in the performance of songs... studying and discussing articles of religious content, watching videos of religious content... with the followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses creed.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gaytur in Kurgan","date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan5/index.html#20240528","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The defendants are served with an indictment at the Kingisepp prosecutor's office.\n","caseTitle":"Case in Kingisepp","date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kingisepp/index.html#20240514","regions":["leningrad_obl"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Bagiyan was detained in Moscow and told that he was wanted in connection with a criminal case under an extremist article. The man is taken to the police station and placed in a temporary detention facility for 3 days. Baghiyan's wife is allowed to bring food to Baghiyan.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Bagiyan in Saratov","date":"2024-04-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov4/index.html#20240421","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case","282","ivs","house-arrest"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 21, 2024, Moscow security forces detained one of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses, Sergey Bagiyan, 50. He was informed that he was a suspect in a criminal case for extremism.\nAccording to Bagiyan\u0026#39;s relatives, law enforcement officers with machine guns came to Sergey\u0026#39;s home in the afternoon. They behaved politely, nevertheless they handcuffed the believer and took him to the police station. Later, Sergey was transported to Saratov and placed in a temporary detention facility.\nOn April 24, the Volzhskiy District Court imposed house arrest for two months on him as a preventive measure.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-04-21T00:00:00Z","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/2024/04/250910.html","regions":["moscow","saratov"],"subtitle":"Three Days Later, He Was Placed Under House Arrest","tags":["new-case","282","ivs","house-arrest"],"title":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses Was Detained in Moscow and Taken to Saratov.","type":"news"},{"body":"It becomes known that two more cases were opened against Semyonov - for participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and involvement of other persons in this activity (part 1.1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). All three cases have been merged into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Semenov in Cherkessk","date":"2024-04-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk5/index.html#20240412","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another criminal case is being opened against Potapova and Kalinnikova under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization) because they talked with a fellow villager on biblical topics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalinnikova and Potapova in Kurilsk","date":"2024-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurilsk/index.html#20240410","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 3, 2024, in the city of Poronaysk, Sakhalin Region, a search was carried out at the home of Daler Tokhtayev, 33, and his wife. The believer was detained and taken to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. He is accused of extremism.\nAt about 8 a.m., law enforcement officers, including two FSB officers, arrived at the workplace of Daler Tokhtayev. From there, they took the believer to his home, where his wife was, and conducted a search there until 11:30 a.m. Electronic devices, personal notes and a Bible were seized from the couple. The search warrant was issued by the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City Court on February 22, 2024.\nA criminal case under Parts 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the RF Criminal Code was initiated against Tokhtayev on February 6, 2024. The investigation suspects him of \u0026quot;conducting conversations with RF citizens\u0026quot; on Bible topics, which is interpreted as a continuation of the activity of a banned religious organization and an attempt to involve others in it.\nThe search was conducted by the investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Sakhalin Region, Yuliya Che, who also took part in the investigation of the criminal case of another local believer, Roman Gumenyuk. Tokhtayev became the tenth Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witness to be prosecuted for his faith on Sakhalin.\nUpdate. The court imposed pretrial detention for 2 months as a preventive measure on the believer. He is in detention center No. 1 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-04-03T00:00:00Z","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/2024/04/081511.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":"One of Jehovah's Witnesses Daler Tokhtayev Detained in Poronaysk","tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1","search","sizo"],"title":"A New Search on Sakhalin.","type":"news"},{"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":"E. V. Shevchenko, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Abinsk District of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, initiates a criminal case against 66-year-old Valery Bailo under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baylo in Kholmskaya","date":"2024-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya7/index.html#20240328","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. D. Bushuev, investigator of the Korenovsky Interdistrict Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee, initiates a criminal case against Natalia Novoseletskaya under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believer is suspected of \"taking a direct part in religious teaching and sermons ... entered into conversations and religious discussions with other participants... read aloud to other participants the religious books of Jehovah's Witnesses, emphasizing that these books contain true knowledge about God.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Novoseletskaya in Vyselki","date":"2024-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki10/index.html#20240328","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee A.D. Bushuev makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against Vladimir Lepsky under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. As an accusation, Bushuyev puts forward the following facts: \"He read aloud to other participants the religious books of Jehovah's Witnesses, emphasizing that these books contain true knowledge about God.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lepskiy in Vyselki","date":"2024-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki12/index.html#20240328","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Viktor Petrov initiates a criminal case under an extremist article against Alexei Timofeev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Timofeyev in Petrozavodsk","date":"2024-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk2/index.html#20240326","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Aslan Shabanov, senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the city of Cherkessk, initiates a criminal case under part 1.1 of article 282.2 and part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Vladimir Fomin.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fomin in Cherkessk","date":"2024-03-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk4/index.html#20240321","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"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":"Dmitriy Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia, initiates a second criminal case against Vladlena Kukavitsa, this time under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). The cases are consolidated into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan","date":"2024-03-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan20/index.html#20240305","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Based on the materials separated from the case of Maxim Khamatshin , the investigator of the Investigative Committee, Colonel Alexander Chepenko, initiates two criminal cases against 28-year-old Oleg Artemov - on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organization and its financing.\nAccording to Chepenko, the believer \"in the period from 06.09.2017 to 08.09.2022 ... at least 5 times intentionally... took part in the activities of a religious association... in the form of participation in religious meetings... conducting conversations with residents of Chelyabinsk, demonstrating and watching educational videos\".\nArtemov is also suspected of financing the activities of an extremist organization, since he allegedly \"made at least 20 payments ... by paying for \"Zoom\"... to ensure the holding of meetings of members of the said religious association by videoconference.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleg Artemov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2024-02-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk11/index.html#20240229","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee, Captain of Justice Maria Volkova initiates a criminal case against Leonid Pyzhov and Sergey Rygaev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rygaev and Pyzhov in Omsk","date":"2024-02-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk3/index.html#20240229","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation V. I. Danilin initiates a criminal case against Irina Ushakova for the fact that the believer \"participated in the discussion of the content of the religious books of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the so-called 'Holy Scripture' (the Bible).\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ushakova in Vyselki","date":"2024-02-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki11/index.html#20240215","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, Major of Justice G. S. Kopylova, initiates a criminal case against Liliya Dolinina and combines it with another case opened against her in February 2023. Now the believer is accused not only of involvement, but also of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how the investigation interprets the correspondence of the elderly woman with her acquaintances on religious topics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolinina in Dormidontovka","date":"2024-02-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dormidontovka/index.html#20240207","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Not less than ten people were affected by raids of the homes of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Birobidzhan and the village of Amurzet on February 6, 2024. At least two criminal cases have been initiated; one is being investigated by the Investigative Committee, the other by the FSB.\nOne of the believers, Anatoliy Artamonov, is suspected of involving a local resident in the activity of a liquidated legal entity of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses (Article 282.2(1.1) of the RFCrC). From the search warrant it is evident that the resident in question is a young man from the village of Amurzet, located 200 km from Birobidzhan.\nThe home of his family was also searched by law enforcement officers. He had earlier applied for alternative civilian service. Although the young man explained this through his Bible-based personal beliefs, the military commander indicated in his response that \u0026quot;the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the organization of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses extremist and banned its activity in Russia in 2017.\u0026quot;\nSome of those affected by the search in Birobidzhan talked about the Bible with a local woman and her adult daughter. Turns out, they worked for the security forces and secretly recorded the conversations with the believers.\nThe searches as part of the case being investigated by the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region were authorized by the Birobidzhan District Court. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, data storages, personal notes and different translations of the Bible.\nThe search at the home of the Postnikov family in Birobidzhan took about five hours, and during this time a 72-year-old acquaintance visited them. The security forces seized her phone. Oleg, who is serving a suspended sentence for his faith, was threatened with tougher punishment, he was told to \u0026quot;prepare his bag.\u0026quot; On February 9, an FSB investigator summoned the couple for interrogation.\nIn the Jewish Autonomous Region, 23 Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses have already been sentenced to various terms for their Christian beliefs.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2024-02-06T14:18:00+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2024/02/091417/image_hu_959c6ab5779be125.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2024/02/091417/image_hu_ccc47cc44f06a66c.jpg","webp":"/news/2024/02/091417/image_hu_5c8dfa5541422a16.webp","webp2x":"/news/2024/02/091417/image_hu_8ceed1fd73689d28.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2024/02/091417.html","regions":["jewish"],"subtitle":"Among Them Are the Postnikovs, Who Are Serving a Suspended Sentence for Their Faith","tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1.1"],"title":"A New Wave of Searches in the Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Birobidzhan.","type":"news"},{"body":"The FSB conducts raids on the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan and the village of Amurzet. Among the victims are the Postnikovs, who are already serving suspended sentences.\nAnother search takes place at the home of another believer, Vladlena Kukavitsa. A criminal case has been initiated against her. Emotional pressure is exerted on her, the security forces demand to confirm her acquaintance with other believers, threatening her with real terms and persuading her to cooperate with the investigation. A lot of notebooks, notebooks, electronic equipment and data carriers are seized. They refuse to issue a copy of the search protocol.\nThe search is led by investigator Dmitry Yankin, who previously initiated the initiation of criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan. Also, detectives of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region N. Lonushkin and D. Krupetsky take part in the searches.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20240206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1.1","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region, Captain of Justice Yulia Che, initiates a criminal case for faith under Parts 1.1 and 2 of Article 282.2 against Daler Tokhtayev.\nThe investigation suspects the believer of \"conducting conversations with citizens of the Russian Federation\" on biblical topics, and interprets this as a continuation of the activities of a banned religious organization and an attempt to involve him in it.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tokhtaev in Poronaysk","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/poronaysk/index.html#20240206","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator initiates a second criminal case against Igor Muravyov, this time under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and merges it with the first.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Muravyov in Saint Petersburg","date":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/poronaysk2/index.html#20240206","regions":["stpetersburg"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Jewish Autonomous Region A.A. Karavaev initiates a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Vladlena Kukavitsa, who lives in Birobidzhan. According to the investigation, between July 2022 and January 2024, the believer repeatedly communicated via the Internet with a certain \"Valeria Suvorova.\" Karavayev considered these conversations to be involvement in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kukavitsa in Birobidzhan","date":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan20/index.html#20240201","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Ivan Nenko, an investigator of the Investigative Department for the city of Birobidzhan of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, opens a criminal case\nagainst unidentified persons under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement of other persons in the activities of an extremist organization). A year later, it was merged with the case of Krushevsky and Artamonov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kopatskaya in Birobidzan","date":"2024-01-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzan25/index.html#20240124","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The deputy head of the Investigative Department for the city of Birobidzhan, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Ivan Nenko, issues a decision against unidentified persons to initiate criminal proceedings for involvement in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Krushevskiy and Artamonov in Birobidzhan","date":"2024-01-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan21/index.html#20240124","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator V. A. Boranukov initiates a criminal case against Svetlana Ogoreva, who was previously a witness in the case against Alexei Pasynkov. The investigator considers communication through instant messengers with fellow believers, participation in worship services using the Internet and discussion of quotes from the Bible to be signs of a \"crime\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ogoreva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2023-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy/index.html#20231227","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice M. Kozharin, investigator of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Pavel Chemrov. On the same day, the believer's house was searched. His tablet and personal records were seized.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chemrov in Nazarovo","date":"2023-12-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo2/index.html#20231221","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice Menkenov is prosecuting 41-year-old Ekaterina Menkova and 45-year-old Tsagan Khalgaeva as defendants under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigator considers the meeting of friends to discuss the Bible a crime of an extremist nature.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista","date":"2023-12-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/elista/index.html#20231219","regions":["kalmykia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is opened against Igor Muravyov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Muravyov in Saint Petersburg","date":"2023-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/poronaysk2/index.html#20231207","regions":["stpetersburg"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"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":"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Saratov Region Bulat Urazov initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bashabaev and Others in Saratov","date":"2023-10-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov3/index.html#20231031","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Kirill Deshko, investigator of the Korsakov Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, issues a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Larisa Potapova and Olga Kalinnikova.\nThe ruling states: \"In the course of the procedural check, it was established that since 2013, Potapova and Kalinnikova have been members of a religious organization, the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group, consisting of residents of the Sakhalin Region professing the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalinnikova and Potapova in Kurilsk","date":"2023-10-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurilsk/index.html#20231012","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"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":"The Investigative Committee reports that a criminal case has been opened against Semenov on suspicion of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Semenov in Cherkessk","date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk5/index.html#20230920","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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. A. Kravchenko, Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case against Alexander Gaitur under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gaytur in Kurgan","date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan3/index.html#20230918","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Captain of Justice A. A. Kravchenko opened a criminal case against Ilya Ershov for participating in the activities of an extremist organization. Previously, he was a suspect in the case of Aleksandr Lubin.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20230918","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Captain of Justice A. A. Kravchenko initiates a criminal case against Ilya Ershov for participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The basis is the report of Nikolai Astapov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20230918","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Samara Region, N. G. Sysoeva, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against 62-year-old Galina Komissarova \"on the fact of participation in the activities of a religious association.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Komissarova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-09-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti6/index.html#20230907","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 23, 2023, searches were carried out at two addresses in the city of Kovrov, as well as at one address in the village of Melekhovo. Law enforcement officers detained Aleksandr Popov, 36, and Mikhail Sveshnikov, 53; later they were placed under house arrest.\nA criminal case against Sveshnikov had been initiated a day earlier by Yu. Nikulin from the Investigative Department for Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Vladimir Region. In his opinion, Mikhail \"took part in religious meetings\" and \"spoke at them\", which law enforcement officers groundlessly equate to participating in the activity of a liquidated legal entity of Jehovah's Witnesses (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC).\nIt is still unknown in connection with which case investigative measures against Popov were carried out.\nIn the Vladimir Region, three more believers are facing criminal prosecution. Two of them have already been sentenced to prison terms, which the court considered being served during the investigation. The case of another believer is in the final stages of judicial investigation.\nRussian and foreign state, political and public organizations condemn the repression of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian Federation.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00Z","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/2023/08/300833.html","regions":["vladimir"],"subtitle":"A Criminal Case has Been Initiated","tags":["search","new-case","house-arrest"],"title":"In the Kovrov District of the Vladimir Region, Raids of Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Resumed.","type":"news"},{"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":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Vladimir Region Y. N. Nikulin initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) against 54-year-old Mikhail Sveshnikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sveshnikov in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov4/index.html#20230821","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Vladimir Region Y. N. Nikulin initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) against 36-year-old Alexander Popov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov5/index.html#20230821","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Kovrov of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Vladimir Region, Y. Nikulin, initiates a criminal case against Oleg Sakun. According to the investigator, Oleg \"took part in religious meetings, spoke at them, served as an assistant, namely ... carrying out work to introduce the ideology of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Kovrov among the civil masses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sakun in Kovrov","date":"2023-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov6/index.html#20230821","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 14 and 16, 2023, at least nine searches in homes of Jehovah's Witnesses took place in four cities of Crimea — Armyansk, Simferopol, Saki and Dzhankoy.\nIn Simferopol, a search took place at the home of Yekaterina Melniychuk. She became unwell and her husband's blood pressure rose. Yekaterina was informed that a criminal case had been initiated against her. She was interrogated and released under a recognizance agreement.\nDmitriy Zakharevich, son-in-law of Aleksandr Voronchikhin, a defendant in one of the cases for their faith in Simferopol, was also searched. On the same day, he received a ruling charging him as a defendant in a criminal case. Based on the motion of investigator V. A. Novikov, the court placed him and another believer under house arrest.\nIn Armyansk, law enforcement officers searched both homes of a believer. After that, he was taken for interrogation. In Saki, seven law enforcement officers in balaclavas, four of whom were armed, conducted a 2-hour search of the house of a 62-year-old believer. Electronic devices were seized from him.\nThe details of the searches in Dzhankoy are yet unknown.\nAt this moment, 25 residents of Crimea have been prosecuted for their faith. Six of them are serving their sentences in a penal colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00Z","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/2023/08/180848.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"A Criminal Case has Been Initiated","tags":["search","recognizance-agreement","house-arrest","new-case","families"],"title":"In Four Cities of Crimea, Homes of Believers were Searched.","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 case is referred to senior investigator S. B. Nevidimov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov","date":"2023-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/korsakov/index.html#20230731","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 29, 2023, the family home of 37-year-old Valeriy Klokov was searched in Barnaul. Law enforcement officers detained the believer for 48 hours, after which the Oktyabrskiy District Court placed him under house arrest. On August 2, raids took place at two more addresses.\nLaw enforcement officers arrived at the Klokovs at lunchtime. Communication equipment, a laptop, flash drives, passports for travel abroad, personal notes and cards were seized. The search lasted approximately 2 hours. Then Valeriy was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory.\nYevgeniy Kozyuchenko, senior investigator for investigating especially important cases, who had previously initiated the criminal prosecution of Pavel Kazadaev, charged Valeriy Klokov with a crime under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC (participating in the activity of an extremist organization). The investigation believes that since 2021, Klokov and other unidentified persons “carried out actions to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses Barnaul, including by holding conversations in order to promote the activity of this organization and participating in events held by representatives of the organization\". This is how law enforcement agencies interpret conversations on Bible topics between fellow believers.\nSo far,six Jehovah's Witnesses in the Altai Territory have been repressed by the authorities for their peaceful beliefs. Two of them - Andrey Danielyan and Pavel Kazadaev - have been sentenced.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-07-29T00:00:00Z","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/2023/08/091530.html","regions":["altaisky"],"subtitle":"One Believer Placed Under House Arrest","tags":["search","new-case","house-arrest"],"title":"New Searches Carried Out at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Barnaul.","type":"news"},{"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 investigator charges Lyudmila Zinina and interrogates her in her new status. A believer enjoys the right not to testify against herself and her loved ones.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lyudmila Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2023-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki3/index.html#20230722","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["282.2-2","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice E. V. Maksimov, Deputy Head of the Korsakov Interdistrict Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region, initiates a criminal case against Roman Gumenyuk. The investigation considers discussing the Bible with friends at \"regular meetings\" to be participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov","date":"2023-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/korsakov/index.html#20230719","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Evgeny Kozyuchenko, Senior Investigator for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory, is initiating a criminal case against 37-year-old Valery Klokov and 50-year-old Vitaly Manuilov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klokov in Barnaul","date":"2023-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul4/index.html#20230710","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Yevgeniy Kozuchenko initiates a criminal case against Valery Klokov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Manuylov in Barnaul","date":"2023-07-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul5/index.html#20230710","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"M. N. Zaitsev, Senior Investigator for Internal Affairs of the Investigative Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Kursk Region, issues a decision to initiate a criminal case against Nikolai Kupriyansky under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, as well as spouses Dmitry and Oksana Chausov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nBelievers are accused of \"conducting individual classes (conversations) on the territory of Kursk to study the preaching materials of the religious movement \"Jehovah's Witnesses\" with new alleged followers of the \"LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses of Kursk\", while promoting the popularization of its ideas.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanskiy and Others in Kursk","date":"2023-07-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk2/index.html#20230703","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Maxim Prusakov, an investigator of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Tver region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist organization activities) against 68-year-old Valery Tolmazov, 50-year-old Alexander Kostyuk and 40-year-old Maxim Barbazyuk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tolmazov and Others in Tver","date":"2023-06-29T14:39:36+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/tver/index.html#20230629","regions":["tver"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee Alexander Chepenko initiates a criminal case against Andrey Shurygin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Shurygin \"organized propaganda of the activities of this banned organization by giving instructions that supporters of the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses conduct preaching activities with residents of Chelyabinsk in order to involve citizens in the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, convincing them of the correctness and indisputability of this religious teaching.\" The believer is also charged with holding four services at his home in 2020 and 2022, which are interpreted by the investigation as a continuation of the activities of the liquidated legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shurygin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk10/index.html#20230629","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Chelyabinsk Region, Colonel of Justice Alexander Chepenko initiates a criminal case against Maxim Khamatshin. The believer is charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khamatshin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2023-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk9/index.html#20230629","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 27, 2023, a search was conducted at the home of Yuliya Globa, 41, in the village of Vorobevka. This is already the third time her home has been invaded by law enforcement officers in the last four years. A month earlier, a criminal case was initiated against her under an article for participating in the activity of an extremist organization.\nUpdate. Yuliya and her husband were interrogated at the Investigative Committee. The case was initiated by V. I. Golovina, a senior investigator of the Unecha Interdistrict Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Bryansk Region. According to the ruling, the criminal prosecution was based solely on her practicing her religion as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThis is already the sixth instance in the Bryansk Region of law enforcement officers taking action against Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the decision of the Supreme Court Plenum could not stop the practice of repressive application of the law on extremism toward the believers.\n","category":"trial","date":"2023-06-27T00:00:00Z","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/2023/06/291410.html","regions":["bryansk"],"subtitle":"Criminal Case Initiated Against Woman","tags":["search","new-case"],"title":"In the Bryansk Region, Law Enforcement Officers Conducted Another Search at the Home of a Family of Believers.","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee is initiating a criminal case against Sergey Dvurechensky under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It is based on the testimony of a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Shepherd\" who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in the past. Later, the man again began to communicate with believers and film online worship services in order to transmit this information to the Center for Countering Extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dvurechenskiy in Vyselki","date":"2023-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki7/index.html#20230615","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee is initiating a criminal case against Elena Gadrshina under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It is based on the testimony of a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Shepherd\" who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in the past. Later, the man again began to communicate with believers and film online worship services in order to transmit this information to the Center for Countering Extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gadrshina in Vyselki","date":"2023-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki8/index.html#20230615","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","secret-witness"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee initiates a criminal case against Elena Rumyantseva under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It is based on the testimony of a secret witness under the pseudonym \"Shepherd\" who has attended Jehovah's Witnesses services in the past. Later, the man again began to communicate with believers and film online worship services in order to transmit this information to the Center for Countering Extremism.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rumyantseva in Vyselki","date":"2023-06-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki9/index.html#20230615","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor of the Nakhimovsky district of Sevastopol, senior adviser of justice A. N. Gogolev approves the indictment. Maksym Zinchenko is accused of \"taking part in meetings where he gave religious speeches\", \"instructing the parishioners of the Jehovah's Witnesses community to read certain verses from the Bible ... or read them personally, and then analyzed their meaning. The conclusion also notes that the believer \"conducted conversations, read the religious material of Jehovah's Witnesses, in this way he expressed his faith in God and continued the activity of his faith.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zinchenko in Sevastopol","date":"2023-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol6/index.html#20230609","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. I. Golovina, senior investigator of the Unechsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Bryansk Region, initiates a criminal case against Yulia Globa on suspicion of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Globa in Unecha","date":"2023-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/unecha/index.html#20230531","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Natalia Guzeeva, investigator for internal affairs of the investigative department for the city of Prokopyevsk of the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a banned organization) against unidentified persons.\nAccording to the investigation, some residents of Prokopyevsk \"out of extremist motives took part in the activities of an extremist organization ... consisting in the convocation of meetings... organizing religious speeches and services at these meetings... carrying out the preaching work.\" This is how the investigation characterizes the peaceful worship of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yelena Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2023-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopyevsk/index.html#20230525","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"R. S. Latysh, senior investigator of the Korenovsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, initiates a criminal case against Lyudmila Zinina under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believer is guilty of extremism for \"reading aloud religious books\" of Jehovah's Witnesses and \"entering into conversations and religious discussions.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lyudmila Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki3/index.html#20230523","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Korenovsky MRSO of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice R. Latysh initiates a criminal case against Viktor Spirichev under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Spirichev in Vyselki","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki4/index.html#20230523","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being initiated against Penskaya under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The believer's bank accounts are blocked.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Penskaya in Vyselki","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki5/index.html#20230523","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","rosfinmonitoring"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is initiated against Irina under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Irina Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2023-05-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki6/index.html#20230523","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 22, 2023, early in the morning a search was carried out at the home of a married couple in Feodosia. Maksim Zinchenko, 31, one of Jehovah's Witnesses, was detained and taken to Sevastopol.\nThe search, which took place from 06:30 to 10:00 am, was led by investigator Nikolay Pogorelov. The task force consisted of more than 10 people, five of whom were armed. The law enforcement officers ordered the Zinchenkos and a couple who were visiting them, to lie down on the floor. The investigator suggested that Zinchenko's wife cooperate with the investigation, intimidating her with a long prison term for her husband and a ban on visiting him. Electronic devices were confiscated from the believers. The detention of Maksim Zinchenko was preceded by a long period of surveillance.\nDespite condemnation from the global community, the Russian authorities continue to prosecute Jehovah's Witnesses. In Crimea, 13 criminal cases for faith were initiated; 12 believers were sentenced to penal colonies.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-05-22T11:00:58+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/05/231100/image_hu_2e490b5dd4dd9bea.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/05/231100/image_hu_aa070b536aecc5b8.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/05/231100/image_hu_c51742191b7fb50b.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/05/231100/image_hu_366ce223752e9a65.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/05/231100.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"Home of Jehovah's Witnesses Searched in Feodosia","tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"New Criminal Case for Faith in Crimea.","type":"news"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice Nikolay Pogorelov, senior investigator of the Nakhimovsky district of Sevastopol, initiates a criminal case against Maxim Zinchenko. He is charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zinchenko in Sevastopol","date":"2023-05-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol6/index.html#20230517","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 16, 2023, in Tolyatti, officers of the Investigative Committee and the FSB broke into the homes of at least three families of believers. Two new criminal cases are known to have been initiated. Aleksandr Dolganov, 34, was placed under house arrest, and Sona Olopova, 36, placed under a recognizance agreement.\nSearches of the homes of the Dolganovs and of another believer started at about 6:30 a.m. and lasted more than 2 hours. At about the same time, a search took place at the home of Anatoliy and Sona Olopov. Armed law enforcement officers confiscated electronic devices and personal notes from the believers; passports for travel abroad were also taken from Dolganov and Olopova. Sona Olopova was taken for interrogation to the investigative department, where she was kept until about 7.00 p.m., after which she was released under a recognizance agreement.\nAfter the searches, Aleksandr Dolganov was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. The next day, May 17, Elena Laskina, judge of the Tsentralnyy District Court of Tolyatti, placed him under house arrest.\nThe criminal prosecution was initiated by the Tsentralnyy Interdistrict Investigative Department for the City of Tolyatti of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. The investigative actions were led by senior investigators A. S. Kharitonov, R. N. Mgoyan and A. O. Grekov. The day before the searches, the latter initiated at least two criminal cases: against Aleksandr Dolganov and Sona Olopova. Both are charged with Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC. According to Grekov, from 2017 to the present time the believers have been participating in the activity of a banned religious association.\nUpdate. It is now known that a criminal case was initiated under the same article against another believer, 61-year-old Yelena Kozhevnikova. On May 18, 2023, investigator R. N. Mgoyan placed her under a recognizance agreement. Earlier, in the Samara Region, two criminal cases had already been initiated against five Jehovah's Witnesses for their faith.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/05/191138/image_hu_77e392703148a1bb.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/05/191138/image_hu_8df27af681b5c36b.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/05/191138/image_hu_b4cb2c896361295d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/05/191138/image_hu_167e97fac38c13fc.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/05/191138.html","regions":["samara"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","search","house-arrest","recognizance-agreement","ivs","282.2-2"],"title":"After Searches at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses In Tolyatti — Two Criminal Cases Initiated For Their Faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Anatoly Grekov, senior investigator of the Central Interdistrict District Department of Tolyatti, is initiating a criminal case against 36-year-old Sona Olopova on charges of participating in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The investigation calls the confession of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses illegal activity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olopova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti2/index.html#20230515","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anatoly Grekov, senior investigator of the Central Interdistrict District Department of Tolyatti, singles out a new case against 34-year-old Aleksandr Dolganov from the criminal case against Alexander Chagan on charges of participating in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The investigation calls the confession of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses illegal activity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolganov in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti3/index.html#20230515","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anatoly Grekov, an investigator of the Central Investigation Department of the City of Tolyatti of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region, is initiating a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 61-year-old Elena Kozhevnikova.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhevnikova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti4/index.html#20230515","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Anatoly Grekov, an investigator of the Central Investigation Department of the city of Tolyatti, of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 52-year-old Elena Yurenkova.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yurenkova in Tolyatti","date":"2023-05-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti5/index.html#20230515","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Tsarapkin, an investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Chukotka Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Sergey Romanov, Aleksey Volkov, Yuriy Yumashev and Aleksandr Loshkarev. The resolution states that \"from 20.04.2017 ... acting jointly and in concert, [the four believers] by organizing and conducting religious meetings, carrying out missionary and preaching activities... involvement of new participants, as well as the collection of donations, organized the activities of the unregistered religious group \"Jehovah's Witnesses in Anadyr\" on the territory of the city of Anadyr, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.\nThe resolution states that the basis for initiating a criminal case was two expert opinions dated November 19, 2022 and May 3, 2023. One of them claims that believers allegedly promoted the exclusivity and superiority of the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Romanov in Anadyr","date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/anadyr/index.html#20230505","regions":["chukotka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Tsarapkin, investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, initiates a criminal case under part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Sergey Romanov, Aleksey Volkov, Yuri Yumashev and Aleksandr Loshkarev. The decree states that \"from 20.04.2017 ... acting jointly and in concert, [the four believers] by organizing and conducting religious meetings, carrying out missionary and preaching activities... the activities of the unregistered religious group \"Jehovah's Witnesses in Anadyr\" organized the activities of the unregistered religious group \"Jehovah's Witnesses in Anadyr\" on the territory of the city of Anadyr, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.\"\nAccording to the resolution, the basis for initiating a criminal case were two expert opinions dated October 19, 2022 and May 3, 2023. One of them claims that the believers allegedly promoted the exclusivity and superiority of the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrine.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Volkov and Others in Anadyr","date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/anadyr2/index.html#20230505","regions":["chukotka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","expert-conclusions"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the investigation department for Komsomolsk-on-Amur of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Svetlana Shved, initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons.\nThe investigation believes that the believers, \"staying in the village of Khurba in the Komsomolsk district of the Khabarovsk Territory, persuaded, recruited and otherwise involved May O.P. in the activities of the organization.\" Senior Lieutenant of Justice Leonid Kuznetsov is appointed head of the investigation team.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kovadnev and Others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2023-05-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur2/index.html#20230504","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Mukhin, senior investigator of the Chuvash Republic, is initiating a criminal case against 85-year-old Yuriy Yuskov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization). The investigator also hands the believer a search warrant for his home.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yuskov in Novocheboksarsk","date":"2023-05-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novocheboksarsk/index.html#20230504","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Murmansk Region S. B. Mikheev initiates a criminal case against 65-year-old Anatoly Odintsov. He is accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Odintsov in Snezhnogorsk","date":"2023-04-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhnogorsk2/index.html#20230424","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"E. A. Sizov, senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the central district of Kostroma, initiates a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Dmitry Terebilov, who is being held in correctional colony No. 1 in the Kostroma region.\nThe decision to institute criminal proceedings states that a believer serving time in a strict regime colony for his beliefs, \"while in the above-mentioned institution, involved the convicts ... into the activities of an extremist organization.\" This is how the investigator interpreted the fact that Dmitriy answered questions from a cellmate about the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Second Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma4/index.html#20230420","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On April 20, 2023, Dmitriy Terebilov, who has already served 1.5 years of his term for his faith in a penal colony, became a defendant in a new criminal case. It was initiated simply because he answered questions from a cellmate about the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nTerebilov now faces an increase of more than twice his prison term — from 3 to 8 years.\nSince the end of May 2023, he has been in Detention Center No.1 in Kostroma.\nInterestingly, Dmitriy himself learned about the Bible when previously serving a prison term. Immediately he changed for the better and the administration of the penal colony was so impressed that they themselves petitioned for his parole. However, for the same Christian beliefs, in September 2021, Dmitriy was sent to a strict regime colony.\n","category":"prison","date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2023/06/211354/image_hu_54305d6832b84460.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2023/06/211354/image_hu_e6caf94e44e47e84.jpg","webp":"/news/2023/06/211354/image_hu_b2d7ea7b90bd6d4c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2023/06/211354/image_hu_cf3d55e595e913d2.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2023/06/211354.html","regions":["kostroma"],"subtitle":"New Case Initiated","tags":["new-case","strict-conditions"],"title":"Dmitriy Terebilov Imprisoned for His Faith Faces Extension of His Sentence for Talking About God with a Cellmate.","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Ordzhonikidze Department of the Investigation Department S. K. Bisenbaeva initiates a criminal case against Alexander Salnikov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist association, in respect of which the court made a decision on liquidation). This is how the investigation interprets meetings of believers to discuss biblical teachings with friends.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Salnikov in Magnitogorsk","date":"2023-04-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magnitogorsk/index.html#20230418","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. S. Belashko, investigator of the Bolshoy Kamen Investigative Department, initiates a criminal case against Aleksandr Sazhin for his faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazhin in Fokino","date":"2023-04-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/fokino/index.html#20230414","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of April 14, 2023, in the settlements of Lesnoy, Kachkanar and Tayozhny (Sverdlovsk Region), searches were carried out at 5 addresses of believers, including 58-year-old Andrey Bannykh. Earlier, a criminal case was initiated against him as well as Pavel Loshchinin and Andrey Kozhushko, for their faith.\nPavel Loshchinin in his appeal against the decision to initiate a criminal case stated: “The descriptive and motivating part of the resolution contains absolutely no specific argumentation, and there are clearly contradictory arguments... Following religious teaching and studying religious literature is not a crime in itself”.\nAnother suspect in the case, Andrey Bannykh, is one of the applicants whose appeal was granted by the ECHR, declaring the prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia illegal. The Court held that “respondent State must take all necessary measures to secure the discontinuation of all pending criminal proceedings against Jehovah’s Witnesses” (§ 290).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-04-14T00:00:00Z","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/2023/04/191044.html","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"subtitle":"Criminal Proceedings Initiated Against Three Believer","tags":["search","new-case","echr","282.2-1"],"title":"New Searches in the Sverdlovsk Region.","type":"news"},{"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":"The investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tambov Region, P. V. Salnikov, initiates a criminal case against Igor Kasabov. He is accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kasabov in Tambov","date":"2023-04-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tambov2/index.html#20230412","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Senior investigator of the Pavlovsk Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, Captain of Justice V. V. Kulazhenkov initiated a criminal case against Aleksandr Davydenko under two articles - participation in the activities of an extremist organization and involvement of other persons in it.\nThe decision to open a criminal case says that Davydenko \"took part in... religious training event – a lesson on the study of the \"Holy Scriptures\" (biblical texts)\", which, according to the investigation, constitutes a crime.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Davydenko in Pavlovskaya","date":"2023-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya4/index.html#20230410","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the Lesnoy Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region is initiating a criminal case against Andrey Kozhushko, Andrey Bannykh and Pavel Loshchinin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kozhushko and Others in Lesnoy","date":"2023-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesnoy/index.html#20230328","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"*Text updated on March 9, 2023.\nOn March 5, 2023, security forces raided at least 10 addresses in Vladivostok as part of a criminal case for belief. Yuriy Byche, 37, and Sergey Novoselov, 54, are in pre-trial detention, and Yegor Pogrebnyak, 27, is under house arrest.\nAccording to the Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorskiy Territory, the believers “using the ZOOM application... carried out actions aimed at continuing the activity of an extremist organization.” This is how the investigation interprets the conducting of peaceful meetings for worship. A criminal case was initiated under three parts of the extremist article at once — the organizing the activity, participating and involving others in it (parts 1, 1.1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nOfficers of the Investigative Committee, together with the FSB Border Control, launched a special operation early in the morning. According to eyewitnesses, the security forces handcuffed Yuriy Byche, threw him to the floor and kicked him several times. The investigator intended to connect to the believers' online call and film their conversation on video. He demanded passwords for phones and other equipment from Yuriy.\nIn another case, security forces seized electronic devices, postcards, notebooks with personal notes, and other items from believers.\nThe ECHR judgment of 7 June 2022 states that “the Russian authorities have failed to put forward anyelements which, according to the Court’s case-law, could have warrantedinterference with the applicants’ rights to freedom of religion, expression or association.” (§ 158). This position is shared by the founder and director of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF, Brussels, Belgium) Willy Fautré: “Statistics about the magnitude of the repression are disturbing. Freedom of religion or belief is the cornerstone of all freedoms.”\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2023-03-05T00:00:00Z","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/2023/03/071547.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2","new-case","house-arrest"],"title":"In Vladivostok Three Believers Arrested After Searches at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses","type":"news"},{"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory D. A. Shevchenko issued a decision to initiate a criminal case against unidentified persons.\nThe investigator interprets the communication of believers as \"using the Internet to hold meetings and involve persons in the activities of an extremist organization\" and decided to initiate a criminal case under part 1, part 1.1 and part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Byche and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2023-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok12/index.html#20230226","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"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":"Senior investigator for especially important cases, Captain of Justice Dmitry Menkenov initiates a criminal case against 62-year-old Kishta Tutinova for organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The investigation believes that Tutinova, who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, at home \"conducts religious meetings and directly participates in them in the mode of online conferences, and also involves residents of the region in the activities of this organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tutinova and Others in Elista","date":"2023-02-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/elista/index.html#20230216","regions":["kalmykia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"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":"The investigator for particularly important cases of the Vyazemsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, Y. A. Vasetskaya, initiates a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 76-year-old Liliya Dolinina and decides to search the home of the believer \"in order to find and seize means of communication and electronic media that may contain information about the crime committed.\" The document also states that \"the preliminary investigation body believes that this case should be recognized as exceptional, in connection with which the search of the home cannot be delayed and should be carried out immediately.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolinina in Dormidontovka","date":"2023-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dormidontovka/index.html#20230212","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal case No. 42302030079000007 against unidentified persons under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is separated from the case of Ushakov and others in Vyselki .\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lyudmila Zinina in Vyselki","date":"2023-02-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki3/index.html#20230203","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Shiyan's case is separated from the Shitz case into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2023-01-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20230130","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The materials against Anna Matveeva are separated into separate proceedings from the case of Valery Sheets.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shiyan and Matveeva in Lesosibirsk","date":"2023-01-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk3/index.html#20230118","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Updated January 24, 2023. All data updated as of December 31, 2022.\nIn 2022, the ECHR declared the 2017 ban on Jehovah's Witnesses illegal. However, the repression not only did not weaken, but also updated records: in 2022, the courts sentenced 44 believers to a total of 244 years in prison (a year earlier, the figure was 160 years in prison). Other sad records were also recorded: the number of convictions, as well as the number of believers who are simultaneously in colonies and pre-trial detention centers.\nHow many people were repressed for their faith in 2022? As of December 31, 2022, 674 followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are officially in the status of accused, suspected, indicted, convicted, or acquitted. Of these, 77 learned about the criminal prosecution in 2022. (In 2019, this figure was 213, in 2020 146, and in 2021 - 142.) The total number of criminal cases reached 319 (most often 2 or more defendants in one case).\nWhat is the geographical scope of repression for faith? Criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses have already been initiated in 72 regions of Russia. In 2022, cases were initiated in 2 new regions of Russia - Altai and Buryatia. (In 2019, criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses was initiated in 21 new regions of Russia, in 2020 in 8 new regions, and in 2021 in 10.)\nHow many convictions for faith were handed down in 2022, and how many have gone into effect? During 2022, 119 believers were found guilty under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and sentenced by the courts of first instance to various punishments. (In 2019, this figure was 18, and in 2020 it was 39, in 2021 it was 111.) Of these, 57 people are still awaiting the decision of the appeal. With regard to 108 believers, appeals were held during 2022 and the sentences entered into force. In some cases, the punishment was mitigated or toughened, but most often it remained unchanged.\nIn total, as of December 31, 2022, 284 male and female Jehovah's Witnesses have been convicted for their faith in the past 5 years.\nWhat sentences were handed down to Jehovah's Witnesses in 2022? In total, during 2022, 44 believers were sentenced to real imprisonment, which is a sad record (in 2021, 32 believers were sentenced to real imprisonment). The duration of the punishment has also been toughened: in 2022, the average term in a colony imposed on believers was 5.5 years, while in 2021 this average figure was 5.0 years. For 6 years or more, 35 out of 44 believers were sent to a penal colony. In addition, 62 believers were conditionally sentenced to imprisonment (68 in 2021), 12 people were fined (10 in 2021) and 1 person was sentenced to 4 years of correctional labor. The most inhuman is the sentence of 7 years in prison imposed on Andrei Vlasov, a disabled person who cannot do without assistance. Due to strict restrictions in one of the correctional facilities, he developed soft tissue necrosis (bedsores), which he tries to cure.\nIn 2022, the acquittal of the believer handed down in 2021 was overturned on appeal. In addition, during 2022, 3 acquittals were issued – to three believers in the case of the Bazhenovs and others in Yelizovo (however, this verdict was overturned at the stage of the 2nd cassation in the Supreme Court of Russia), one believer in the case of Khabarov in Porkhov (however, this sentence was overturned on appeal) and three believers in the case of Pryanikov and others in Karpinsk (however, these believers are heard in court another criminal case for faith).\nHow many Jehovah's Witnesses have passed through temporary detention facilities, pre-trial detention centers or colonies, and how many are still being held there. In 2022, the number of Jehovah's Witnesses who are simultaneously in Russian colonies and pre-trial detention exceeded 100 for the first time. As of December 31, 2022, 113 people remain behind bars. (A year ago, this figure was 76 people; in December 2020, 44 people; in December 2019, exactly the same number was in jail - 44 people.)\nA total of 368 believers have been or remain behind bars since May 2017. In 2022, having served his sentence in full, having actually spent 5 years in a pre-trial detention center and a colony, the first convicted Jehovah's Witness, Dennis Christensen, was released and expelled from the country . In addition, Valentina Baranovskaya, the oldest believer at that time, who was sentenced to real imprisonment, was released from the colony on parole. While under investigation, the woman suffered a stroke. Her son, who was convicted for his faith with her, remains behind bars. As of December 31, 2022, there are still 19 Jehovah's Witnesses over the age of 60 in prisons. The oldest of them, 71-year-old Boris Andreev from the village of Yaroslavsky (Primorye Territory), was sent to a pre-trial detention center in July 2022. 70-year-old Vilen Avanesov has been behind bars for more than 3.5 years.\nHow many searches have been conducted in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses? Since the decision to liquidate registered Jehovah's Witnesses organizations came into force, at least 1876 searches have been conducted in their homes. Of these, 203 searches were carried out in 40 settlements of Russia in 2022. (In 2019, the number of searches was 489 in 75 settlements, in 2020 - 447 in 81 settlements, in 2021 - 382 in 82 settlements.) The largest special operations against Jehovah's Witnesses in 2022 were carried out in Novorossiysk and 5 nearby villages (30 searches in 1 day), in Rybinsk (16), in Simferopol (16), in Chelyabinsk (13), in Novocherkassk (10). A search is a significant restriction of a person's constitutional right to privacy, personal and family secrets, honor, and good name.\nChronicle of the incursions into the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2022:\n16.01.2022 Gorno-Altaisk (Altai Republic): 5 searches carried out 01/28/2022 Krasnodar (Krasnodar Territory): 3 searches carried out 06.02.2022 Moskvoretskaya Sloboda (Moscow Region): 1 search was conducted 13.02.2022 Vyselki (Krasnodar Territory): 13 searches carried out 13.02.2022 Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Territory): 9 searches carried out 13.02.2022 Zhuravskaya (Krasnodar Territory): 2 searches carried out 13.02.2022 Berezanskaya (Krasnodar Territory): 4 searches carried out 13.02.2022 Buzinovskaya (Krasnodar Territory): 1 search was conducted 02/13/2022 Novodonetska (Krasnodar Territory): 1 search was conducted 18.02.2022 Vyselki (Krasnodar Territory): 1 search was conducted 25.02.2022 Pregradnaya (Karachay-Cherkess Republic): 1 search was conducted 04.03.2022 Tolyatti (Samara Region): 2 searches carried out 15.03.2022 Kostroma (Kostroma region): 4 searches carried out 16.03.2022 Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan): 1 search was conducted 03/18/2022 Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan): 3 searches conducted 22.03.2022 Maikop (Republic of Adygea): 1 search was conducted 03/23/2022 Balakovo (Saratov Region): 8 searches carried out 23.03.2022 Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk Region): 1 search was conducted 29.03.2022 Sosnovoborsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 4 searches carried out 06.04.2022 Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan): 2 searches conducted 15.04.2022 Yoshkar-Ola (Republic of Mari El): 8 searches carried out 15.04.2022 Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod Region): 1 search was conducted 19.04.2022 Maikop (Republic of Adygea): 1 search was conducted 04/25/2022 Maikop (Republic of Adygea): 1 search was conducted 26.04.2022 Maikop (Republic of Adygea): 3 searches carried out 05/19/2022 Yaroslavl (Yaroslavl Region): 2 searches carried out 05/24/2022 Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Khabarovsk Territory): 1 search was conducted 29.05.2022 Sharypovo (Krasnoyarsk Territory): 4 searches carried out 06/07/2022 Asha (Chelyabinsk Region): 1 search was conducted 14.06.2022 Baley (Trans-Baikal Territory): 4 searches carried out 16.06.2022 Kopeysk (Chelyabinsk Region): 1 search was conducted 07.07.2022 Surgut (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug): 5 searches carried out 13.07.2022 Rybinsk (Yaroslavl Region): 16 searches carried out 07/27/2022 Rybinsk (Yaroslavl Region): 1 search was conducted 05.08.2022 Sevastopol (Sevastopol): 1 search was conducted 11.08.2022 Novocherkassk (Rostov Region): 10 searches carried out 11.08.2022 Unecha (Bryansk region): 2 searches carried out 24.08.2022 Sevastopol (Sevastopol): 2 searches carried out 08.09.2022 Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk Region): 13 searches carried out 21.09.2022 Tolyatti (Samara Region): 2 searches carried out 28.09.2022 Krasnogvardeyskoye (Crimea): 11 searches carried out 06.10.2022 Yaroslavsky (Primorye Territory): 12 searches carried out 10/14/2022 Rybinsk (Yaroslavl Region): 1 search was conducted 17.10.2022 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka Territory): 4 searches carried out 20.10.2022 Maikop (Republic of Adygea): 3 searches carried out 10/27/2022 Krasnoznamensk (Moscow Region): 1 search was conducted 09.11.2022 Ivanovo (Ivanovo Region): 3 searches carried out 11/18/2022 Tavrichanka (Primorye Territory): 1 search was conducted 06.12.2022 Feodosiya (Crimea): 1 search was conducted 08.12.2022 Simferopol (Crimea): 16 searches carried out 14.12.2022 Izhevsk (Udmurt Republic): 2 searches carried out 26.12.2022 Ussuriysk (Primorye Territory): 1 search was conducted What steps did the authorities take in 2022 to end the repression of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia? On February 22, 2022, the European Court of Human Rights published judgments in the cases of Cheprunov and Others v. Russia (74320/10) and Zharinova v. Russia (17715/12), in which it found that Russian authorities had violated the right to freedom of religion of Jehovah's Witnesses when they detained them while talking about the Bible or searched their homes.\nOn June 7, 2022, the ECHR declared illegal the liquidation of all 396 legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia in 2017, the ban on their activities and the seizure of property; ban on printed publications and the official website. The judgment was made in the case of \"MRO Taganrog and Others v. Russia\" (No. 32401/10). Russia is obliged to pay the applicants 3 million euros for non-material damage, as well as to return the seized property or pay 59 million euros for it. Although Russia ceased to be a member of the Council of Europe in March 2022, in terms of international law, it is obliged to comply with the decisions of the ECHR issued before September 16, 2022, as the Secretary General of the Council of Europe reminded the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia in a letter dated December 9, 2022.\n","category":"analytics","date":"2022-12-23T10:57:06+02:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/12/231054/image_hu_4115e55caface6d1.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/12/231054/image_hu_ff56bb181df39e59.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/12/231054/image_hu_7172027fc39bb12.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/12/231054/image_hu_90ddfd148d6458f3.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/12/231054.html","regions":[],"subtitle":null,"tags":["analytics","review","statistics","echr","new-case","282.2-2","liberty-deprivation","acquittal","sizo","search","suspended","fine","labor","appeal"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses are under the yoke of repression. Results of 2022","type":"news"},{"body":"During his next visit to the lawyer, Sergey said that the investigator opened a new criminal case against him under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing the activities of an extremist organization).\nNow Sergey is being held with 7 other prisoners in an 8-bed cell. During two recent court hearings, Sergey saw his wife and daughter, which he was very happy about. He is also strengthened by letters of support from family and friends.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2022-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20221215","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator Isaev initiates a second criminal case against Yevgeniy Sokolov. The first criminal case was initiated against a believer in Voronezh.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov in Zeya","date":"2022-12-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya5/index.html#20221215","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 14, 2022, in Izhevsk investigative actions were conducted at two addresses where Jehovah's Witnesses live. A criminal case has been opened against two believers, 33-year old Yevgeniy Stefanidin and 49-year old Aleksandr Votyakov.\nRepresentatives of the Investigative Committee invaded the homes of the believers early in the morning. Electronic devices, hard drives, data storage, etc. were confiscated from them.\nLieutenant of Justice Artem Kholmogorov, a senior investigator of the Investigative Committee, charged Yevgeniy Stefanidin and Aleksandr Votyakov with organizing the activity of an extremist organization (part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the believers, the investigator considered it a crime to “organize and hold unlawful religious meetings . . . study articles from the book 'New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures' . . . that is, a publication that is part of the worldwide Bible educational activity carried out by Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses.”\nThe Stefanidins are raising a young child and Yevgeniy has a disability.\nThe day after the searches, on December 15, the court placed Aleksandr Votyakov under house arrest.\nIn Udmurtia, already five Jehovah's Witnesses, from Izhevsk and Votkinsk, are defending their innocence in court. In the summer of 2022, the ECHR issued a landmark ruling in favor of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, which noted in particular: “Both the applicants’ religious activities and the content of their publications appear to have been peaceful in line with their professed doctrine of non-violence” (§157).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-12-14T13:26:05+02:00","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/2022/12/191326.html","regions":["udmurtia"],"subtitle":"One of Them Was Placed Under House Arrest","tags":["search","282.2-1","house-arrest","new-case","disability","minors"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched in Izhevsk.","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the first department of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Artyom Kholmogorov initiates a criminal case against Alexander Votyakov and Yevgeniy Stefanidin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of a banned organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Votyakov and Stefanidin in Izhevsk","date":"2022-12-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk2/index.html#20221213","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. A. Ionov, senior investigator of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, initiates a criminal case against Aleksey Pasynkov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the decision to initiate the case, Pasynkov, among other things, \"organized and maintained contacts with persons professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, including those living in other regions of the Russian Federation; attracted to participate in the activities of a religious association ... Perefiliev I. A. and unidentified persons ... was the initiator and had an advantage in determining the course of worship, directed the actions of other persons present at the services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Pasynkov in Mednogorskiy","date":"2022-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy3/index.html#20221208","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In early December 2022, FSB officers in Crimea conducted mass searches in the homes of peaceful believers. In total, about 40 people were subjected to investigative actions. A criminal case was opened against two Jehovah's Witnesses; they were placed under house arrest and a recognisance agreement.\nOn December 6, at 9 a.m. in Feodosia, the law enforcement officers searched the house of a young man \"in order to find extremist materials\". As a result, Roman Lebedev, an officer of the FSB Border Control, seized a smartphone and three flash drives. The warrant for this was issued by Alla Khinevich, judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea.\nTwo days later, on December 8, starting early in the morning, searches were carried out in the Simferopol District at no less then 16 addresses of believers. In one of the houses where investigative actions were carried out, the law enforcement officers \"turned everything upside down\", according to the residents. Finding nothing, they took away the couple's mobile phones. They took the woman for interrogation and released her soon after.\nIn another house, in the village of Novy Mir, a Bible in Ukrainian, a greeting card with a picture of a cake, three bank checks and personal notes were seized.\nSearches in Simferopol and nearby villages took place as part of a criminal case filed by Investigator Novikov of the Investigative Committee against 53-year-old Dmitriy Nakhatskiy. According to preliminary information, he is suspected of violating Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activity of an extremist organization) because of peaceful conversations about God. After the arrest, the court placed the believer under house arrest.\nOn the same day, Major of Justice Magomed Magomedov summoned another believer, 57-year-old Aleksandr Voronchikhin, to the Investigative Committee, where he was charged under the same article. After about 10 hours, the believer was released, having signed a recognisance agreement.\nA week before these events, two Jehovah's Witnesses from Crimea were sentenced to 6 years in prison for practicing their faith.\nIn June 2022, the European Court of Human Rights issued a ruling that, in part, stated: “The overly broad definition of ‘extremism’… opens up the possibility of prosecuting individuals and organizations on charges of extremism for entirely peaceful forms of expressing opinion or religion.” (§ 158).\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-12-08T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/12/121642/image_hu_1d274241c82e47a0.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/12/121642/image_hu_f8d9f4aefc0d7b27.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/12/121642/image_hu_ab3d31a6db566fe9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/12/121642/image_hu_f8c64c2b6b84e1a1.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/12/121642.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":"Several More Jehovah's Witnesses Suspected of \"Extremism\"","tags":["search","recognizance-agreement","house-arrest","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"Mass Searches in Crimea.","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Department for the city of Biysk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Altai Territory is initiating a criminal case against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lukin in Biysk","date":"2022-12-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/biysk/index.html#20221201","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation V.A. Novikov initiates a criminal case against several Jehovah's Witnesses from Crimea. According to the investigation, they committed \"active actions of an organizational nature, expressed in the organization of propaganda meetings, at which discussions were held on the texts and religious provisions of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voronchikhin and Others in Simferopol","date":"2022-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol/index.html#20221117","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation V.A. Novikov initiates a criminal case against several Jehovah's Witnesses from Crimea. According to the investigation, they committed \"active actions of an organizational nature, expressed in the organization of propaganda meetings, at which discussions were held on the texts and religious provisions of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Mani and Others in Simferopol","date":"2022-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/simferopol2/index.html#20221117","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Chernov case is separated from the Lonshakov case. Viktor is charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Chernov in Tavrichanka","date":"2022-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tavrichanka2/index.html#20221116","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Lieutenant Colonel E. M. Skuridina, senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, initiates a criminal case against Sergey Solovyov for participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). She is already conducting a similar criminal case against 4 believers from Teikovo.\nThe investigation believes that Solovyov \"deliberately participated in the activities ... by directly participating in meetings... a banned organization, propaganda of its activities ... the teaching of religion and religious education.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Solovyov and Others in Ivanovo","date":"2022-11-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ivanovo/index.html#20221102","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Strigunenko presents Reshetnikov with a resolution dated 10/20/2022, and Sarychev and Kolotinsky with a resolution dated 10/21/2022 on bringing each of them as a defendant in committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe decision to involve Sarychev states that the believer \"occupied a dominant (leading) position, acting as a controller of the information space, discussed a religious topic, gave the floor to speakers, invited other persons to participate in the discussion, comment, answer questions.\"\nThe document also says that at religious meetings, believers read out \"extremist materials, namely the text\" Holy Scripture. New World Translation.'\" According to the investigator, reading the Bible could lead to such consequences as violent change of the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation, violation of the integrity of the Russian Federation, incitement of religious hatred and justification of genocide and mass repression of persons who are not Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Barnaul","date":"2022-10-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul2/index.html#20221020","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","translations"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Adygea Zaurbiy Blyagoz initiates a criminal case against Nikolai Voishchev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voishchev in Maykop","date":"2022-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/adygeya/index.html#20221019","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Novosibirsk Region, A. Chernenko, separates the criminal case against Maxim Eremeev and unidentified persons into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2022-10-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20221019","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of October 17, 2022, searches were carried out in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at four addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses and their relatives. A criminal case has been opened under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe criminal case was opened by the investigator for especially important cases D. M. Petukhov on September 25, 2022. At one of the families, the security forces searched not only the apartment, but also the car. They seized electronic devices, storage media, money and personal records. Law enforcement officers took another believer straight from work and took him to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. After searches and interrogations, the believers were released on a pledge to appear.\nNow, in the Kamchatka Territory, 8 believers have already faced criminal prosecution for their faith. Three of them were acquitted, two received a fine, and one received a suspended sentence. Soon, the verdict will be announced to the Semyonov spouses from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-10-17T00:00:00Z","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/2022/10/180943.html","regions":["kamchatka"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","summon"],"title":"In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched. Criminal Case Initiated","type":"news"},{"body":"The senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Altai Territory initiates a criminal case against Anatoly Sarychev, Yuri Kolotinsky and Oleg Ovechkin on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and combines it with the case of Mikhail Reshetnikov.\nInvestigator Strigunenko also presents Reshetnikov, Sarychev and Kolotinsky with decisions dated 06.10.2022 on bringing them as accused of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nSenior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Altai Territory Strigunenko V.V. places A. Sarychev and Y. Kolotinsky under recognizance not to leave.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Barnaul","date":"2022-10-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul2/index.html#20221006","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of September 28, searches were conducted in at least 4 homes of local Jehovah's Witnesses in Crimea. According to available information, one of the raids took place at the home of a resident of Nizhnegorsky, 44.\nThe security forces also invaded the home Sergey Parfenovich, 50, and opened a criminal case against him under an extremist article based on his religion.\nUpdate. According to updated information, searches took place at 8 addresses in the settlements of Nizhnegorskiy and Krasnogvardeyskoye, as well as in the neighboring village of Petrovka. Sergey Parfenovich, 50, and Aleksander Vinichenko, 49, were detained and taken to Simferopol. Late in the evening Vinichenko was released. In the coming days, the court will choose a preventive measure for Parfenovich. Now he is in the temporary detention facility.\nThe searches were carried out by employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, some of them were wearing masks and with weapons. Investigative measures at Vinichenko were carried out with the participation of law enforcement officers Nikolay Schmidt, D. A. Yavnik, as well as V. A. Novikov, an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Committee, who led the case of believers from Yalta.\nThe security forces invaded the believers around 6:30 a.m., while they were still asleep. The searches lasted from 5 to 6 hours. In one house at that moment there was a minor child and an elderly disabled relative. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices and storage media, a router, personal records and a photo album. According to believers, the security forces tried to find out their passwords for electronic devices. In one case, they managed to unlock the phone by putting the hand of a family member to the device.\nTo date, Russian law enforcement officers in Crimea have opened 9 criminal cases against 16 local Jehovah's Witnesses. The verdict against five of them has already entered into force.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-09-28T08:25:17+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/09/290825/image_hu_a2de4cc992516058.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/09/290825/image_hu_5156caccde08a7db.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/09/290825/image_hu_a17800bcc0006d56.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/09/290825/image_hu_39d886915578eca.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/09/290825.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"New Raids at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Crimea","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator D. M. Petukhov of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kamchatka Territory initiates a criminal case against the spouses Sergey and Elena Chechulin. They are suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigator, the unlawful actions of the believers were expressed in \"convening meetings, organizing collective religious speeches and services, in accordance with the ideology of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses at these meetings.\" They are also charged with \"planned training in the postulates of the religious association Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Chechulins in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2022-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy2/index.html#20220925","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kamchatka Territory D. M. Petukhov initiates a criminal case against Aleksey Ovchar and the married couple Chechulin. According to the investigator, the unlawful actions were expressed in \"convening meetings, organizing collective religious speeches and services, in accordance with the ideology of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses at these meetings.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ovchar in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2022-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy3/index.html#20220925","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice V. A. Novikov, Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the First Investigation Department of the First Investigation Department of the Department for Investigation of Especially Important Cases of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, initiates a criminal case against Sergey Parfenovich and other unidentified persons on charges of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Parfenovich and Gerashchenko in Krasnogvardeyskoye","date":"2022-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnogvardeyskoe/index.html#20220919","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Ruslan Mgoyan, an investigator of the Central Interdistrict Investigation Department of Tolyatti, Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region, is initiating a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In his opinion, \"an unidentified person, acting intentionally, in the period from 2017 to the present ... continued to carry out organizational actions aimed at resuming the illegal activities of the religious association... by convening meetings, recruiting and recruiting new members of the religious association.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chagan in Tolyatti","date":"2022-09-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tolyatti/index.html#20220914","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice Grigorieva opened a criminal case against Natalia Voropaeva on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, she was involved in extremism, as she \"participated ... in reading and discussing texts from the Bible... in the performance of religious chants and prayers.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Voropaeva in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2022-09-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk10/index.html#20220905","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Grigoriev initiates a criminal case against Izolda Guseva. The woman is charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The investigation considers it a crime that she discussed the Bible with friends via video conferencing.\n","caseTitle":"Guseva's case in Yaroslavl","date":"2022-08-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl4/index.html#20220829","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against Yevgeny Bushev under Part 2. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe believer is suspected of \"taking part in the activities of a religious association ... in the form of participation in religious meetings and meetings of an extremist organization, conducting conversations with residents of Chelyabinsk, demonstrating and watching educational videos.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bushev in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk8/index.html#20220824","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"Investigator Savinich initiates another criminal case against three believers under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing the activities of an extremist organization). Later, he combines it into one proceeding with the case previously initiated against Korolev, Kiramov and Kosyanenko.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Korolev and Others in Akhtubinsk","date":"2022-08-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/akhtubinsk/index.html#20220817","regions":["astrakhan"],"tags":["new-case"],"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 investigation opened a criminal case against Sergey Petrenko under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the basis of the case materials against another believer, Aleksandr Kalistratov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Petrenko in Gorno-Altaysk","date":"2022-07-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gorno-altaysk2/index.html#20220728","regions":["altai"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case has been initiated against believers from the village of Yaroslavsky, Primorsky Territory.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Andreyev and Others in Yaroslavskiy","date":"2022-07-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavskiy/index.html#20220728","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that the materials of the case against Olga Zhelavskaya are separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20220713","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that the case of Vadim Gizatulin and Olga Zhelavskaya was separated from the case of Mikhailenko into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20220713","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that the materials of the case against Olga Zhelavskaya are separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2022-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20220713","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"D. S. Kovalenko, an investigator of the Rybinsk Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Yaroslavl Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Evgenia Samoilova and Olga Golovacheva.\nOn the same day, the investigator draws up a petition to search the house of another local believer, who is also suspected of participating in extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Samoilova and Others in Rybinsk","date":"2022-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rybinsk/index.html#20220711","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the SO in the city of Novokuznetsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, Captain of Justice Vladislav Minaev initiates a criminal case against Lyubov Serebryakova. According to the investigation, she \"conducted conversations\" of a religious nature, and also participated in religious services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk3/index.html#20220708","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Captain of Justice Vladislav Minaev, investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Novokuznetsk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, initiates a criminal case against Tatyana Sushilnikova on the basis of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Sushilnikova \"conducted conversations\" of a religious nature, and also participated in religious services.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sushilnikova in Novokuznetsk","date":"2022-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk2/index.html#20220620","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Investigator Zorina opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against unidentified persons. consisting in convening meetings of persons from among the followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses living in the territory of Prokopyevsk and the Prokopyevsk district of the Kemerovo region - Kuzbass, organizing religious speeches and services at these meetings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Brilkov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2022-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk3/index.html#20220530","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel A. I. Grishkevich, a senior investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, seconded to the interdistrict Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Okrug, initiates a criminal case against Lyubov Kocherova. He suspects the woman of committing a crime under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, for two years she \"involved [citizen M.] through persuasion and persuasion into the activities of the cell of the international religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses.\" This is how the investigation interprets the woman's peaceful conversations about the Bible with one of the villagers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kocherova and Ovchinnikova in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2022-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe2/index.html#20220526","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 19, 2022, Anton Kokovin, a 31-year-old Jehovah's Witness, was detained on the main street of Yaroslavl. After the search and interrogation, the believer was given a written undertaking not to leave the place. On this day, operatives searched at least 3 dwellings. In the apartment of his friends, where Anton Kokovin was staying, law enforcement officers conducted a search on the order of the senior detective of the FSB of Russia in the Yaroslavl region, Major M.A. Morenov. In the absence of the owners, the security forces confiscated system units, laptops and hard drives that did not belong to the believer.\nThe second search took place at Anton Kokovin's place of residence. All electronic devices were also confiscated from him. After that, the man was taken to the investigative department for the Yaroslavl region for interrogation. There, the investigator informed Kokovin that he was 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 criminal case was initiated against him.\nThe security forces entered the house of another believer through the fence, as no one was at home. The information is being specified.\nUpdate. It became known that on May 18, a believer from Yaroslavl, 50, received a summons for interrogation as a witness to the investigator of the Investigative Committee Aleksandr Grigoryev. Since the document did not indicate what case the call was connected with, the believer refused to come. A few days later, he was detained and placed in a pre-trial detention center. In Yaroslavl, 4 more Jehovah's Witnesses, including a woman, are persecuted for their faith. Their case is at the stage of preliminary investigation.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-05-24T11:31:45+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/05/241131/image_hu_bdd51c5259a39c7b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/05/241131/image_hu_21210f6686fe4bf.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/05/241131/image_hu_2d1f6940147243e4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/05/241131/image_hu_b36e4246546e0560.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/05/241131.html","regions":["yaroslavl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","recognizance-agreement","sizo","282.2-2"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched in Yaroslavl. A Criminal Case Has Been Initiated","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Yaroslavl Region Alexander Grigoriev initiates a criminal case against Anton Kokovin. The believer is suspected of participating in extremist activities for being present at an Internet conference dedicated to religion.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kokovin in Yaroslavl","date":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl2/index.html#20220518","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The believer is summoned for interrogation as a witness to the investigator of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Grigoriev. Since the document does not indicate what case the call is connected with, Andrey refuses to come. On the same day, a criminal case was opened against him under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Glazov's case in Yaroslavl","date":"2022-05-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yaroslavl3/index.html#20220518","regions":["yaroslavl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk region Alexander Chepenko initiates a criminal case against Vadim Fedorov. The decision to initiate the UD states that the believer \"was the organizer of a meeting in the hierarchy of the Religious Organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia,' and also organized the distribution of extremist materials.\" This is how the investigation interprets the holding of liturgical meetings of believers that are not prohibited by law.\nThe case is assigned a 12102750030000016 number.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Fedorov in Asha","date":"2022-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/asha2/index.html#20220429","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Valery Tibiy on charges of \"organizing the activities of a religious organization — the Taganrog LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses, recognized as extremist and liquidated\" back in 2009.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skvortsov and Others in Taganrog","date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/taganrog/index.html#20220329","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Investigator for the Berezovsky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Captain of Justice Y. V. Prannichuk initiates a criminal case against Yuri Yakovlev, a resident of Sosnovoborsk. She suspects Yakovlev of \"organizing religious performances and services in the mode of online broadcasts.\" The investigation interprets these actions as organizing the activities of an extremist community (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nPrannichuk makes a decision to search Yakovlev's home without court permission, since, in her opinion, the case is urgent.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yakovlev in Sosnovoborsk","date":"2022-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sosnovoborsk/index.html#20220328","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Prydatko prosecutes believers as accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mavrin and Others in Balakovo","date":"2022-03-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/balakovo/index.html#20220324","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Adygea initiates a criminal case against Nikolai Saparov. He is charged with committing \"a deliberate grave crime directed against state power.\" This is how the investigation interprets the peaceful worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nOn the night of March 23, FSB officers detained Nikolai at the Mineralnye Vody international airport and placed him in the temporary detention facility in the city of Maykop. The believer is interrogated and charged with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Saparov in Maykop","date":"2022-03-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop2/index.html#20220322","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the night of March 23, 2022, a 40-year-old resident of the city of Maykop, Nikolai Saparov, was detained at the Mineralnye Vody airport. Later, the Maykop City Court of the Republic of Adygea chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of detention for a period of 2 months.\nAfter Saparov was detained, his wife and underage daughter travelled home alone. The same night, Saparov's home was searched and he was taken there accompanied by investigator Murat Shnakhov. The law enforcers confiscated electronic devices from the family. After being detained, Saparov is now in the temporary detention facility on Proletarskaya Street in Maykop.\nAnother of Jehovah's Witnesses from Maykop found his name on the Rosfinmonitoring's list of extremists. This is 46-year-old Georgiy Godizov, who is outside Russia with his wife and two minor children. Georgiy Godizov is a prominent Adygeya scientist-archaeologist, head of the scientific department of one of the large museums, a specialist in the field of freedom of conscience.\nAbout a year ago, mass searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Maykop, and a criminal case was opened against Inver Siyukhov. He is accused of organizing and continuing the activities of a banned religious organization. Since mid-April 2021, Inver Siyukhov has been in a pre-trial detention center.\n","category":"trial","date":"2022-03-22T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/03/281129/image_hu_3dd4f75521370e17.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/03/281129/image_hu_ec41d7a35805223.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/03/281129/image_hu_43f35cb9a10562c2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/03/281129/image_hu_862f2f0ef78dc89f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/03/281129.html","regions":["adygea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","sizo","ivs","rosfinmonitoring","minors","282.2-1"],"title":"A New Criminal Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses in Adygea. Nikolay Saparov, Father of a Minor Child, Was Arrested","type":"news"},{"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":"T. R. Minnekhanov, senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Sergey Gromov.\nAccording to the investigation, \"at the direction of S. V. Gromov, the book \"Holy Scripture / New World Translation\" was studied, containing an appeal to the audience in order to encourage it to a hostile perception of people distinguished on the basis of religious affiliation, as well as to justify the need to carry out aggressive, violent, cruel actions directed against a person in connection with his religious affiliation.\nOn the same day, law enforcement officers detained the Gromovs at Moscow's Vnukovo airport and placed Sergey in custody.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gromov in Kazan","date":"2022-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan3/index.html#20220315","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case was opened against Georgy Godizov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Godizov's case in Maykop","date":"2022-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop3/index.html#20220304","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. A. Kozlov, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate for Komsomolsk-on-Amur of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Khabarovsk Territory, decides to initiate a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Valery Rabota.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Valeriy Rabota in Knyaze-Volkonskoye","date":"2022-03-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/knyaze-volkonskoe/index.html#20220301","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Garmash initiates a new criminal case against a resident of the village of Vyselki. 76-year-old Vladimir Kolesnikov is suspected of organizing an extremist association (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nThe reason for initiating the case is a report based on the materials of operational-search activities provided by the department of the FSB in the Krasnodar Territory in the city of Tikhoretsk.\nAccording to the investigation, Kolesnikov, together with Ushakov, Bochko, Vechkaev and Shubnikov, carried out \"illegal\" activities: \"convening, opening and closing meetings, organizing religious speeches and services at these meetings, coordinating meetings, proposing topics for discussion, and carrying out other preaching activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2022-02-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20220221","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Sizov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Factory Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, is initiating a criminal case against 72-year-old Valentina Samus on suspicion of participating in extremist activities (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Samus in Kostroma","date":"2022-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma3/index.html#20220217","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"M. A. Grigorieva, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Zheleznodorozhny District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, initiates a criminal case against Igor Gusev under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believer \"organized religious performances and services.\"\n","caseTitle":"Gusev's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2022-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk9/index.html#20220217","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Saratov region A. Prydatko initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons for organizing extremist activities and participating in them.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mavrin and Others in Balakovo","date":"2022-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/balakovo/index.html#20220211","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Virić's case is separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Virich in Luchegorsk","date":"2022-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk4/index.html#20220211","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Korenovsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory A. A. Garmash initiates a criminal case against 41-year-old Vitaly Ushakov, 46-year-old Yevgeniy Bochko, 48-year-old Valery Vechkaev and 39-year-old disabled person of group I Alexei Shubnikov. According to the investigation, in the period from July 31, 2020 to July 4, 2021, the believers \"took active organizational actions aimed at continuing ... Activities... organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in the village of Vyselki, expressed in the convening, opening and closing of meetings, the organization of religious speeches and worship ... coordination of the course of meetings, suggestions of topics for discussion, and the implementation of other preaching activities. They are charged with Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ushakov and Others in Vyselki","date":"2022-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyselki/index.html#20220211","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for especially important cases of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan A. A. Giniyatullin makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against unidentified persons under parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, \"in the actions of unidentified persons there are signs of crimes ... related to the implementation of extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gerasimov in Kazan","date":"2022-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan4/index.html#20220210","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea Chumakin A.E. makes a decision to bring Alexander Dubovenko as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Dubovenko and Litvinyuk in Armyansk","date":"2022-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/armyansk/index.html#20220208","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. G. Andrianov, senior investigator of the Central District Department of Sochi of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, initiates a new criminal case, now against not only Danil, but also Denis Suvorov (siblings) under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigator considers the Suvorovs' conversations about the Bible with a local resident to be involvement in extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danil Suvorov in Sochi","date":"2022-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi3/index.html#20220208","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnodar Territory A. G. Andrianov initiates a criminal case against Denis Suvorov, the elder brother of Danila Suvorov. He is charged with two articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: 282.2 (1.1) and 282.2 (2) - involvement and participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The investigator considers conversations about God and the Bible with a local resident to be involvement in extremist activities.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Denis Suvorov in Sochi","date":"2022-02-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi4/index.html#20220208","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning of February 3, 2022, a search was conducted at the home of a Kemerovo resident Vladimir Baikalov. A day earlier, a criminal case was initiated against him on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\nA criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Baykalov was initiated by Aleksandra Isaeva, senior investigator of the investigative department for the Zavodskoy district of the city of Kemerovo. According to law enforcers, Vladimir's extremism consisted in communicating on biblical topics via video conferencing.\nThe search lasted more than 4 hours and was attended by an expert of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and several detectives from the Center for Combating Extremism. The security forces confiscated Vladimir Baikalov's digital devices, electronic media, personal records, and his international passport.\nThis is already the 11th criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the region. On October 28, 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation clarified that worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, their joint performance of rites and ceremonies, do not in themselves constitute a crime.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-02-03T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/02/041420/image_hu_70fa4f75f69152ee.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/02/041420/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/02/041420/image_hu_4d9f9f663ca541ef.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/02/041420/image_hu_37bc27eb14dc519a.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/02/041420.html","regions":["kemerovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Another Search in Kemerovo. A Criminal Сase Is Initiated Against a 58-Year-Old Witness of Jehovah","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Alexandra Isaeva initiates a criminal case against 58-year-old Vladimir Baikalov. He is suspected of taking part in the activities of a liquidated religious organization from October 11 to December 25, 2020, conducting conversations via video conferencing. In fact, Vladimir only discussed the Bible with friends via the Internet.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Baykalov in Kemerovo","date":"2022-02-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo2/index.html#20220202","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior investigator of the FSB of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Nikita Rudenko initiates a criminal case against 64-year-old Pavel Sidorenko.\nThe investigation claims that no later than February 15, 2019, Sidorenko \"had a criminal intent to commit illegal actions for further participation in the activities of a local religious organization prohibited by law.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sidorenko in Krasnodar","date":"2022-01-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar2/index.html#20220126","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of the Russian Federation in the Krasnodar Territory, Captain of Justice Anton Poltoratsky initiates a criminal case against Alexei Lelikov. He considered holding peaceful worship services and biblical discussions to be a continuation of the activities of the banned organization.\nThe resolution states that \"A.V. Lelikov, in pursuance of his criminal intent to organize and continue the activities of a banned religious organization, acting from extremist motives ... took active organizational actions, expressed in the convening and holding of meetings ... study of religious literature and information contained in other sources of information.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lelikov in Krasnodar","date":"2022-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnodar/index.html#20220120","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Olcha Okhemchik, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Tuva, is prosecuting Anatoly Senin as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, in July 2019, the believer, \u0026quot;realizing his criminal intent,\u0026quot; organized the activities of Jehovah\u0026#39;s Witnesses in Kyzyl: he broadcast religious videos, encouraged the audience to pray, sing religious songs and study the Bible.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Senin in Kyzyl","date":"2022-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl/index.html#20220117","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 16, 2022, at least 4 homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Gorno-Altaysk. Against the 45-year-old Aleksandr Kalistratov, a criminal case was reopened under an extremist article. The Altai Republic has become the 71st region of Russia where citizens are subjected to repression only because of their faith.\nKalistratov first encountered religious discrimination in 2000. The believer decided to exercise his right to alternative civilian service, but a criminal case was opened against him for refusing to take up arms. Aleksandr was arrested and placed in a pre-trial detention center for 21 days. However, in May 2000, the Gorno-Altai City Court acquitted Kalistratov, not seeing corpus delicti in his actions and recognized his right to rehabilitation.\nIn 2010, for his beliefs, Aleksandr again found himself in the dock: this time on charges of extremism. Within a year and a half, his case was considered twice. As a result, the first conviction in the history of modern Russia was passed against a Jehovah's Witness under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In the end, the believer managed to defend his honest name: the Supreme Court of the Altai Republic found Aleksandr innocent. As a result, Kalistratov was re-acquitted with the right to rehabilitation.\nThe high-profile case of Kalistratov was the reason for holding a press conference held on November 11, 2010 at the Independent Press Center in Moscow. Russian and foreign human rights activists condemned the criminal prosecution of Kalistratov\nCommenting on his acquittal in 2011, the believer said: “I am pleased that in the end justice was served. I really hope that my life will return to normal and that I can safely practice my faith as a Jehovah's Witness.”\nDespite the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of October 28, 2021, the appeals of human rights activists and the world community, repressions of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia continue. Aleksandr Kalistratov, like hundreds of other believers, faces a long prison term just because he did not give up his peaceful beliefs and continued to believe in Jehovah God.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2022-01-16T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2022/01/180918/image_hu_e77ffc801f9c57d0.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2022/01/180918/image_hu_7d391184f23cea15.jpg","webp":"/news/2022/01/180918/image_hu_38b2abd62d369253.webp","webp2x":"/news/2022/01/180918/image_hu_b62ffc1b43e32b0d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2022/01/180918.html","regions":["altai"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"Series of Searches Took Place in the Altai Republic. A Criminal Case was Initiated Against a Believer Whom the Court Previously Acquitted on Two Occasions","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Ivensky initiates a criminal case against Aram Danielyan, the father of a six-month-old baby. The believer is suspected of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The criminal case is merged into one proceeding with the case of Polosenko et al.\nAccording to investigators, the believers resumed the activities of the \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\" in the Samara region from December 2020 to December 2021.\nAround midnight, law enforcement officers detained Danielyan at the Samara airport. During a personal search, his passport, mobile phone and air ticket were seized from him (the believer planned to visit his homeland - Armenia).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2022-01-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20220106","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice E. N. Firsov, investigator of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Republic, initiates a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 45-year-old Alexander Kalistratov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kalistratov in Gorno-Altaysk","date":"2021-12-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gorno_altaysk/index.html#20211216","regions":["altai"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the first branch of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Samara region, Captain of Justice I. A. Ivensky initiates a criminal case against Sergey Polosenko, Denis Kuzyanin and Nikolai Vasiliev. The believers are suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polosenko and Others in Samara","date":"2021-12-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/samara/index.html#20211214","regions":["samara"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 25, 2021, in Lesosibirsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), searches were carried out in the homes of 6 believers. It became known that a criminal case was initiated against 55-year-old Valeriy Shitz under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization).\nThe searches began early in the morning, when officers of the FSB and the Investigative Committee came to the houses of believers. Electronic devices, information carriers, as well as Bibles and religious literature were seized from civilians. In some cases, law enforcement officers took photographs and videos. After the searches, Valeriy Shitz and several other believers were taken for interrogation, after which they were released.\nOn November 19, 2021, Hakob Stepanyan, an investigator of the Investigation Department for the city of Lesosibirsk, of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, opened a criminal case against Valeriy Shitz. According to the investigation, the believer \"organized and conducted meetings of adherents in the form of collective worship, taught the preaching work of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, and carried out actions aimed at promoting the activities of a banned organization.\"\nOn November 26, 2021, the judge of the Lesosibirskiy District Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Aleksey Knyazev, decided to choose for Valeriy Shitz a ban on certain actions as a preventive measure — communication with witnesses in the case and persons who are not his close relatives, the use of mail and the Internet are banned for him. The believer is also prohibited from leaving the city of Lesosibirsk.\nLesosibirsk has joined the list of cities in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, where 17 more civilians are currently being prosecuted. The harshest sentence in this region was passed on 47-year-old Andrey Stupnikov — 6 years in a penal colony.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-11-29T15:32:13+02:00","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/2021/11/291532.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","prohibition-of-actions"],"title":"Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses Were Again Held in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Criminal Case Initiated Against 55-Year-Old Believer","type":"news"},{"body":"On November 24, 2021, in the city of Kopeysk, the homes of four families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched. It is known that a criminal case has been initiated.\nStarting at 6:30 in the morning, representatives of the FSB and the Investigative Committee began to rush into the believers under various pretexts. They were accompanied by SOBR fighters and operatives. Personal notes, electronic devices, information carriers, photographs and Bibles were seized from the believers.\n57-year-old Ivan Kopinyak, while familiarizing himself with the search warrant, felt sick and fainted. The law enforcers considered all this a \"circus\" and began to make sarcastic remarks about the believers. But later they still allowed Ivan's wife to measure his blood pressure and call an ambulance. Despite the condition of the believer, after the search he was taken for interrogation.\nTo the Tolmachev family, the security officials rang the doorbell under the pretext that a certain car had been scratched. After 47-year-old Alexandr Tolmachev said that he would go down now, they demanded to open the door, threatening to break it open. When Alexandr's wife opened the door, nine security officials burst into the house, the man was ordered to lie on the floor. After a search in the house, the security forces examined the family's car and took the spouses away for interrogation to the Kopeysk FSB department.\nEvents developed in a similar way during the search of the Kolovanov family. They rang the doorbell, saying that they needed help in the apartment next door. When Natalia Kolovanova opened the door, the security forces rushed in, rudely pushing the woman away, and began to film what was happening on her phone camera. After the search, Natalya, along with her daughter and son-in-law, was taken away for interrogation.\nAnother search took place in the family of Ivan Shoshin and his wife Yelena. After the search, they were also taken to the FSB, where they spent 6 hours awaiting interrogation.\nAll events took place within a criminal case that was initiated on November 8, 2021 against unidentified persons. According to law enforcement officers, the Kopeysk believers organized an extremist organization in the city simply because they professed faith in Jehovah God.\nSearches and a criminal case were initiated by the investigator of the third department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Chelyabinsk Region, Alexandr Chepenko, who initiated almost all cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Chelyabinsk Region. Among those who were prosecuted for their faith on his initiative are Vladimir and Valentina Suvorov, who have already received suspended sentences, as well as Lyudmila Salikova and Ilya Olenin from Snezhinsk whose cases are under investigation.\nThe order to conduct searches of residents of Kopeysk was issued by Leonid Bobrov, acting chairman of the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Chelyabinsk, who had previously authorized a search of Salikova.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-11-29T15:30:40+02:00","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/2021/11/291530.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","health-risk"],"title":"New Criminal Case in the Chelyabinsk Region. Local Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched in Kopeysk","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator A. Sh. Uzdenov issues a decision to initiate a criminal case against Irina Perefilieva under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The ruling states that the believer \"shared the goals and objectives\" of the local religious organization, and also \"voluntarily took part in its activities.\"\nThe believer is accused of not stopping believing in Jehovah God from 2017 to 2019, but, on the contrary, continued to \"organize meetings, services, congresses of Jehovah's Witnesses\", carried out \"recruiting conversations\" and \"preaching activities\", conducted \"classes to study the basics of religious activity and religious literature of Jehovah's Witnesses\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Perefileva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2021-11-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy2/index.html#20211129","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Pavel Gogolin, senior investigator of the Pyatigorsk Investigation Department of the Stavropol Territory Investigative Committee, is initiating a criminal case against 81-year-old Zinaida Minenko. According to the investigator, the believer, \"acting deliberately, together with persons unidentified by the investigation, on a date and time not established by the investigation ... took part in the activities of the LRO of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Zheleznovodsk... through interviews to promote its activities, recruit new members, and participate directly in the organization's activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minenko in Zheleznovodsk","date":"2021-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zheleznovodsk/index.html#20211125","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Zelenchuksky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the KChR, Colonel of Justice Andreyuk A.V. initiates a criminal case against Irina Perefilieva under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigation believes that while talking to people about the Bible and God, the believer committed \"recruitment, persuasion and other involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nAlso, investigator Andreyuk makes a decision to search Svetlana Gergokova. The search takes place early in the morning and lasts less than an hour.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Perefileva in Mednogorskiy","date":"2021-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mednogorskiy2/index.html#20211122","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. S. Obukhov, an investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, who specializes in religious persecution in several cities of the Amur Region, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Margarita Moiseenko, Galina Yatsik and Elena Yatsyk. They are accused of \"participation in the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court made a final decision on liquidation in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Margarita Moiseyenko and Others in Zeya","date":"2021-11-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya4/index.html#20211122","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Hakob Stepanyan, an investigator of the investigation department for the city of Lesosibirsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, is initiating a criminal case against 55-year-old Valery Shitz.\nHe is accused of discussing religious literature, as well as the fact that he \"read the prayer of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nIt follows from the resolution that Shitz, \"being in an unidentified place on the territory of the city of Lesosibirsk ... using uninstalled electronic devices... organized and conducted a meeting of an unknown number of adherents of the LRO \"Jehovah's Witnesses in Lesosibirsk\" through online broadcasts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Schitz in Lesosibirsk","date":"2021-11-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesosibirsk/index.html#20211119","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"R. A. Drozdov, senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Ivanovo region, initiates a criminal case on suspicion of resuming extremist activity (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) in the city of Kineshma.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Okhapkin in Kineshma","date":"2021-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kineshma/index.html#20211118","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that the case of Tsarev and Smirnov was separated into separate proceedings from the case of Abrosimova. It is assigned a 42101220089000296 number.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Tsarev and Smirnov in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2021-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod7/index.html#20211118","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being opened against the believer under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, Oleinik's extremist actions boil down to the fact that she provided her apartment and electronic devices for religious meetings with fellow believers, and also participated in worship services herself.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleynik in Novosibirsk","date":"2021-11-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk6/index.html#20211118","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["282.2-2","new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Investigator of the Investigation Department for the Sharypovsky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Y. V. Zubanov initiates a criminal case against believers. Based on the report of senior investigator Kunko, believers Anatoly Khvostov, Dmitry Gorelov, Maksim Vigul, Aleksandr Miroshnichenko, Eldar Mammadov, Vladimir Osintsev, Gennady Solomentsev are suspected of participating in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Khvostov and Others in Sharypovo","date":"2021-11-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo2/index.html#20211117","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the investigation team, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Marina Korzunova, from the criminal case against Malyanov and others in Nizhny Novgorod , singles out the case against Gevorg Gevorgyan in a separate proceeding. 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).\n","caseTitle":"Gevorkyan case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2021-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod8/index.html#20211112","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The case against Manushakyan is separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyanov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2021-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod2/index.html#20211111","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case against Manushakyan is separated into separate proceedings. He was assigned the number 42101220089000650.\n","caseTitle":"Manushakyan's case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2021-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod9/index.html#20211111","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the investigation department for the city of Prokopyevsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, Captain of Justice T. V. Zorina initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a banned organization) against unidentified persons.\nThe resolution states: \"Unidentified persons, acting deliberately, by a group of persons, in agreement with A.V. Vlasov, realizing criminal intent, being in an unidentified place on the territory of the city of Prokopyevsk,\" participated in the activities of a banned legal entity. This is how the investigation characterizes the peaceful worship of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vlasov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2021-11-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk/index.html#20211105","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"T. V. Zorina, an investigator for internal affairs of the investigative department for the city of Prokopyevsk of the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a banned organization) against unidentified persons.\nAccording to the investigation, some residents of Prokopyevsk, \"acting deliberately, by a group of persons, in agreement with A.V. Vlasov, realizing criminal intent, being in an unidentified place on the territory of the city of Prokopyevsk ... participated in the activities of the liquidated organization.\" This is how the investigation characterizes the peaceful worship of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Chernykh in Prokopyevsk","date":"2021-11-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk2/index.html#20211105","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 20, 2021, in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, searches were carried out at the home of 54-year-old Elena Nesterova, 61-year-old Tatyana Svoboda and her peer Tatyana Bondarenko. A criminal case has been initiated against the women under an extremist article.\nAt about 8 am, representatives of the Investigative Committee, accompanied by armed OMON police in masks and bulletproof vests, as well as attesting witnesses, broke into the apartments of the believers. The security officials who came to Nesterova and Bondarenko were armed with a crowbar. At Tatyana Svoboda’s home, they knocked on the door with their hands and feet so loudly that neighbors began to go out to the noise.\nLaw enforcers claimed they were looking for prohibited items such as weapons and drugs (although Jehovah's Witnesses are known worldwide as those who do not accept the use of either one), as well as \"prohibited literature\" and any material that would confirm the religious affiliation of the women. As a result, the security forces confiscated Bibles in the Synodal translation, electronic devices and personal records. “The representatives of the authorities behaved correctly, allowed us to be put in order and take medicine,” said one of the victims.\nAfter the searches, the believers were taken for interrogation to the Investigative Committee located on the other side of the city. Nesterova was asked questions about her knowing other Jehovah's Witnesses. The investigator said that she had \"only two options: recognizance agreement or a pre-trial detention center.\" Later, all the detainees were released under recognizance agreement. Nesterova, Svoboda and Bondarenko found themselves far from home without money and phones.\nThe unmotivated persecution affected not only the persons involved in the cases, but also their relatives. Yelena Nesterova has a sick mother, and worries about her daughter aggravated her condition. Tatyana Bondarenko's husband was discharged from the hospital on the day of the search. Arriving home, he found an empty apartment with traces of a search. The man was shocked, considering that he could not even contact his wife. During the search, Tatyana Svoboda's blood pressure increased greatly.\nEarlier, criminal cases for their faith were initiated against 20 more Jehovah's Witnesses from the Khabarovsk Territory. In the summer of 2021, Nikolay Aliyev from Komsomolsk-on-Amur was sentenced to 4.5 years of probation.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-10-29T13:35:36+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/10/291335/image_hu_ad585a5b234c5166.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/10/291335/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/10/291335/image_hu_9d933fc2dc47c94.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/10/291335/image_hu_76449ab99dcb6285.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/10/291335.html","regions":["khabarovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"title":"Searches of 3 Women Carried out in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Criminal Case Opened Against Them for Believing in Jehovah God","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Simonova singles out the criminal case against Ignatov in a separate proceeding and incriminates him with participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ignatov in Oryol","date":"2021-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel/index.html#20211028","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the investigation department for the Sovetsky district of the city of Orel of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation I. Simonova singles out the criminal case against Tatyana Piskareva in a separate proceeding.\nAccording to the investigation, the believer \"took part in the meetings of a banned religious organization.\" This is how Simonova interprets the peaceful communication of believers at worship services held via video conferencing.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Piskareva in Oryol","date":"2021-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel4/index.html#20211028","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department for the Sovetsky District of the City of Orel of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates criminal case No. 12102540005000070 against Anton Zhurbenko. He is accused of participating in the activities of an extremist community (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). His case was separated from the criminal case against three believers – Vladimir Piskarev, Vladimir Melnik and Artur Putintsev, initiated about a year ago.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zhurbenko in Oryol","date":"2021-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel5/index.html#20211028","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It becomes known that another criminal case has been initiated against Konstantin Zotov under 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 Zotov and others in Berezovsky","date":"2021-10-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky3/index.html#20211025","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"At the initiative of investigator Kristina Moskalets from the Investigation Department for the Northern Administrative District of Moscow, at least 8 searches are being carried out in different districts of Moscow and the Moscow Region.\nIn the Odintsovo urban district, a group of 8 law enforcement officers in masks and camouflage, one of them armed with a machine gun, invades the Tolokonnikov family at about 6:00. The security forces confiscate pension and social cards from Sergey's 74-year-old mother-in-law, who does not share his religious views. Electronic devices and personal records are also seized from believers, as well as money belonging to members of the garden association and intended to pay utility bills.\nAfter a 7-hour search, law enforcement officers take the Tolokonnikov family to Moscow for a search in their apartment, and then for interrogation in the Investigative Committee, after which 49-year-old Sergey Tolokonnikov is detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. It becomes known that a criminal case has been initiated against him under Part 1 and Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist association and involvement of other persons in it).\nA group of 8 security officials also comes to the Marunov family at about 6 am and conducts a 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 are taken to the Investigative Committee, after which Marunov's wife and son are released, and he himself is detained and placed in a temporary detention facility. A criminal case was opened against the 67-year-old believer under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe family of 43-year-old Roman Mareev is woken up by a group of security officers in civilian clothes at 5 am. The search in the presence of elderly parents with disabilities lasts 9 hours. During all this time, the security forces do not allow Roman to eat. Digital equipment is seized from the believer, as well as a large amount of money collected to buy a summer house. Law enforcement officers inform Roman that a criminal case has been opened against him under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is detained and placed in a temporary detention facility.\nIn addition to Bibles in unforbidden translations, personal records and electronic devices, the Koran, notebooks with author's verses, children's mobile phones, bookmarks and postcards are seized from other believers during searches.\nThe investigator officially includes Roman Mareev, Anatoly Marunov and Sergey Tolokonnikov as defendants in the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mareyev and Others in Moscow","date":"2021-10-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow4/index.html#20211020","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Borsuk, senior investigator of the Nikolaev-on-Amur Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 60-year-old Igor Kletkin and 38-year-old Vladislav Markov. Searches are being conducted at the homes of Kletkin, Markov and 78-year-old Nadezhda Korobochko. Men are detained.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kononenko and Others in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur","date":"2021-10-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nikolayevsk_na_amure/index.html#20211011","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","search","recognizance-agreement","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"The investigator for especially important cases of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, N. A. Berg, attracts as defendants in this case five more residents of Berezovsky - Kristina Gruzdeva, Valentina Kugukova, Alexandra Zakharova, as well as spouses Stanislav and Marina Fokins.\nAccording to the investigation, the accused, \"realizing the unlawful nature and public danger of their actions, wishing to exert a psychological impact on society, with the aim of promoting the ideas of superiority of some groups over others, inciting religious discord, promoting the exclusivity, superiority and inferiority of citizens on the basis of their attitude to religion ... that is, acting on the grounds of religious hatred ... committed deliberate actions aimed at achieving the goals of the extremist organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia'\".\nThe investigation calls \"dangerous actions\" the fact that believers \"together with other members of the local religious cell read [and] prayers to Jehovah God, sang [and] religious songs, studied [and] prohibited religious literature, watching demonstration role-playing games and participating in them.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Zotov and others in Berezovsky","date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky3/index.html#20210924","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Investigator of the Investigation Department for the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, Captain of Justice V. V. Glyzin initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Tatyana Svoboda. According to the investigation, the believer participated in the activities of a banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tatyana Svoboda and others in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2021-09-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk-on-amur/index.html#20210921","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A.S. Seleznev, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tambov Region, initiates a criminal case against 57-year-old Oleg Sirotkin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigation interprets peaceful worship services with friends via video conferencing as \"active deliberate actions of an organizational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities\" of a legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sirotkin in Tambov","date":"2021-09-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tambov/index.html#20210914","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Dmitry Zykov, Senior Investigator for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against 44-year-old Ilya Olenin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist organization activities). According to the investigation, \"I.V. Olenin organized preaching activities, that is, conducting conversations with residents of the city of Snezhinsk, in order to promote the activities of the banned organization and involve citizens in the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Olenin in Snezhinsk","date":"2021-09-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk2/index.html#20210908","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Kamchatka Territory Maxim Kudantsev initiates a criminal case against Dmitry Semenov and his wife Nadezhda. He suspects them of involving other persons in the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, the spouses \"persuaded, persuading a resident of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and other unidentified persons to take part in the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nThe Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court gives permission to search the Semenovs' home \"in order to find and seize literature, documentation, electronic media containing information of an extremist nature, as well as computers and other technical means with the help of which criminal activity was carried out, as well as other items relevant to the criminal case.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Semyonov case in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2021-09-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk_kamchatskiy/index.html#20210903","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","search","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Based on the results of the review of the materials, investigator Chepenko initiates a separate criminal case against Gizatulin, Mikhailenko and Zhelavskaya.\nThe decision to initiate the case states, among other things, that the believers \"acted from religious motives\" and participated in \"collective worship, consisting in successive performances of songs ... and praying to Jehovah God, studying and discussing articles and religious texts.\"\nThe guilt of Olga Zhelavskaya and Irina Mikhailenko, according to the investigation, is also that they received fellow believers at home.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20210831","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Based on the results of the review of the materials, investigator Chepenko initiates a separate criminal case against Mikhailenko, Gizatulin and Zhelavskaya.\nThe decision to initiate the case states, among other things, that the believers \"acted from religious motives\" and participated in \"collective worship, consisting in successive performances of songs ... and praying to Jehovah God, studying and discussing articles and religious texts.\"\nThe guilt of Irina Mikhailenko and Olga Zhelavskaya, according to the investigation, also lies in the fact that they received fellow believers at home.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20210831","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Based on the results of the review of the materials, investigator Chepenko initiates separate criminal cases against Olga Zhelavskaya, Vadim Gizatulin and Irina Mikhailenko.\nThe decision to institute the case states, among other things, that the believers \"acted out of religious motives\" and participated in \"collective worship consisting of successive performances of songs ... and praying to Jehovah God, studying and discussing articles and religious texts.\"\nThe guilt of Olga Zhelavskaya and Irina Mikhailenko, according to the investigation, also lies in the fact that they received fellow believers at home, and Zhelavskaya also \"ensured ... fundraising... by providing a container box for the introduction of... donations\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20210831","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator E. Skuridina initiates another criminal case against Alexander Vasichkin, this time under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20210824","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"The Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory is initiating a criminal case against 25-year-old Danil Suvorov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Suvorov, \"using his authority as a spiritual leader ... 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 of Sochi\". This is how law enforcement officers qualify ordinary peaceful conversations of believers about the Bible. The criminal case is being investigated by senior investigator A. G. Andrianov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danil Suvorov in Sochi","date":"2021-08-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi3/index.html#20210813","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator V. O. Vlasov is prosecuting Aleksandr Litvinyuk as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Dubovenko and Litvinyuk in Armyansk","date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/armyansk/index.html#20210811","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, who initiated almost all cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in this region, separates materials from the case of Vladimir Suvorov regarding Vadim Gizatulin, Olga Zhelavskaya and Irina Mikhailenko into separate proceedings.\nThe believers are suspected of \"deliberately participating in the activities of a banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses ... in the form of participation in religious meetings ... and also carried out preaching work among the inhabitants of Chelyabinsk and the Chelyabinsk region.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk5/index.html#20210811","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, who initiated almost all cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in the region, separates materials from the case of Pavel Popov regarding Irina Mikhailenko, Vadim Gizatulin and Olga Zhelavskaya into separate proceedings.\nThe believers are suspected of \"deliberately participating in the activities of a banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses ... in the form of participation in religious meetings ... and also carried out preaching work among the inhabitants of Chelyabinsk and the Chelyabinsk region.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Mikhaylenko in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk6/index.html#20210811","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, who initiated almost all cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in this region, separates materials from the case of Vladimir Suvorov regarding Olga Zhelavskaya, Vadim Gizatulin and Irina Mikhailenko into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhelavskaya in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk7/index.html#20210811","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On August 5, 2021, in Armyansk — in the north of the Crimean Peninsula — a series of searches of local believers took place. 60-year-old Alexandr Litvinyuk was detained and taken 140 kilometers away from his home, to Simferopol. On August 6, the court chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of house arrest, and at about midnight the believer was taken home.\nThree days before the search, Vitaliy Vlasov, senior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, opened criminal cases under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities) against Alexandr Litvinyuk and another local believer — 48-year-old Alexandr Dubovenko. The basis was the reports received from the FSB Border Directorate. Litvinyuk is accused of “using the Zoom video conferencing software” to “attract new members of the [banned] organization”.\nOn August 6, 2021, the judge of the Kiev District Court of Simferopol, Andrey Dolgopolov, sent Alexandr Litvinyuk under house arrest until October 1, 2021.\nAlexandr Dubovenko was staying with relatives in another city, so the search took place in his absence. The believer's wife Irina was at home. At about 6 a.m., she noticed several people in the courtyard. There was a knock on the door, closing the peephole. Irina recently had a coronavirus and still felt weak, but the security forces forced her to open, posing as FSB officers. Investigator Lavrov presented a search warrant issued by the Kiev District Court of Simferopol. Law enforcement officers seized electronic devices, personal records, title documents for the apartment and Alexandr's work papers.\nUpdate. On August 9, when Aleksandr Dubovenko returned from another city, he was detained and taken to Simferopol for investigative actions. At this time, his house was searched again. Electronic devices were again seized. The court chose a measure of restraint for Aleksandr in the form of house arrest. Late in the evening of the same day, the believer was taken home. The searches were carried out in total in the homes of 8 believers from Armyansk aged 47 to 72 years. The security forces arrived in minibuses and cars without license plates. They tried to get into one of the apartments, calling the representatives of public utilities to block the sewage system. They confiscated electronic devices and personal records from believers, searched for funds, personal notes and notebooks with handwritten text, which contains links to the Bible. The law enforcement officers did not provide copies of the decisions and protocols on the seizure of things.\nIn addition to believers from Armyansk, already 10 residents of Crimea are being prosecuted for their faith in Jehovah God. Sergey Filatov and Artem Gerasimov are serving real terms in a general regime colony only because of their religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-08-09T14:08:45+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/2021/08/091408.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","house-arrest","282.2-1"],"title":"A Wave of Searches Took Place in Crimea, New Criminal Cases for Faith Were Initiated","type":"news"},{"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 criminal case is being initiated against 37-year-old Maxim Morozov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of a religious association). The cases of Usanov and Morozov are combined into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2021-08-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20210804","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vitaliy Vlasov, senior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, is initiating a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against two residents of the Crimean city of Armyansk: 60-year-old Aleksandr Litvinyuk and 48-year-old Aleksandr Dubovenko. The believers are accused of \"using the Zoom video conferencing software\" to \"attract new members of the [banned] organization.\" The case was assigned the number 12107350001000113.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Dubovenko and Litvinyuk in Armyansk","date":"2021-08-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/armyansk/index.html#20210802","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Yalta, 33-year-old Petr Zhiltsov, who was previously involved as a witness in the case of Taras Kuzio, is detained. Senior Investigator of the Second Investigation Department (for the investigation of cybercrimes and crimes in the field of high technologies) of the First Investigation Department of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Senior Lieutenant of Justice V.A. Novikov initiates a criminal case against the believer under Part 1 of Article 282.3 and accuses him of \"committing intentional grave crimes of an extremist nature, for which there is a maximum penalty of imprisonment of up to 10 years.\" The investigation charges the believer with \"financing an extremist organization\" and \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nIn addition, Novikov initiates a criminal case against Zhiltsov, as well as Daria Kuzo, the wife of Taras Kuzo, Sergey Lyulin and Tadevos Manukyan, under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In relation to Daria, a preventive measure is chosen in the form of a written undertaking not to leave the place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2021-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20210729","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1","282.2-1","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"D. S. Pozdnyakov, senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against 68-year-old Alexander Shutov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Shutov in Vyazemsky","date":"2021-07-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy4/index.html#20210726","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From the materials of the criminal case against believers Anton Olshevskiy and Sergey Yermilov, materials against their wives, Ekaterina Olshevskaya and Valentina Ermilova, as well as against Kristina Golik, whose husband was sentenced to 7 years in prison for his faith, are separated into separate proceedings.\nAnother charge is brought against 27-year-old believer Maria Portnyagina. This criminal case is initiated by the investigator of the SO of the FSB in the Amur Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice V. S. Obukhov. The women are charged with a crime under Part 2 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigation claims that they \"being in the city of Blagoveshchensk ... were directly involved in... religious events.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Golik and Others in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2021-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk3/index.html#20210722","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The case of Alexander Seredkin is separated into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2021-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20210721","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Selyunin, the Senior Investigator for the Novosibirsk Region, separates the case of Alexandr Seredkin. This separate proceeding is assigned the number 12107500001000044.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seredkin in Novosibirsk","date":"2021-07-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk7/index.html#20210721","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee initiates a criminal case against an unidentified person under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization). The involvement of 45-year-old Denis Merkulov in the case is being established promptly.\n","caseTitle":"Merkulov's case in Apatity","date":"2021-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/apatity/index.html#20210719","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. N. Leshkov, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region, initiates criminal case No. 12102470006000036 on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Unidentified persons are accused of organizing extremist activities in the city of Snezhnogorsk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yeliseyev and Ilyasova in Snezhnogorsk","date":"2021-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhnogorsk/index.html#20210719","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"N. A. Sorokina, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, issues a decision to initiate criminal case No. 12102050012000058 against 62-year-old Yuriy Ponomarenko under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist association).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ponomarenko and Others in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk2/index.html#20210716","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Valery Vyaznikov becomes a defendant in a criminal case. The investigation interprets conversations about God as \"involving a person in the activities of the religious group Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vyaznikov in Luchegorsk","date":"2021-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk3/index.html#20210716","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"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":"Nikolay Astapov, Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Sergey Skudaev and other unidentified persons 12102370012000106.\nAccording to the investigation, Skudaev \"carried out ... religious meetings... including through video conferencing using the Zoom platform.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skudaev in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan/index.html#20210713","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 56-year-old Anatoly Isakov, as well as under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 49-year-old Valery Minsafin only because believers profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, that is, they read and discuss the Bible with friends. The case is assigned No. 12102370012000107.\nAccording to the investigation, Anatoly Isakov committed a criminal offense because he \"carried out ... religious meetings... including through video conferencing using the Zoom platform.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan2/index.html#20210713","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Astapov, investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case under part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 56-year-old Anatoly Isakov, as well as under part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 49-year-old Valery Minsafin.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Minsafin in Kurgan","date":"2021-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kurgan6/index.html#20210713","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the First Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case against Alexander Lubin and unidentified persons under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigation interprets peaceful meetings of believers as \"actions of an organizational nature aimed at the continuation and resumption of the activities of a banned organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk","date":"2021-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk/index.html#20210713","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","disability","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for especially important cases of the First Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region, initiates a criminal case against Aleksandr Lubin and unidentified persons under parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Yershov in Shadrinsk","date":"2021-07-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shadrinsk2/index.html#20210713","regions":["kurgan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"The investigator of the Oktyabrsky district of Krasnoyarsk, K. O. Zhuikov, initiates a criminal case against 36-year-old Alexander Filatov, who at that time lives in Novorossiysk. He is suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. The case is assigned a 12102040005000127 number. It was separated from the criminal case of Andrey Stupnikov.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Filatov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2021-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk8/index.html#20210709","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On July 6, 2021, it became known about a new criminal case for faith, initiated in the city of Konakovo (Tver region) against Aleksandr Starikov, 61, and Sergey Naumenko, 34. At least 4 searches were carried out, one of them 370 kilometers from Konakovo, in Ivanovo. The case was initiated on June 17, 2021, and is being investigated by the FSB Directorate for the Tver Region.\nAleksandr Starikov has recently been living in Ivanovo, where he is caring for his sick father. At seven in the morning, FSB officers, accompanied by investigator Yerofeyev, raided their apartment with a search. The security forces also searched the believer’s garage and car. Investigative actions were carried out for a total of 8 hours. As a result, electronic devices, flash cards, bank cards, personal notes and the biographical book “Fighting the Lion” about the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nazi Germany were seized. A recognizance not to leave was taken from Starikov. He is prohibited from leaving the city of Ivanovo.\nAt least one of the searches in Konakovo was authorized by Irina Vorozhebskaya, a judge of the Zavolzhsky District Court of Tver.\nAs it became known, Starikov and Naumenko are accused of discussing the Bible together with fellow believers from Konakovo via video conferencing using Zoom videoconferences, and also talking about Bible teachings to the residents of Konakovo district. The investigation interprets these actions as a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 (organization of the activities of a religious association, in respect of which the court decided to liquidate).\nThe Tver region has become the 67th region of Russia where Jehovah's Witnesses are persecuted, although the world community unanimously condemns the actions of the Russian authorities against followers of this religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-07-08T16:19:27+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/2021/07/081619.html","regions":["tver","ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Searches of Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in the Tver Region. Criminal Case Is Initiated Against Two Believers","type":"news"},{"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":"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":"D. A. Tyumenev, senior investigator-criminalist of the FSB Directorate for the Vladimir Region, opens a criminal case against 48-year-old Alexei Kupriyanov for \"participation in religious meetings\" (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kupriyanov in Kovrov","date":"2021-06-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov2/index.html#20210628","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior FSB forensic investigator D. A. Tyumenev initiates a criminal case against 45-year-old Roman Adestov. The believer is suspected of violating Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Adestov in Kovrov","date":"2021-06-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov3/index.html#20210628","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The local department of the Investigative Committee initiates a criminal case against 46-year-old Vladimir Krasnolutsky for organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Krasnolutsky in Abakan","date":"2021-06-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan4/index.html#20210624","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Erofeev, a senior investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Tver region, is initiating a criminal case against 61-year-old Alexander Starikov for discussing the Bible with fellow believers via video conferencing, and also talking about Bible teachings to residents of the Konakovo district.\nA similar case is being initiated against 34-year-old Sergey Naumenko. Subsequently, both cases are merged into one. Sergey Erofeev, a senior investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Tver region, is initiating a criminal case against 61-year-old Alexander Starikov for discussing the Bible with fellow believers via video conferencing, and also talking about Bible teachings to residents of the Konakovo district.\nA similar case is being initiated against 34-year-old Sergey Naumenko. Subsequently, both cases are merged into one.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Starikov and Others in Konakovo","date":"2021-06-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/konakovo/index.html#20210617","regions":["tver"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Erofeev, senior investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Tver region, opens a criminal case against Aleksandr Starikov for discussing the Bible with fellow believers via videoconferencing, and also talking about Bible teachings to the residents of Konakovo district.\nA similar case is being initiated against Sergey Naumenko. Subsequently, both cases are merged into one.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Naumenko in Konakovo","date":"2021-06-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/konakovo2/index.html#20210617","regions":["tver"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Dmitry Baranov, Senior Forensic Investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Chuvash Republic, initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons who are suspected of violating Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of a banned organization).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Martynov and Others in Alatyr","date":"2021-06-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/alatyr/index.html#20210616","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, Major of Justice Yevgeny Dolgaev, initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Perminov in Asha","date":"2021-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/asha/index.html#20210609","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor of the Abinsk district, I. V. Kosolapov, approves the indictment against the believers.\nThe accusation against Olga Ponomareva and Anna Yermak is based on the testimony of FSB officer Bochin, who considers the women guilty of singing biblical songs and studying religious literature recognized as extremist in Russia under the leadership of Aleksandr Ivshin, whom the court sent to a colony for 7.5 years.\nThe accusation is also based on the testimony of J. B. Broyan, who since 2012 has communicated with Jehovah's Witnesses, pretending to be interested in the Bible. As follows from the indictment, it was her that Ponomareva and Yermak allegedly \"involved\" in their faith. The woman herself explains in her testimony that she went to worship services voluntarily.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomareva and Yermak in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya4/index.html#20210609","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"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":"Pavel Nekhoroshev, senior investigator of the Novokuznetsk Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region — Kuzbass, is initiating a criminal case against 64-year-old Sergey Sushilnikov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believer \"deliberately organized the continuation of the activities of the Novokuznetsk LRO, in respect of which the court made a final decision on liquidation in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"Sushilnikov case in Novokuznetsk","date":"2021-06-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novokuznetsk/index.html#20210603","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"At 6:30 a.m., in the town of Gryazi, 54-year-old Aleksandr Popras and 39-year-old Valeriy Khmil are detained and sent to a temporary detention facility. Investigator Roman Kochanov opened a criminal case against them under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The criminal case is combined into one proceeding with case No. 12002420014000029. A search is underway in the house of Vladimir Molchanov, who lives with his wife and elderly mother in the village of Dvurechke, 22 kilometers from Lipetsk. The believer is detained and later released.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2021-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20210601","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"N. P. Banko, Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Astrakhan Region, initiates a criminal case against 55-year-old Anna Safronova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3. Among other things, she is charged with participating in divine services together with Yevgeny Ivanov and other believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ivanov and Others in Astrakhan","date":"2021-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/astrakhan/index.html#20210528","regions":["astrakhan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Nikolay Banko, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Astrakhan Region, initiates a criminal case against 55-year-old Anna Safronova under Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. She is suspected of financing extremist activities and participating in worship services together with other believers, the case against whom was initiated a year earlier.\nAccording to investigators, the woman, \"realizing her criminal intent,\" participated in online religious meetings held with the performance of songs and prayers to Jehovah God. The investigator also believes that the believer \"controlled the receipt of funds in the form of donations from participants and parishioners of the congregation.\"\nAnna Safronova is included in the list of extremists of Rosfinmonitoring, which means blocking all her bank accounts.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Safronova in Astrakhan","date":"2021-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/astrakhan2/index.html#20210528","regions":["astrakhan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.3-1","rosfinmonitoring"],"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":"The investigator of the department for the Abinsk district of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, L. G. Galustyants, officially attracts Alexander Nikolaev as a defendant in a criminal case. The investigation regards the discussion of the Bible with family and friends as \"committing a crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Nikolayev in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya5/index.html#20210526","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Selyunin, a senior investigator for the Department of Internal Affairs of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Novosibirsk Region, initiates a new criminal case against Marina Chaplykina under the article on financing extremism. After a few days, it is connected to the current one.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2021-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20210526","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"S. A. Zavorin, senior investigator for internal affairs of the Altai Territory Directorate of the Federal Security Service of Russia, initiates a criminal case against 52-year-old Andrey Danielyan for participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). This is how the investigation interprets the peaceful worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses and conversations with people on spiritual topics.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Danielyan in Rubtsovsk","date":"2021-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rubtsovsk/index.html#20210525","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Investigator of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Tyva O. O. Okhemchik initiates a criminal case against 28-year-old Alexander Kazakov. According to the investigation, the believer \"using the service for conducting video conferences ... took part in the activities of a religious association of persons from among the followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses\", in connection with which he is charged with committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Kazakov's case in Kyzyl","date":"2021-05-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kyzyl2/index.html#20210517","regions":["tyva"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Meshalkin, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case against Boris Yagovitov under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigation interprets peaceful conversations on biblical topics as \"deliberate, in compliance with conspiracy measures, the involvement of new members in the composition ... extremist organization, as well as participation in ongoing events - a meeting of its members, which is a rite associated with the religious doctrine of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yagovitov in the village of Solnechnoye","date":"2021-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/solnechny/index.html#20210514","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Evgeny Kozyuchenko, senior investigator of the first department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Altai Territory, is initiating a criminal case against 24-year-old Pavel Kazadaev. The investigation interprets the discussion of the Bible among friends as participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazadaev in Barnaul","date":"2021-05-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/barnaul/index.html#20210511","regions":["altaisky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Somik involves Alexander Tsikunov as a defendant in a criminal case. The believer declares that he is not guilty.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tsikunov in Kaltan","date":"2021-05-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan2/index.html#20210503","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Lev Galustyants officially attracts Olga Ponomareva as accused of committing \"a crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and state security.\" She is charged with committing a crime under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the investigation, Olga Ponomareva, together with Anna Yermak and other unidentified persons, \"resumed and continued her participation in the activities of an extremist organization ... spread the ideology of the extremist organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses\", conducted and listened to lectures ... read religious books aloud to other participants.\" Such language is used in the case file despite the authorities' explanations that the Supreme Court did not ban the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomareva and Yermak in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya4/index.html#20210429","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Yakhtanigov officially prosecutes Kirill Gushchin as a defendant in a crime under Part 1 and Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nA new criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against his wife, Svetlana Gushchina, as well as Zareta Ortanova, Svetlana Dubovkina, Olga Shulgina and Aksana Dominova is separated from the criminal case against Kirill Gushchin. The accusation is based on the testimony of the same \"Filatova\".\nThe investigator also singles out materials under Article 308 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the fact of refusing to testify and attracts 7 women and 2 men from Mayskoye under it - this is how he interprets the fact that they used Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2021-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20210428","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Yakhtanigov separates from the criminal case against Kirill Gushchin a new criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against his wife, Svetlana Gushchina, as well as Zareta Ortanova, Svetlana Dubovkina, Olga Shulgina and Aksana Dominova. The accusation is based on the testimony of a secret witness \"Filatova\", who secretly made an audio recording of the services.\nThe investigator also singles out materials under Article 308 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the fact of refusing to testify and attracts 7 women and 2 men from Mayskoye under it - this is how he interprets the fact that they used Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ortanova and others in Mayskoye","date":"2021-04-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy3/index.html#20210428","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass Maxim Somik initiates a criminal case against Alexander Tsikunov on charges of extremism. According to the investigator, the believer \"from his computer ... Using video conferencing, he held weekly meetings.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Tsikunov in Kaltan","date":"2021-04-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan2/index.html#20210427","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice A. Yakhtanigov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Maisky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, initiates a criminal case against Kirill Gushchin under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The accusation is based on the testimony of a secret witness \"Filatova\", who secretly made an audio recording of the services.\nAccording to the investigation, the believer \"through active actions, namely persuasion, calls for religious unity ... gradually transformed the worldview ... [and also] took active actions, expressed in the conduct of divine services, consisting of the sequential performance of songs ... and prayers to Jehovah God.\" Kirill Gushchin is also accused of discussing such topics as \"Love that never passes\", \"Love overcomes everything\", \"Walk in love\", \"The unquenchable love of our world brotherhood\", as well as the performance of the songs \"God is love\", \"God's example of love\", \"Receive each other cordially\", etc.\nThe criminal case is assigned No. 12102830005000013. It is associated with case No. 12002830005000024.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20210426","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator for especially important cases of the third department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against Pavel Popov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The investigator considers the performance of religious songs, prayers and conversations about the Bible by a believer as criminal activity.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2021-04-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk4/index.html#20210422","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Department for the city of Osinniki of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region Kilin V.N. initiates a criminal case against Vitaly Syrykh, bringing charges against him of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, \"Vitaliy Yurykh committed a deliberate crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and state security, namely ... organized the activities of a religious organization and took part in its activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Syrykhs in Kaltan","date":"2021-04-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaltan/index.html#20210422","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Zaurbiy Blyagoz, Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Adygea, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Inver Siyukhov.\nAccording to the investigation, Inver Siyukhov \"committed actions of an organizational nature ... expressed in holding meetings using the Internet through the Internet application \"Telegram\" and mobile applications \"Zoom\" and \"JW-Library\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Siyukhov in Maykop","date":"2021-04-15T14:39:58+03:00","permalink":"/en/cases/maykop/index.html#20210415","regions":["adygea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of April 13, 2021, in Yaroslavl and neighboring Rybinsk, FSB and National Guard officers conducted searches in the homes of believers. The Investigative Committee reports that the raid took place at 31 addresses, but this information is being specified. The 45-year-old father of a young child, Andrey Vyushin, was detained and sent to the temporary detention facility.\nUpdate. Later it became known about the detention of the second believer, 55-year-old Petr Filiznov. On April 15, the court ruled to send both believers to Detention Center No. 1 in Yaroslavl until at least June 11, 2021 (address: 10 Portovaya Naberezhnaya St., Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Region, Russia, 150001). The Kuznetsov spouses, 38-year-old Alexander and 33-year-old Maria, were also placed in the same pre-trial detention center. The believers were suspected of holding religious meetings, \"including through the Internet, within which [they] promoted prohibited teachings,\" according to the official website of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Yaroslavl Region. A criminal case was initiated under Article 282.2. Once again, security officials call the activities of an extremist organization a peaceful religious practice, during which believers discuss the Bible, pray and sing religious songs. The security officials do not report any real criminal activity of the suspects.\n“Andrey Vyushin has a five-year-old child and a mother with a disability. She cannot walk without assistance. Why are the security forces punishing them? For the fact that the head of the family read the Bible and prayed. And this is happening despite the explanations of the authorities that the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited,” says Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a representative of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThis is the first case of criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Yaroslavl region since the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia to liquidate legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-04-14T13:24:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/04/16/image_hu_26257380054b9d3.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/04/16/image_hu_3a742c95386120d5.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/04/16/image_hu_28d4fb84fe0cde97.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/04/16/image_hu_828442b91002b45.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/04/16.html","regions":["yaroslavl"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282","minors"],"title":"Mass Searches in the Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in the Yaroslavl Region. At Least One Believer Is Detained","type":"news"},{"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":"A criminal case is being initiated against three believers from Izhevsk. Aleksandr Kutin, Maksim Derendyaev and Sergey Ashikhmin are suspected of organizing extremist activities (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk","date":"2021-04-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/izhevsk/index.html#20210413","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"L. G. Galustyants, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Abinsk District of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, officially prosecutes Vasily Meleshko as a defendant under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is charged with participating in \"religiously teaching and preaching\" and of \"conducting and listening to lectures based on religious literature ... entered into conversations and religious discussions with other participants, participated in collective discussions of religious books.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Meleshko in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-04-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya6/index.html#20210412","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Investigator Fedorov initiates a second criminal case against Postnikov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20210402","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yulia Dudina, Deputy Head of the Investigation Department for the city of Taiga of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 29-year-old Yuriy Usanov.\nAccording to the investigation, in the period from May 2019 to April 2021, he, together with other believers, including Maxim Morozov, \"through the Zoom computer program, organized the activities of the banned religious organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' in the city of Taiga, Kemerovo Region, by convening and holding meetings of its members, holding conversations.\"\nThe investigator issues a search warrant in the apartment of Yuriy, as well as 2 other local residents.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Usanov and Morozov in Tayga","date":"2021-04-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tayga/index.html#20210401","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","search","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Abinsk District is initiating 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 Alexander Nikolaev from the village of Kholmskaya. The case is assigned No. 12102030017000016\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Nikolayev in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-03-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya5/index.html#20210331","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 24, 2021, 4 believers were detained and placed in a temporary detention center in Sochi. Two days later, the court ruled to detain 54-year-old Vladimir Deshko and 48-year-old Tatyana Velizhanina in jail. 54-year-old Yuriy Logininskiy and 56-year-old Yuriy Moskalyov were placed under house arrest.\nAccording to available data, the believers are accused of “involvement in the activities of an extremist organization” (part 1.1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) simply because they had talked with local residents about God. FSB officers along with the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Krasnodar Territory took part in the arrest of the believers; the Investigative Committee of Russia is engaged in the investigation of the criminal case.\nVladimir Deshko and Tatyana Velizhanina will remain in the pre-trial detention center until at least April 18, 2021.\nThis is the eighth criminal case in the Krasnodar Territory. In December 2020, residents of Sochi, Vyacheslav Popov and Nikolay Kuzichkin were found guilty of organizing extremist activities. In February 2021, a 63-year-old Jehovah's Witness from the village of Kholmskaya, Aleksandr Ivshin, received an unprecedentedly harsh sentence: 7 and a half years in prison for his faith.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2021-03-29T10:48:00+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/2021/03/18.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","new-case","282.2-1.1"],"title":"Four Jehovah's Witnesses Detained in Sochi, Among them a Woman","type":"news"},{"body":"A. G. Kolpakov, an investigator of the Investigation Department for the Closed Administrative Territory of Seversk, initiates a criminal case against Andrey Ledyaykin under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ledyaykin in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department for Seversk of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tomsk Region is initiating a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 43-year-old Sergey Belousov. The criminal case was separated from the case against Yevgeny Korotun.\n","caseTitle":"Belousov's case in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk2/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department for the Closed Administrative District of Seversk of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tomsk Region is initiating a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 68-year-old Aleksey Ershov. The criminal case is separated from the case against Yevgeny Korotun.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ershov in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk3/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department for the Closed Administrative Territory of Seversk of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tomsk Region is initiating a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 51-year-old Andrey Kolesnichenko. The case was separated into a separate proceeding from the materials of the case of Yevgeny Korotun. The believer is suspected of \"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.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kolesnichenko in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk4/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Investigation Department of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation A. G. Kolpakov initiates a criminal case for faith against 79-year-old Elena Savelyeva. The investigation believes that the elderly woman committed \"inducement, recruitment and other involvement of persons in the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 1.1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nThe basis for initiating a criminal case against the believer was the testimony of FSB agent Kira Klisheva and Rosgvardia officer Yelena Studenova, who portrayed an interest in the Bible. The latter recorded conversations with Elena on biblical topics. Later, Studenova collected data on Elena Savelyeva's fellow believers and passed the information received to law enforcement agencies.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Saveliyeva in Seversk","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/seversk5/index.html#20210325","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"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":"The Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Tula Region initiates criminal cases against Gurami Labadze, Angela Putivskaya, Yulia Popkova and Yevgeniy Godunov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Godunov and Others in Tula","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tula/index.html#20210325","regions":["tula"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. S. Pozdnyakov, senior investigator-criminalist of the Khabarovsk Territory Directorate of the FSB, initiates a criminal case against Sergey Kuznetsov. It is separated from the case of Ilya Degtyarenko.\nSergey is charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, he is charged with participating in meetings with fellow believers, during which he read and quoted texts from the Holy Scriptures.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Kuznetsov in Vyazemsky","date":"2021-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy3/index.html#20210325","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator E. M. Skuridina initiates a second criminal case against Atatoly Lyamo. This time, under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, he is suspected of financing extremist activities \"by collecting cash in the 'general treasury'.\" According to the investigation, these funds were \"deliberately intended to support the activities of an extremist organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2021-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20210316","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"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":"On the morning of March 4, 2021, groups of security officials conducted searches at 6 addresses in the city of Belogorsk (Amur Region). 12 believers were taken to the local FSB department and later released. A criminal case has been opened for extremist activity on the basis of religion.\nOperational groups arrived from the regional center of Blagoveshchensk, which is located 120 km from Belogorsk. The security forces entered the homes of citizens under the guise of district police officers or neighbors. In one place they introduced themselves as electricians - allegedly through the fault of believers, an accident occurred, and the house was de-energized. Students from local educational institutions were invited as witnesses. Electronic devices, Bibles in the Synodal translation, bank cards, postcards, letters and personal records with the name of Jehovah God were seized from 5 men and 7 women.\nAfter the searches, the believers were taken to the local department of the FSB, where they were given copies of the protocols. Further investigative actions will take place in Blagoveshchensk. The criminal case was initiated by the investigator of the FSB Department for the Amur Region V.S. Obukhov, who since 2019 has been conducting 4 more similar cases against 11 peaceful believers from Zeya, Tynda and Blagoveshchensk.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-03-11T15:36:00+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/2021/03/5.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case"],"title":"A sixth criminal case in the Amur Region. FSB searches 12 Belogorsk-based believers","type":"news"},{"body":"A criminal case is being opened against 45-year-old Sergey Kobelev and his 65-year-old mother Galina under Part 1.1 (recruitment) and Part 2 (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Grinenko and Others in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-03-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk/index.html#20210308","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Acting Head of the Investigation Department for Lesozavodsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation O. V. Belyakova initiates a criminal case against Galina Kobeleva under Part 1 (organization), Part 1.1 (recruitment) and Part 2 (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On the same day, it is merged with the case of Yevhen Grinenko.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kobeleva in Lesozavodsk","date":"2021-03-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lesozavodsk2/index.html#20210308","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. A. Novikov, Senior Investigator of the First Investigation Department of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, initiates a criminal case against Taras Kuzyo.\nBecause of his belief in Jehovah God, the believer is accused of \"committing a deliberate grave crime of an extremist nature, for which a maximum penalty of imprisonment for up to 8 years is provided.\" The investigation charges the believer with \"financing an extremist organization\" (part 1 of article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzo and others in Yalta","date":"2021-03-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta2/index.html#20210304","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of March 2, 2021, at least 4 families of local believers were searched in Syktyvkar. Four men were detained and placed in a temporary detention center. One of them, 59-year-old Sergei Ushakhin, was later released on recognizance not to leave. The rest are awaiting a court decision.\nUpdate. On March 3, 2021, the court left 42-year-old Aleksandr Kruglyakov in custody for 2 months. 49-year-old Andrey Kharlamov and 53-year-old Aleksandr Ketov were placed under house arrest. During the searches, Bibles, electronic devices and personal records were confiscated from believers.\nThe investigative measures took place shortly after the senior investigator of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Komi Republic, Major of Justice Alexander Belov, opened criminal cases against five believers, including one woman. The investigation suspects them of organizing and participating in the activities of a banned organization (parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), considering as extremism peaceful religious meetings at which believers read the Bible, prayed and sang religious songs. Details are being specified.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-03-03T14:28:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2021/03/1/image_hu_8336a88e7b240db6.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2021/03/1/image_hu_375c64878e52a448.jpg","webp":"/news/2021/03/1/image_hu_80872f2ca2d37264.webp","webp2x":"/news/2021/03/1/image_hu_3d6947a76a8fb8db.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2021/03/1.html","regions":["komi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","ivs","sizo","house-arrest"],"title":"Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Syktyvkar. Three believers are now behind bars","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Abinsk District for the Krasnodar Territory is initiating a criminal case against 38-year-old Anna Yermak, mother of two young children, and 46-year-old Olga Ponomareva, a disabled person of group II. The case is assigned No. 12107030001000022. For the fact that believers discussed the Bible, they are suspected of committing \"a crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state.\" They are charged with Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomareva and Yermak in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-03-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya4/index.html#20210303","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Amur Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice V. S. Obukhov initiates a criminal case against 68-year-old Vladimir Balabkin. The believer is accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). This is how the investigation interprets the peaceful worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Balabkin in Belogorsk","date":"2021-03-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belogorsk/index.html#20210302","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. V. Antonov, senior investigator of the Magadan Region Directorate of the FSB, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. against 67-year-old Galina Pechko.\nThe investigator combines criminal cases against several believers into one proceeding. The case is assigned No. 11807440001000013.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2021-02-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20210226","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator-criminalist of the FSB D. A. Tyumenev makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against Boris Simonenko. He is charged with organizing the activities of a liquidated religious association (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nAt the request of Tyumenev, the Kovrov City Court chooses Boris Simonenko a measure of restraint in the form of detention.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Simonenko in Kovrov","date":"2021-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kovrov/index.html#20210218","regions":["vladimir"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another criminal case is being initiated against Agnessa Postnikova under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The case is assigned No. 12107990001000005.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-02-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20210217","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The deputy head of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, Major I. Fedorov, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Agnessa Postnikova on the basis of the report of the FSB operative D. Krupetsky. According to the investigation, the Postnikovs \"formed a criminal group,\" and the believer, \"approving the activities of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses\" and \"sharing its extremist goals ... became part of the LRO.\nFedorov also opened a criminal case against Agnessa Postnikova under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2021-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20210212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1","families"],"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":"Maria Rasskazova, an investigator of the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the City of Moscow, initiates criminal case No. 12102450011000009 under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against unidentified persons.\nEarly in the morning, representatives of law enforcement agencies gather with witnesses at several residential buildings in Khovrino and the Levoberezhny district of Moscow, Khimki and Chekhov. Their goal is the families of Jehovah's Witnesses. The first reports of the invasion of the apartments come from believers at 06:20. At the end of the day, it becomes known about at least 14 searches of believers. Some are taken away for interrogations. Yuriy Temirbulatov and Aleksandr Serebryakov were detained and placed in a temporary detention facility.\nTV channels broadcast footage of the invasion of believers by security forces 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 are tied with plastic mounting clamps. When one of the believers is pushed onto the bed, the tie breaks. For this, his hands are tightened with three more clamps. The men are in this position while the search is underway. At the end of the search, the family notices that a large amount of personal savings has been stolen from them.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Serebryakov and Temirbulatov in Moscow","date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/moscow2/index.html#20210210","regions":["moscow"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","search","siloviks-violence","plant"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Kemerovo Region - Kuzbass M. A. Nikitin initiates a criminal case against Sergey Ananin. The believer is accused of organizing the activities of an extremist community. This is how the investigation interprets Ananin's joint meetings with fellow believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ananin in Belovo","date":"2021-02-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belovo/index.html#20210209","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor of the Abinsk district I. V. Kosolapov approves the indictment in the case of Oleg Danilov. The evidence supporting the accusation is the information obtained in the course of operational-search activities.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Danilov in Kholmskaya","date":"2021-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya2/index.html#20210205","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 28, 2021 the FSB conducted searches on believers in Kyzyl, the capital of the Tyva Republic. 41 year-old Anatoliy Senin was detained and placed in the temporary detention center. It became known that a criminal case was opened against him under an \"extremist\" article. In the next two days the court will decide on the question of a believer's preventive measure.\nUpdate. On January 30, 2021, the court placed 2 believers under house arrest: 39-year-old Vitaliy Manzyrykchi and 41-year-old Anatoliy Senin. Both spent 2 days behind bars, in a temporary detention center. During interrogations, investigators are interested in former members of the local religious organization of Jehovah\u0026rsquo;s Witnesses in the city of Kyzyl, which was liquidated in April 2017 by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. Local believers notice themselves being surveilled. In the evening, around 6:30 p. m. law enforcers came to search at least four local families. After a three-hour search of Anatoliy Senin , he was detained and taken to the investigative department for questioning. Also, law enforcement officers searched and questioned a man who did not share the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. Electronic devices were seized from him.\nThe Republic of Tuva, located on the border with Mongolia, became the 61st region of Russia where the authorities persecute Jehovah's Witnesses, even though the Supreme Court has not banned believers from practicing their religion.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-01-29T18:01:00+03:00","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/2021/01/7.html","regions":["tyva"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"The Republic of Tyva became the 61st region of Russia where Jehovah's Witnesses are persecuted. A believer was placed in a temporary detention facility in the city of Kyzyl","type":"news"},{"body":"Text updated on January 26, 2021.\nOn January 21, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted searches in seven homes and workplaces of Votkinsk-based Jehovah's Witnesses. Mikhail Potapov, 42, was taken to Izhevsk detention center #1 and Sergey Gobozev, 63, due to poor health, was placed under house arrest and banned from using a telephone and the Internet.\nCriminal cases were initiated against the believers based on Part 1, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of extremist activity). During the searches, electronic devices, postcards, photo albums, and Bibles were seized from the believers. Eyewitnesses reported that law enforcement officers planted publications that are included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2021-01-22T14:57:00+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/2021/01/5.html","regions":["udmurtia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","house-arrest","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"In Udmurtia, security forces invaded the homes and workplaces of believers. There are detainees","type":"news"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice K. O. Zhuikov, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Oktyabrsky District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, initiates a criminal case against Yevgeny Zinich under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe resolution states: \"Zinich E. N., being on the territory of the Oktyabrsky district of Krasnoyarsk ... being one of the leaders of the LRO \"Jehovah's Witnesses Krasnoyarsk\"... committed actions of an organizational nature aimed at continuing the illegal activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, expressed in the leadership of this organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Zinich's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2021-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk7/index.html#20210121","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the District Department of Internal Affairs of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic, Major of Justice Dmitry Ponomarev initiates a criminal case against 42-year-old Mikhail Potapov and 63-year-old Sergei Gobozev. Believers are charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gobozev and Potapov in Votkinsk","date":"2021-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/votkinsk/index.html#20210120","regions":["udmurtia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The materials against Yevgeny Zinich are separated into separate proceedings from the case against Anatoly Gorbunov.\n","caseTitle":"Zinich's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2020-12-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk7/index.html#20201222","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Deputy Head of the Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Tambov Region, Colonel of Justice Mikhail Medyulyanov initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Anton Kuzhelkov. The investigation sees signs of extremism in \"convening meetings, organizing religious speeches and worship ... carrying out preaching activities\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case).\nThe head of the interdistrict investigation department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Tambov Region, Colonel of Justice Askar Bupegaliev, on the basis of the report of the senior detective of the CPE of the Ministry of Internal Affairs V. Tsyplakov, initiates criminal case No. 12002680003000030 against Nikolai Prokhorov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe cases against Prokhorov and Kuzhelkov are combined into one proceeding. The case is assigned a 12002680011000017 number. The investigation sees in peaceful worship \"undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and ... incitement of religious discord.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuzhelkov and Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2020-12-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov/index.html#20201221","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the Kirsanov Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee for the Tambov Region, Askar Bupegaliev, opens a criminal case against 56-year-old Nikolai Prokhorov.\nThe cases against Prokhorov and his fellow believer Kuzhelkov are combined into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Prokhorov in Kirsanov","date":"2020-12-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirsanov2/index.html#20201221","regions":["tambov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"In Orel, searches are being carried out at 8 addresses, among the victims are the spouses Vladimir and Tatyana Piskaryov. Vladimir was placed under arrest on the same day. A day earlier, a criminal case was opened against him under an extremist article.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Piskareva in Oryol","date":"2020-12-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orel4/index.html#20201209","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["search","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case has been opened against 64-year-old Vladimir Piskaryov, 50-year-old Artur Putintsev and 54-year-old Vladimir Melnik.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Piskarev and Others in Oryol","date":"2020-12-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/oryol3/index.html#20201208","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On November 30, 2020, in the city of Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk Region, searches were carried out in 4 families of believers, including a 69-year-old woman. A criminal case was initiated under Art. 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 43-year-old Ilya Olenin.\nThe security forces broke into the apartment of Ilya and Natalya Olenin early in the morning. The search was led by FSB officer Alexander Teplyakov. The law enforcers searched the apartment where the believers live, their car and garage, and also another apartment 50 km from Snezhinsk. As a result of the searches, law enforcement officers seized cash and bank cards, Bibles, electronic devices, disks with films and personal records from the Olenins.\nThe search was also carried out at the work of an elderly believer who will turn 70 in the spring. The operatives asked her colleagues if she talked to them on religious topics. In addition, searches took place in her apartment and garage. Electronic devices, photographs and personal records were taken from the woman.\nA new criminal case was initiated by the investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Chelyabinsk Region, Alexander Chepenko, notorious for other cases against believers, including the married couple Vladimir and Valentina Suvorov, who are already over 70.\nThe order to conduct the searches was signed by Leonid Bobrov, judge of the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Chelyabinsk. Other details are being investigated.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-12-03T16:11:00+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/2020/12/1.html","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"title":"Security forces raided the homes of believers in the Chelyabinsk Region, including the home of a 69-year-old woman. A criminal case was initiated","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":"A criminal case was initiated against Vladimir Dutkin and unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of a banned organization).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Dutkin and Others in Cheboksary","date":"2020-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cheboksary/index.html#20201125","regions":["chuvashia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigation of the criminal case is entrusted to the Second Department for the Investigation of Especially Important Cases 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 Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2020-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20201120","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Roman Kochanov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the first investigation department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Lipetsk Region, initiates criminal cases for faith against 5 civilians in the city of Gryazi: 46-year-old Yevgeny Reshetnikov, 42-year-old Sergey Kretov, 63-year-old Tatyana Morlang, 49-year-old Svetlana Vyrezkova and 67-year-old Natalia Perekatiy. Men are suspected of organizing \"extremist\" activities (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and women are suspected of participating in it (part 2 of the same article). Criminal cases against five believers are combined into one — No. 12002420014000029.\nThe materials of Perekatiy's case state that the believer \"deliberately, acting from extremist motives, expressed in propaganda of the advantage of followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses over other persons, a negative assessment of persons who are not followers of this religious teaching ... continued to spread the ideology and faith of this extremist organization among the residents of the city of Gryazi, Lipetsk Region.\" Similar wording is contained in the case files of the other believers involved.\nOn the same day, officers of the Investigative Committee, accompanied by riot police, conduct searches at 9 addresses in the city. Electronic devices and personal documents are seized from believers.\nAll five believers against whom criminal cases have been initiated, including pensioners, are placed in an isolation ward. The rest are released after interrogation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Reshetnikov and Others in Gryazi","date":"2020-11-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gryazi/index.html#20201116","regions":["lipetsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","search","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal cases against Sergey Kazakov and Olga Mirgorodskaya are combined into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2020-11-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20201113","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Kaluga region, Major of Justice E. G. Pavshenko decides to suspend the preliminary investigation of the criminal case due to the spread of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the region.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2020-11-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20201113","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Elena Menchikova is being searched again, which lasts 3 hours. The investigator informs the believer that a criminal case has been opened against her. Elena's drawings are seized from her. The investigator does not give the believer a copy of the order and the protocol of the search.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk","date":"2020-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/cherkessk2/index.html#20201112","regions":["karachaevo"],"tags":["search","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"O. I. Komissarov, investigator of the 2nd branch of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Oleg Danilov. The believer is charged with participating \"in religious teaching and sermons ... through information and telecommunication networks, ... entered into discussions in a collective discussion of the Bible, ... read aloud to other participants the religious books \"Jehovah's Witnesses\", emphasizing that these books contain true knowledge about God ...\n","caseTitle":"Case of Danilov in Kholmskaya","date":"2020-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya2/index.html#20201112","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"O. I. Komissarov, investigator of the 2nd branch of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 44-year-old Alexander Shcherbina.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shcherbina in Kholmskaya","date":"2020-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya3/index.html#20201112","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Tatarstan initiates criminal case No. 12002920022000071 under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klyuchnikov and Others in Nizhnekamsk","date":"2020-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhnekamsk/index.html#20201112","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of November 12, 2020, a group of law enforcement officers led by an investigator of the FSB for Karachay-Cherkessia V. Drakin repeated the search of Yelena Menchikova. Dracinom repeated the search of Elena Menchikova. A 56-year-old resident of Cherkessk had her daughter seized her drawings. The woman was asked to sign a not to leave the city.\nThe reason for the actions of law enforcement officers was a new criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, which investigator Drakin initiated against the believer on November 3, 2020. The FSB blames Menchikova for friendly meetings and peaceful conversations about the Bible, interpreting them as \"incitement to religious discord,\" \"recruiting conversations\" and \"exams to join the ranks of a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe first search of Yelena was conducted earlier in the criminal case against a local believer, Albert Batchaev, who was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code. According to the indictment, he is guilty of \"singing songs from a special collection of religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and praying to the God of Jehovah. The case of the believer is heard in the Cherkessk City Court.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-11-12T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/11/3/image_hu_d60265858e5f3b5c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/11/3/image_hu_d407ce1db3d2547e.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/11/3/image_hu_6b4effafad13a33b.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/11/3/image_hu_d7c0f17c729e8939.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/11/3.html","regions":["karachaevo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","recognizance-agreement","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"A Cherkessk resident is suspected of extremism for talking about the Bible. Her daughter's drawings were seized as evidence from the believer","type":"news"},{"body":"A. A. Buts, an investigator of the Department for Investigation of Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, initiates a new criminal case against believers: Nikolai Anufriev (63 years old), Eduard Merinkov (45 years old), Pavel Ogorodov (69 years old), Alexander Vorontsov (35 years old) and Alexander Prilepsky (56 years old).\nThe new case shall be joined with the previously initiated case under Ch. 282.2 (1) and (2) in respect of Gennadiy Polyakevich and Gennadiy Skutelets (1) and (2).\nPreviously, Pavel Ogorodov had already been searched. In May, after another interrogation, Ogorodov suffered a microstroke.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polyakevich and Others in Pechora","date":"2020-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pechora/index.html#20201110","regions":["komi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"N. E. Yakimov, an investigator of the Vyazemsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case against Sergey Kazakov under parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities and participation in them).\nAlso, a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for participation in the activities of a banned organization was initiated against Olga Mirgorodskaya and other unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kazakov and Mirgorodskaya in Bikin","date":"2020-11-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/bikin/index.html#20201109","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Committee for the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization) against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Salikova in Snezhinsk","date":"2020-11-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/snezhinsk/index.html#20201109","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for especially important cases, Major I. A. Kalnitsky, initiates a criminal case against Andrey Okhrimchuk under two articles - participation in the activities of a banned organization and its financing - respectively Article 282.2 (2) and Article 282.3 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believer is accused of \"taking part in an illegal religious meeting ... including under the leadership of A.M. Parkov, in respect of whom a criminal case was [initiated].\" The investigation also found that money transfers were made from Okhrimchuk's bank card to the cards of Semyon Baibak and Arsen Avanesov. According to the investigator, the funds were intended to pay for the rent of the premises, the purchase of computer equipment, as well as stationery and household supplies \"to ensure the activities of an extremist organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Okhrimchuk in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-10-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don9/index.html#20201029","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB Directorate for the Khabarovsk Territory S. Nemtsev initiates a criminal case against a 29-year-old resident of the city of Vyazemsky Ilya Degtyarenko under Part 2 of Article 282.2 (participation in a banned organization). The investigation calls Degtyarenko's meetings with fellow believers and his \"stable religious views\" a \"crime.\" All this, according to the investigator, indicates that the believer is a member of a prohibited legal entity.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Degtyarenko in Vyazemsky","date":"2020-10-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy2/index.html#20201028","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory Y. A. Nelyubin initiates criminal case No. 12007080001000073 against 40-year-old Alexei Ukhov under Part 1 of Article 282.2. According to the investigation, he \"performed actions aimed at reading prayers ... studying and quoting the texts of the Holy Scriptures ... and psalm songs.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ukhov in Sovetskaya Gavan","date":"2020-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sovetskaya_gavan/index.html#20201021","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Alexey Zyryanov, Head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, is initiating a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Konstantin Zotov and Natalia Kochneva. According to the investigation, the believers \"participated in meetings of the Berezovsky subdivision, held conversations in order to promote religious exclusivity, and disseminated deliberately extremist materials.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Zotov and others in Berezovsky","date":"2020-10-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky3/index.html#20201014","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the morning of October 11, 2020 armed forces invaded 4 apartments in Nikolsk city located approximately 100 km from Penza. Personal belongings were taken from believers. Among those searched was Yuri Kim, 60, who is suspected of extremism.\nUpdate. On October 30, Yuriy Kim was summoned to the Pervomaisky District Court of Penza, 120 kilometers from Nikolsk, to familiarize himself with the search materials. After returning, in the evening, the believer became ill, he was paralyzed and he lost consciousness. The ambulance doctors who arrived at the scene were unable to provide assistance and called the resuscitation team from Penza. Doctors did not have time to save Yuri. On November 14, he and his wife would celebrate the 19th anniversary of the creation of the family.\nThus, a minibus came to the house of a young married couple, law enforcers in masks and with automatic rifles came out. They began knocking out the door to the couple's dwelling, but the head of the family opened it himself. Investigator for especially important cases of Investigatory directorate of Investigatory committee of Russia for Penza region, senior lieutenant Igor Saulin presented to believers a search order issued on October 7 by Pervomaiskiy district court of Penza based on initiated criminal case. Electronic equipment, phones, flash-drives, watches, letters and bank cards were taken from the spouses. The couple were taken away for interrogation that lasted about 2.5 hours. After that the believers were released.\nOne of the searches was also carried out in the house of Yuriy Kim, against whom a criminal case was initiated under part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - organization of the activities of the banned organization. A a recognizance not to leave was taken from Yuriy Kim. Other details are specified.\nAmong those searched on the basis of unfounded suspicions of extremism were a man with a disability and his wife.\n\"Someone was knocking on the door and wanted to break it down. I couldn't open it right away as my leg was amputated and some parts of my fingers were missing. It was hard for me to orient myself, \"says the believer about the events he experienced. According to his wife, the security forces tried to enter the apartment not only through the door: \"A man in camouflage began to knock on the window frame with a mount, preparing to knock it out. I opened the door. 8 people entered the house.\"\n\"I asked what they were looking for. The investigator replied: \"Everything related to religion and Jehovah,\" continues the head of the family.\n\"They took personal photos, four Bibles (including in the Synodal Translation, in the Translation of Archimandrite Macarius and the Modern Translation), as well as an Evangelical dictionary, personal notes on a biblical theme, postcards, a foreign passport, even my personal poems about Jehovah,\" says the believer. According to the woman, the security forces were also interested in why she and her husband \"do not believe like everyone else.\"\nHer husband says: \"I have hypertension and heart problems. Two years ago he was hospitalized with a suspected stroke. During the search, the pressure jumped sharply. By evening, I felt bad again. The pressure does not subside, in the morning the nose bleeds, the heart began to hurt again.\nLess than a month before the searches in Nikolsk, on September 16 the court made a decision on the case of 6 believers from Penza and sentenced them to suspended sentence based on similar accusations of extremism only for the fact that they read the Bible together with believers. Sentences for religious practices of Jehovah's Witnesses are handed down in Russia despite the fact that their faith is not prohibited in the country.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-10-13T13:47:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/10/6/image_hu_d1deed48f3b75e5f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/10/6/image_hu_bf850788886c29a7.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/10/6/image_hu_41e173b15241bcee.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/10/6/image_hu_65d058bfc279f3b1.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/10/6.html","regions":["penza"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","health-risk","died","new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"title":"A Series of Searches of Believers in Penza Region. A Criminal Case Initiated Under the \"Extremist\" Article","type":"news"},{"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":"In Sevastopol, a criminal case is being initiated against Vladimir Maladyka, Yevgeniy Zhukov and Vladimir Sakada under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist organization activities).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Zhukov and Others in Sevastopol","date":"2020-09-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol2/index.html#20200930","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol S. A. Bosiyev initiates a criminal case against Igor Schmidt on suspicion of organizing the activities of an extremist organization under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shmidt in Sevastopol","date":"2020-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol3/index.html#20200924","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Kalnitsky singles out the case of Lyudmila Ponomarenko in a separate proceeding. In the relevant ruling, he points to the \"guilt\" of the believer: she communicated with fellow believers, \"participated in reading prayers, discussing them, singing,\" which is allegedly propaganda of the superiority of religion at the expense of humiliating other religions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-09-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20200909","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region initiates a criminal case against Kirill Yevstigneev, accusing him of financing extremist activities (Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-09-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod6/index.html#20200902","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator for especially important cases of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Moscow Region, Y. I. Kobylyatsky, singles out the criminal case against Stepan Adamov in a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Nikiforov and Others in Chekhov","date":"2020-08-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov/index.html#20200825","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Y. Kobylyatsky makes a decision on the separation of the criminal case against Adamov into a separate proceeding. It is assigned a new number: 42002460043000109.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Adamov in Chekhov","date":"2020-08-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov2/index.html#20200825","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator-forensic specialist of the CO of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, Major of Justice T. R. Minnekhanov initiates a criminal case against the forensic doctor Konstantin Sannikov, the father of a minor child. He is accused of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigator interprets the discussion of biblical passages in Sannikov's home as \"illegal religious meetings ... in order to induce [the audience] to a hostile perception of people identified on the basis of religious affiliation, as well as to justify the need to carry out aggressive, violent, cruel actions directed against a person in connection with his religious affiliation.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sannikov in Kazan","date":"2020-08-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan2/index.html#20200825","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. S. Spirin, senior investigator of the Investigative Department for the city of Krasnoturinsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, initiates 2 new criminal cases against a resident of Karpinsk, Alexander Pryanikov - under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of an extremist organization) and Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement of a minor in a criminal group). Earlier, on February 18, 2020, a criminal case had already been initiated against him under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization). In addition, the criminal case initiated 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) has already passed the stage of court hearings, a verdict has been passed on it, but the appellate court overturned the verdict, returning the case for a new trial to the Karpinsky City Court. Thus, 4 criminal cases for faith were initiated against Pryanikov at once, all of them are in the active phase.\nIn addition, investigator Spirin opened a new criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Anastasia Pryanikova, the wife of Alexander Pryanikov. She is charged with involving residents of the Sverdlovsk region in the activities of an extremist organization, as well as a certain citizen \"Osokina\", whose true identity data was kept secret by the investigation. This is the second criminal case brought against Anastasia for her faith. The first case, under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, was initiated against her three months earlier. It was initiated by the same investigator Spirin.\nFinally, investigator Spirin initiates a criminal case against Svetlana Zalyaeva and her husband Ruslan (who does not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses) under Part 4 of Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement of a minor in a criminal group). The Zalyayevs, who live in the city of Karpinsk, have two children, aged 12 and 16, whom they raise in accordance with evangelical values, which serves as the basis for initiating a criminal case under Article 150. In addition, 2 more criminal cases were initiated against the Zalyayevs - under part 1.1 and part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). All three cases are being investigated separately.\n(Earlier, investigator Spirin also initiated 2 criminal cases against Venera and Daria Dulov, a mother and daughter living in the city of Karpinsk. The criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is at the stage of court hearings, and the case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is at the stage of investigation.)\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20200819","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Alekseev, acting head of the Yugorsk Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, is initiating a criminal case against Andrey Zhukov and Ivan Sorokin under Part 1 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The case is assigned No. 12002711023058534. According to the investigation, the believers, together with other persons, \"developed the basic plans of the local religious organization ... conducted conspiratorial gatherings of members of an extremist organization for the purpose of conducting religious rites and sermons.\"\nThe head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, Colonel of Justice M. V. Mokshin withdraws the UD from the production of I. Y. Alekseev and transfers it for further investigation to the investigator of the control and investigation department of the SU N. Y. Tatarnikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk","date":"2020-08-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yugorsk/index.html#20200817","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Amur Region initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against an unidentified circle of persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Druzhinin and Bitusov in Zeya","date":"2020-08-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya3/index.html#20200810","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Captain of Justice D. V. Antonov, senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB Directorate for the Magadan Region, initiates another criminal case against Yevgeny Zyablov under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing of extremism). The new case is assigned a 12007440001000020 number. It is combined with the 11807440001000013 case into one proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2020-08-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20200809","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. V. Pyatitsky, Senior Investigator of the Department for Investigation of Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Rostov Region, initiates a criminal case against 6 believers: Nikita Moiseyev, Aleksey Gorely, Yevgeny Razumov, Aleksey Dyadkin, Oleg Shidlovsky and Vladimir Popov. They are charged with committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the believers' guilt lies in the fact that they \"convened meetings of fellow believers, prayed and sang songs to Jehovah God.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Moiseyev and Others in Gukovo","date":"2020-08-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/gukovo/index.html#20200807","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two criminal cases were brought against Vyacheslav Ivanov from the town of Nevelsk under the same part of the \"extremist\" article (part 2 of article 282.2). Two large law enforcement agencies use serious resources to prosecute a civilian for believing in God and talking about the Bible.\nThe first criminal case was initiated by the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Nevelsk urban district. On August 29, 2019 Senior Lieutenant Ilya Antonov accepted the case for proceedings under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the grounds that Vyacheslav Ivanov \"by prior conspiracy bypassed the residents [...] of the city of Nevelsk on behalf of a representative of a religious organization\".\nThe second case was initiated by the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Sakhalin region, located in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. On October 14, 2019 Senior Lieutenant D.S. Melnikov initiated and accepted for investigation another criminal case under the same article against Vyacheslav Ivanov on the basis of the report of the operative officer. According to this document, the believer \"is an active member of a religious association... Jehovah's Witnesses\" and \"involved new individuals in it.\"\nAs a result, Vyacheslav Ivanov, forced to simultaneously respond to various investigators, filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office against the actions of the authorities. However, Aleksandr Metelsky, senior assistant to the prosecutor of the Sakhalin region, refused to satisfy his complaint and \"found no reason to connect the two criminal cases.\nBy mid-July 2020, a FSB investigator was ahead of his colleague from the Interior Ministry. On 14 July D. S. Melnikov brought an official charge against Vyacheslav Ivanov. He believes that the believer participated in criminal activity \"on the instructions of Sergey Kulakov or Yevgeniy Elin\" and \"together with Kulakov and Kozlitin conducted psychological processing of Nevelsk residents in order to involve them in the activities of \"Jehovah's Witnesses\". (It is noteworthy that the entire family of Kulakovs — Kulakov Sergey and Kulakova Tatyana, as well as their son, Kulakov Dmitriy — are persecuted for their faith by various agencies).\nWhat is happening to Vyacheslav Ivanov is not the first time that the state has spared neither efforts nor means to fight peaceful believers. For example, Nikolay Polevodov and Stanislav Kim from Khabarovsk are tried for their faith in two courts at once, while criminal cases on \"extremist\" articles have been reopened against Venera Dulova, her daughter Daria and Aleksandr Pryanikov after the conviction.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly accept the religion of citizens for participation in the extremist organization's activities. The Russian government has repeatedly stated that the decisions of Russian courts to liquidate and ban Jehovah's Witnesses organizations \"do not evaluate the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrine, and do not contain restrictions or prohibitions on individual practice of the above doctrine.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-07-31T13:20:00+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/2020/07/23.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Two separate criminal charges were filed against a Sakhalin-based believer based on the same subpart of the legal code","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Astakhov decides to separate the criminal case against Aleksey Shcherbich into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk","date":"2020-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk3/index.html#20200730","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"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":"In a press release of the Investigative Committee it is reported that on July 13, 2020, more than 110 searches were conducted in Voronezh and the region, two criminal cases were initiated under Article 282.2(1) of the Criminal Code and a few people were detained. Within one day, approximately 60 families have confirmed that their homes were raided\nA few people reported that they were beaten by law enforcement officials. Details are being clarified. The news will be updated.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-07-14T13:20:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/07/15/image_hu_bc8640476f4c5f86.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/07/15/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/07/15/image_hu_e6ec06e2c976f173.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/07/15/image_hu_bd26d7799bede9d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/07/15.html","regions":["voronezh"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","ivs","siloviks-violence"],"title":"The Largest Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses in Modern History: 110 Searches in One Day Throughout the Voronezh Region","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":"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":"The investigator opens a criminal case against Roman Zhivolupov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyanov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-07-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod2/index.html#20200709","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel A. V. Guselnikov, investigator for particularly important cases of the First Investigation Department of the Fourth Investigative Directorate located in Yekaterinburg of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, issued a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code against Aminzhanov, Boronos, Burenescu, Gargalyk, Zhukov, Kayryak, Kim, Kobotov, Kozak, Loginov, Petrov, Plekhov, Romashov, Rysikov, Trifonov and Fefilov. The case is combined into one proceeding with the one initiated earlier under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2020-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20200708","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel A. V. Guselnikov, investigator for particularly important cases of the First Investigation Department of the Fourth Investigative Directorate located in Yekaterinburg of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, issued a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code against Aminzhanov, Boronos, Burenescu, Gargalyk, Zhukov, Kayryak, Kim, Kobotov, Kozak, Loginov, Petrov, Plekhov, Romashov, Rysikov, Trifonov and Fefilov. The case is combined into one proceeding with the one initiated earlier under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2020-07-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20200708","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"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":"The 1st Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Voronezh Region initiates 2 criminal cases under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 11 believers: Antyukhin Aleksey (44 years old), Sergey Baev (47 years old), Mikhail Veselov (51 years old), Galka Yuriy (44 years old), Gursky Valery (56 years old), King Alexander (29 years old), Nerush Vitaliy (41 years old), Stepan Pankratov (24 years old), Igor Popov (54 years old), Evgeny Sokolov (44 years old) and Anatoly Yagupov (51 years old).\nAccording to investigators, from June 2018 to February 2020, the suspects and other unidentified persons were active members of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Central, Voronezh\". It is alleged that they took organizational actions aimed at continuing the activities of the banned religious organization in the city of Voronezh and the Voronezh region.\nThe case is being investigated by the investigator for especially important cases Ilya Bichev and others, with the active participation of the head of the department Andrey Shevelev. The investigation of the case is under the control of the head of the regional investigation department.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sokolov and Others in Voronezh","date":"2020-07-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/voronezh/index.html#20200703","regions":["voronezh"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Department of the FSB of Russia in the Kemerovo region - Kuzbass, senior lieutenant of justice Ivan Sablin makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against 51-year-old Andrei Vlasov, who has a disability. For his faith, he is suspected of 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).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vlasov in Prokopyevsk","date":"2020-07-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/prokopevsk/index.html#20200702","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice M. Loy, investigator of the 2nd branch of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB of Russia, initiates a criminal case against Maxim Beltikov under Part 2 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a banned extremist organization).\nIn the decision to institute criminal proceedings, the investigator uses the following wording: \"participated in religious teaching and sermons, during which ... conducted and listened to lectures based on religious literature, entered into conversations and religious discussions, participated in collective discussions of the content of religious books.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Beltikov in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya2/index.html#20200623","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice Vitaliy Veter, investigator of the 2nd branch of the Krasnodar Territory Directorate of the FSB of Russia, initiates a criminal case against Vladimir Skachidub under Part 2 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of a banned extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Skachidub in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-06-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya3/index.html#20200623","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On June 18, 2020 in the town of Nazarovo there were mass searches in the homes of local believers. An armed detachment of security officers invaded the homes of the Shulyuk spouses. As a result, Ivan Shulyuk, 43, was detained. In the same morning, a criminal case was opened against him, based on the materials of operational and search activities of the “FSB for 33rd Guards Rocket Army”.\nIvan Shulyuk is an investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Nazarovo district of Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Lieutenant of Justice D. Smolin initiated a criminal case under part 1 of article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the materials of operational and search activities, the believer is allegedly \"a leader with wide functionality\" and \"forms a stable opinion about the need to continue the activities of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses despite its ban\". The list of grounds for initiation of criminal proceedings includes \"discussion of biblical writings, prayer\".\nAt 6:35 a.m. on June 18, investigator Smolin presented the believers with a decree to \"search in cases that do not require delay.” In the dwellings of the local citizens, law enforcers searched for electronic devices and \"objects of extremist paraphernalia\" to confirm \"the existence of an organization of extremist orientation and participation in its activities.”\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":"2020-06-19T16:34:00+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/2020/06/15.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"“FSB for 33rd Guards Rocket Army” Enters Into Battle With Believers in Krasnoyarsk Territory","type":"news"},{"body":"Early in the morning in Nazarov, mass searches are carried out simultaneously in at least 12 houses of local believers. The victims of the searches are 28 people, including children. Most of them are interrogated.\nLieutenant of Justice V. D. Smolin, investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Nazarovsky District of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, presents to the believers a decree on \"conducting a search in cases that do not require delay.\" The security forces are looking for electronic devices and \"objects of extremist paraphernalia\" to confirm \"the existence of an organization of extremist orientation and participation in its activities.\"\nAs a result of these searches, 43-year-old Ivan Shulyuk was detained. He is placed in a temporary detention center for three days. A criminal case was opened against him under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the materials of the case, the believer is allegedly a \"leader with broad functionality\" and \"forms a stable opinion about the need to continue the activities of the religious organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses\" despite its ban.\" The list of grounds for initiating a criminal case includes \"discussion of biblical writings, prayer.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shulyuk in Nazarovo","date":"2020-06-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nazarovo/index.html#20200618","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior Investigator for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Astrakhan Region N. P. Banko initiates a criminal case against Sergey Klikunov, Rustam Diarov, Yevgeniy Ivanov and his wife, Olga. Klikunov, Diarov and Ivanov are charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities). Olga Ivanova is charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 (participation in extremist activities).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Ivanov and Others in Astrakhan","date":"2020-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/astrakhan/index.html#20200608","regions":["astrakhan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Captain of Justice E. A. Golotin, investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB Directorate for the Kaliningrad Region, initiates a criminal case against 52-year-old M. V. Kopytov on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Kopytov's case in Kaliningrad","date":"2020-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaliningrad/index.html#20200608","regions":["kaliningrad"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice G. 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, initiates five new criminal cases against 61-year-old Nina Astvatsaturova, 29-year-old Roman Verigin, 34-year-old Violetta Verigina, 53-year-old Ludwiga Katanaeva and 47-year-old Elena Tsorn.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2020-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20200608","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"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, opens five new criminal cases against 61-year-old Nina Astvatsaturova, 29-year-old Roman Verigin, 34-year-old Violetta Verigina, 53-year-old Ludwiga Katanaeva and 47-year-old Elena Tsorn.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Verigins and Kartayganov in Vladivostok","date":"2020-06-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok15/index.html#20200608","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Stavropol Territory, Major of Justice Astakhov A.V. initiates a new criminal case against Konstantin Samsonov, Alexander Akopov, Shamil Sultanov and Alexei Shcherbich. All of them are charged under Part 1 of Article 282.3 (collection of funds for the needs of an extremist organization).\nAccording to the ruling, the defendants \"were aware that the money would be intended as to support the activities of an extremist organization.\"\nThis new criminal case has been separated into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2020-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20200605","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Astakhov initiates a new criminal case under the article on financing the activities of an extremist organization against Shcherbich, Samsonov, Akopov and Sultanov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk","date":"2020-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk3/index.html#20200605","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee Maria Dedyura initiates a criminal case against Liya Maltseva under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The believer is accused of participating in the activities of a religious association banned by the court.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Maltseva in Partizansk","date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk2/index.html#20200601","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 19, 2020 the investigation expanded the list of defendants in the second criminal case of Pryanikov and others in Karpinsk. New suspects were Anastasia Pryanikova and the Zalyaevs. Now three Uralian families are being prosecuted on far-fetched extremism charges.\nIt is noteworthy that three of the six suspects, Aleksandr Pryanikov, as well as Venera and Darya Dulova (a mother and her daughter), have already been sentenced to suspended terms on charges of involvement in extremist activities in January 2020. The court decision was appealed, while a new criminal case was opened against the believers under part 1.1 of article 282.2 (\"involvement in an extremist organization\"), which implies a more severe punishment - up to 8 years in prison.\nIn March the house of Ruslan and Svetlana Zalyaev was searched as part of the investigation of this case. On the 19th of May they together with Aleksandr Pryanikov's wife Anastasia were included in the list of suspects under part 2 of article 282.2, and two days later A.S. Spirin, senior investigator of the Investigative Department of Krasnoturyinsk city, took from them a recognizance not to live and proper behavior.\nIt is noteworthy that Ruslan Zalyaev is not a Jehovah's Witness, nevertheless he is suspected of \"participating in the activities of the Local Religious Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Krasnoturinsk by [...] holding conversations in order to promote religious exclusivity.\"\nIt is clear from the decree on the measure of restraint for believers that criminal prosecution is carried out on religious grounds. Svetlana Zalyayeva, the Pryanikovs and the Dulovs family are charged with the fact that they have not stopped communicating with others about God and gather for religious meetings - similar accusations have been made against entire families in the past.\n\"Harmless believers are accused of 'grave crimes,' but there are no victims or any signs of real crimes against the individual or the state in the case,\" comments Yaroslav Sivulsky of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, noting that groundless religious repression leads to open condemnation of Russia by the international community.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-05-28T13:45:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/05/20/image_hu_2d0903fd643331b5.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/05/20/image_hu_ba79b5bab4143086.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/05/20/image_hu_12e70f6b89c34f3c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/05/20/image_hu_cd75a6b8b5ab82ce.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/05/20.html","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["families","new-case","282.2-2","282.2-1.1"],"title":"Three More People Prosecuted for Their Faith in the Sverdlovsk Region. Six Defendants Are in the Case Now","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Moscow Region Yevgeny Dymchenko initiates a criminal case against Sergey Oganyan. He charges the believer with a crime under three articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: Part 1 of Article 282.2, Part 1.1, Article 282.2 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 (organization, involvement and participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ohanyan in Vlasikha","date":"2020-05-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vlasikha/index.html#20200528","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"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":"At 6 a.m., Valery Zarubin, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Kerch Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, opens a criminal case against Artem Shabliy under Part 1.1. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The reason for the initiation of the case is the report from the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.\nSearches are being carried out at five addresses where local believers live. One of them is in the house of Artem Shabliy. During the 3-hour special events, the believer is not allowed to get dressed, as a result, he falls ill. Artyom's 4-year-old son injures his legs on shards of window pane that the security forces knocked out during the assault. Artem is detained and placed in an isolation ward.\nSix believers, including the elderly, are being interrogated.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shabliy in Kerch","date":"2020-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kerch/index.html#20200526","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","search","ivs","health-risk"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the FSB Directorate for the Khabarovsk Territory is initiating criminal case No. 12007080001000035 against Yen Sen Li and Yegor Baranov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and No. 12007080001000037 under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranov and Li in Vyazemskiy","date":"2020-05-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vyazemskiy/index.html#20200526","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. S. Spirin, senior investigator of the Krasnoturyinsk Investigative Directorate, initiates criminal cases against Anastasia Pryanikova, Ruslan and Svetlana Zalyaev. All three were chosen as a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\nThe head of the SO combines the new case into one proceeding with the case of Pryanikov and others in Karpinsk. The criminal case is assigned No. 12002650042000009.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-05-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20200519","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","recognizance-agreement"],"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":"A criminal case has been opened against Dmitry Dolzhikov \"on the fact of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.\" Subsequently, the investigation was repeatedly suspended and resumed.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Dolzhikov in Novosibirsk","date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk8/index.html#20200513","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"Lieutenant P. Filishkan, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Zheleznodorozhny district of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against 53-year-old Vitaly Sukhov, father of four minor children.\nAccording to the ruling, he is suspected of \"acting under the direction and being in direct canonical subordination\" of a banned local religious organization \"organized religious performances and services.\"\n","caseTitle":"Sukhov's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2020-05-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk6/index.html#20200508","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Maisky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic is initiating a criminal case against Kirill Gushchin for his faith under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The case is assigned No. 12002830005000024.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Gushchin in Mayskiy","date":"2020-05-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/mayskiy2/index.html#20200507","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department for the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates criminal case No. 12002080009000066 on the grounds of a crime under Part 1.1. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (inducement, recruitment or other involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"The case of Aliyev in Komsomolsk-on-Amur","date":"2020-04-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/komsomolsk/index.html#20200430","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the investigation department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Saratov region extends the period of the preliminary investigation in the criminal case by 2 months, and in total up to 5 months, that is, until June 29, 2020.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seidkuliev in Saratov","date":"2020-04-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov2/index.html#20200429","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia for the Krasnodar Territory is initiating a criminal case against Aleksandr Ivshin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to investigators, in the period from March 6, 2020 to April 23, 2020, 62-year-old Aleksandr Ivshin organized religious performances and worship in Abinsk via video link with joint singing of biblical songs.\nThe Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar gives permission for searches in the home of Alexander Ivshin and others.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Ivshin in Kholmskaya","date":"2020-04-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kholmskaya/index.html#20200423","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A.N. Kolerov, investigator of the 2nd division of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Krasnodar Territory, initiates a criminal case against Lyudmila Shchekoldina under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe accusation is based on the report of the agent of the special services Ilchenko that Lyudmila tried to involve him in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how he regarded Shchekoldina's suggestion to become better acquainted with biblical teachings.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Shchekoldina in Pavlovskaya","date":"2020-04-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovskaya/index.html#20200423","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Khakassia, a criminal case has been initiated, in which six believers become defendants at once. This case is separated from the criminal case initiated earlier against Roman and Valentina Baranovskiy.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Vergunov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan2/index.html#20200420","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Khakassia, a criminal case is initiated, the defendants of which are six believers at once: Alexei Baikalov, Pyotr Bozykov, Roman Ostapenko, as well as Irina Sidorova, Matryona Spiriadi and Alexander Vergunov.\nThis case is separated from the criminal case of Roman and Valentina Baranovskiy.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Baykalov and Others in Abakan","date":"2020-04-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan3/index.html#20200420","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning on Saturday, April 11, 2020, in the midst of quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, in the city of Teykovo, Ivanovo Region, security forces invaded the apartments of four believers' families, exposing them to the risk of contracting a deadly disease. This time there were no detentions, but electronic devices and personal belongings were seized from believers.\nThe reason for the searches was a criminal case on the organization of extremist activities (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), initiated on April 10, 2020 by the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Ivanovo region. According to the sad tradition, the investigators considered extremism to be the practice of worship and conversations with people about God, which is familiar to Jehovah's Witnesses around the world. During the searches, law enforcement officers were looking for evidence that four men (the eldest of them is 64 years old, and the youngest is 50 years old) continued the activities of the \"banned local religious organization\" of believers.\nDuring the search, the believers and their families experienced stress. \"The pressure has risen. I was worried about my wife and daughter, who were also worried. The daughter shared later that at first she was scared, but then she prayed and saw a photo of our family on the wall, it helped her calm down a little, \"said one of the owners of the apartment where the search took place.\nAccording to him, the security forces seized his daughter's tablet, depriving her of the opportunity to study - due to the quarantine associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the girl is undergoing distance learning.\nThis time there were no arrests, but electronic devices and personal belongings were seized from believers. Some believers were not provided with a copy of the search protocol by the security forces. All were issued summons to appear for interrogation, scheduled for April 16 and 17, 2020.\nIn the Ivanovo region, criminal cases have been initiated against 10 people. The case of one of the believers, Yevgeniy Spirin, is already being heard in court.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2020-04-14T08:52:00+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/2020/04/9.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","health-risk","282.2-1","new-case","elderly"],"title":"Series of Searches in the Ivanovo Region. Security Officials Seek Evidence of Jehovah's Witnesses Activity","type":"news"},{"body":"A criminal case is initiated on the organization of the activities of a \"banned organization\". Four people are suspects. The eldest of them is 64 years old, and the youngest is 50 years old.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vasichkin and Others in Teykovo","date":"2020-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/teykovo/index.html#20200410","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the Directorate for the Jewish Autonomous Region of the FSB of Russia, by his decision, suspended the preliminary investigation in the criminal case against Tatyana Sholner. (The suspension of the preliminary investigation is a necessary measure due to the inability to complete the preliminary investigation without the participation of the accused or suspect due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus infection.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Scholner in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-04-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan13/index.html#20200406","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 30, 2020, in Karpinsk, security forces again searched the homes of Venera Dulova and her daughter, Daria, as well as Aleksandr Pryanikov, who received suspended sentences on extremism charges at the end of January. The security forces also invaded the apartment of another family in the city of Volchansk (Sverdlovsk region).\nThe believers were involved in a new criminal case. Digital media and electronic devices were seized from them. After the searches, law enforcement officers interrogated Aleksandr Pryanikov and his wife, Anastasia, and searched their car.\nIt is noteworthy that the search warrant was issued by Svetlana Gabbasova, the same judge of the Karpinsky City Court who had previously sentenced Dulov and Pryanikov to suspended sentences; both then and now, investigator Vladimir Sudin initiated a criminal case. In addition to him, investigators A. Spirin and A. Ovchinnikov participated in the searches.\nThe decision to initiate a new criminal case was signed on February 18, 2020. If the last time believers were accused and found guilty under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization), then in the framework of a new case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization), three believers are accused of talking about God with residents of Karpinsk. At the same time, witnesses appear in the case, \"whose true data is kept secret.\"\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-04-02T08:40:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/04/2/image_hu_f4857a1079465ea9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/04/2/image_hu_fd872bc8b1e95df3.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/04/2/image_hu_b014f2fdb6094e02.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/04/2/image_hu_927af9760f9fa97d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/04/2.html","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","families","new-case","282.2-1.1"],"title":"A Criminal Case for Faith Reopened Against the Already Convicted Residents of Karpinsk. A Series of Searches Took Place","type":"news"},{"body":"On March 25, 2020, investigator K.O. Zhuikov opened a criminal case against Anatoly Gorbunov, a 62-year-old resident of Krasnoyarsk. The believer was accused of continuing the activities of an \"extremist organization\" for meeting with fellow believers.\nAnatoly Gorbunov became the tenth believer who is persecuted for his Christian beliefs in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.\nIn the decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Zhuikov indicates that the believer \"held religious meetings ... in order to continue the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses contrary to the ban\", implying the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 17, 2017.\nIn 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. The wording used by the investigator underlines the widespread practice of Russian law enforcement agencies to mistakenly generalize the concept of a legal entity and the believers themselves.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-03-31T14:31:00+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/03/12/image_hu_31cce20a7e0c72be.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/03/12/image.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/03/12/image_hu_f30ac044dee07c8f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/03/12/image_hu_b88d5a41f826687d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/03/12.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"title":"The Tenth Criminal Case for Christian Convictions in Krasnoyarsk Territory; 62-year-old Believer Accused of Extremism","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator Oleg Makerov initiates a criminal case against Sergey Verkhoturov's wife Victoria under Part 2 of Article 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This criminal case is being investigated separately.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Verhoturov in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod4/index.html#20200326","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["282.2-2","new-case","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigation Department for the Oktyabrsky District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia Zhuikov K.O. initiates criminal case No. 12002040005000014 under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Anatoly Gorbunov.\nAccording to investigators, Gorbunov's guilt lies in the fact that he organized religious meetings with fellow believers, which allegedly indicates the leadership of the activities of the banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Gorbunov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2020-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk5/index.html#20200325","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. S. Melnikov, investigator of the FSB Investigative Directorate, initiates a criminal case under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Tatyana Kulakova. The criminal case was assigned the number 12007640001000006.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kulakovs and Others in Nevelsk","date":"2020-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevelsk3/index.html#20200320","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"All three criminal cases are combined into one.\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-03-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20200317","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case against Sergey Komissarov is separated into a separate proceeding from the case of Alexei Khabarov. The case is assigned No. 42007580001000012.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Komissarov in Porkhov","date":"2020-03-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov2/index.html#20200316","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The term of the preliminary investigation in the criminal case is extended until May 19, 2020.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Stepanov and Baranov in Vologda","date":"2020-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vologda/index.html#20200312","regions":["vologda"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 6, 2020, criminal cases were opened in Birobidzhan on suspicion of extremism against six women. Two more criminal cases - against citizens Andrei Gubin and Oleg Postnikov - were initiated on February 12. In total, 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.\nThe cases against 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Natalia Krieger were initiated by D. Yankin, a senior forensic investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region.\nAll six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Investigator D. Yankin opened a similar case against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin.\nIn relation to 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov, the case under the same article was initiated by the senior investigator of the investigation department of the FSB I. Fedorov.\nEarlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky. All four men are under recognizance agreement. The cases of Guzev and Lokhvitsky are already being considered in the Birobidzhan District Court.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-02-18T17:58:05+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/2020/02/66.html","regions":["jewish"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"title":"In Birobidzhan, the Investigator Accused Eight of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Number of Criminal Cases for Faith in the City Reaches 19","type":"news"},{"body":"The case against Stepan Adamov shall be combined into one proceeding with this criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Nikiforov and Others in Chekhov","date":"2020-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov/index.html#20200218","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The criminal case of Stepan Adamov is combined with the criminal case initiated in September 2019 against believers from Chekhov: Yuri and Zinaida Krutyakov, Konstantin Zherebtsov and Vitaly Nikiforov, accused of extremism.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Adamov in Chekhov","date":"2020-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov2/index.html#20200218","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Sudedan, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department for Krasnoturyinsk of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, initiates criminal cases against Venera and Daria Dulov and Alexander Pryanikov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It was he who had previously initiated the criminal prosecution of three believers, which eventually turned into suspended sentences for them. The decisions to initiate criminal cases include secret witnesses, according to whom the believers allegedly involved them \"in the activities of a banned religious organization.\" The investigation of the second case of Pryanikov and others in Karpinsk begins.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20200218","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Vladimir Sudedan, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department for Krasnoturyinsk of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, initiates criminal cases against Venera and Daria Dulov and Alexander Pryanikov under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It was he who had previously initiated the criminal prosecution of three believers, which eventually turned into a suspended sentence for them. The decisions to initiate criminal cases include secret witnesses, according to whom the believers allegedly involved them \"in the activities of a banned religious organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Second Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2020-02-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk2/index.html#20200218","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case","secret-witness","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin opens a criminal case against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and his colleague I. Fedorov against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Now the number of criminal cases in Birobidzhan reaches 19.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin is initiating another case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin is initiating another case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"The case of I. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan14/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin is initiating another case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan15/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin is initiating another case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzeva in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan16/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator D. Yankin initiates two more cases under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - against 41-year-old Natalia Kriger and 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"The Kriger Case in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan17/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior criminal investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates another criminal case for his faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - against 46-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A week earlier, on 06.02.2020, investigator D. Yankin opened 6 similar cases at once against 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Natalia Krieger. Even earlier, the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev - became accused under similar articles. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky. A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gubin in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan18/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior forensic investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates another criminal case for his faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - against 44-year-old Andrey Gubin. On the same day, I. Fedorov, a senior investigator of the FSB Investigation Department, opened a similar case against 55-year-old Oleg Postnikov. (A week earlier, on 06.02.2020, investigator D. Yankin opened 6 similar cases at once against 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Natalia Krieger. Even earlier, the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev - became accused under similar articles. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky. A total of 19 criminal cases were initiated against 22 believers in the city.)\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Postnikovs in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan19/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"FSB investigator I. K. Fedorov opened a criminal case against Shishenko under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shishenko in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan29/index.html#20200212","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Denis Shevchenko initiates a criminal case against Lyudmila Shut on the basis of suspicions of her participation in an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Lyudmila is a disabled person of the II group. For health reasons, she can move only with the help of others or on crutches.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shut in Razdolnoye","date":"2020-02-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volno-nadezhdinskoye2/index.html#20200210","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly","disability"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"During the day, D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates six criminal cases at once against Natalia Kriger (born in 1979), Irina Lokhvitskaya (born in 1962), Anna Lokhvitskaya (born in 1993), Tatyana Scholner (born in 1993), Tatyana Zagulina (born in 1984) and Anastasia Guzeva (born in 1978) under the same article - part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Three of them already have husbands involved in a similar article.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 6 criminal cases for faith against 6 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Nataliya Kriger . All six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of A. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan12/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 6 criminal cases for faith against 6 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Nataliya Kriger . All six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Scholner in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan13/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 6 criminal cases for faith against 6 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Nataliya Kriger . All six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"The case of I. Lokhvitskaya in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan14/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 6 criminal cases for faith against 6 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Nataliya Kriger . All six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zagulina in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan15/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 6 criminal cases for faith against 6 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina, 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva and 41-year-old Nataliya Kriger . All six women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzeva in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan16/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Yankin, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates 5 criminal cases for faith against 5 women at once: 57-year-old Irina Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Anna Lokhvitskaya, 26-year-old Tatyana Sholner, 35-year-old Tatyana Zagulina and 40-year-old Anastasia Guzeva. All women are charged with part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, they resumed the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Birobidzhan, which was liquidated in 2016, as well as the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. (Earlier, the defendants in the criminal case under similar articles were the husbands of Natalia Krieger, Tatyana Zagulina and Anastasia Guzeva - Valery Krieger, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. And Irina and Anna Lokhvitsky were prosecuted after their son and husband Artur Lokhvitsky.)\n","caseTitle":"The Kriger Case in Birobidzhan","date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan17/index.html#20200206","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal case No. 11901220089000242 against Sergei Verkhoturov is accepted for its proceedings by the senior investigator of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice O. V. Makerov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Verhoturov in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2020-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod4/index.html#20200205","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal case No. 11901660013000061 is merged into one proceeding with criminal case No. 11901660013000065. The new criminal case was assigned No. 11901660013000061.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vladimirova and Galkevich in Smolensk","date":"2020-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk/index.html#20200204","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is being initiated against 66-year-old Stepan Adamov from Chekhov near Moscow. Thus, Adamov becomes the sixth believer in this city, persecuted for his beliefs.\nThe case is being conducted by the investigator for especially important cases, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Y. Kobylyatsky. He believes that a sufficient reason for initiating a criminal case against Adamov is that the believer \"interpreted the Bible, read a prayer to Jehovah God, explaining religious concepts [...], citing examples from life.\" The investigator interprets Adamov's actions as a continuation of the activities of a banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Nikiforov and Others in Chekhov","date":"2020-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov/index.html#20200131","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","elderly","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases of the first investigation department of the second department for the investigation of especially important cases (crimes against state power and in the sphere of economy) of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region Kobylyatsky Y. I. initiates a criminal case against 67-year-old Stepan Adamov on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe ruling states that the believer, \"while in the car, [...] assisted in teaching, interpreted the Bible and read a prayer to Jehovah God, explaining the religious concepts of the religious movement of the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses, giving examples from life.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Adamov in Chekhov","date":"2020-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov2/index.html#20200131","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case was opened against Khabarov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. An investigation begins.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov","date":"2020-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov/index.html#20200129","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Sergey Sirotin, investigator of the Leninsky District Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Saratov Region, initiates a criminal case against Rustam Seidkuliev under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, accusing him of participating in the activities of a religious association banned by the court.\nThe resolution states that, while on the territory of the Leninsky district of Saratov, Rustam Seidkuliev took part in the activities of the local division of the religious organization, namely in conversations about the Bible and in attracting new participants.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seidkuliev in Saratov","date":"2020-01-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov2/index.html#20200129","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In the early morning in Pechora, security forces conduct searches at 12 addresses. 68-year-old Pavel Ogorodov, 60-year-old Gennady Polyakevich, 28-year-old Maksim Terentyev and 43-year-old Gennady Skutelets were arrested.\nOgorodov and Terentyev were released on the same day.\nThe investigator of the Department for Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the TFR, A. Belov, initiates a criminal case against Polyakevich and Skutelets under Article 282.2 (parts 1 and 2, respectively) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polyakevich and Others in Pechora","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pechora/index.html#20200128","regions":["komi"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal case No. 11902711019033037 against unidentified persons on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation stands out from the materials of the criminal case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2020-01-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20200128","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 26, 2019, as a result of a series of searches in the closed city of Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), a local resident, Aleksandr Kabanov, was detained and later released. A criminal case was opened against the believer under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nLaw enforcement officers believe that Aleksandr Kabanov organized the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses of Zelenogorsk. In particular, he is suspected of \"holding weekly religious meetings, distributing religious ... installations of the organization and the involvement of new adherents.\nAccording to the materials of the case, the grounds for the detention of the believer are the \"obvious traces of a crime\" discovered during the search, while it is not specified which items found indicate the guilt of Kabanov in committing a \"particularly grave crime.\"\nThe case is being investigated by the head of the Investigation Department for Zelenogorsk, Colonel of Justice Oleg Kolosov. Y. Ufimtsev, senior investigator of the Investigative Department for the Closed Administrative Territory of Zelenogorsk, operatives of the FSB of Russia A. Bolatov, O. Panov and D. Lobanov were also involved in the investigation.\nAlexander Kabanov became the ninth resident of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, whom the authorities suspect of extremist activity. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison just for believing in Jehovah God.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-01-23T11:01:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2020/01/24/image_hu_d9de51e55f20a72a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2020/01/24/image_hu_454663a50b656c8a.jpg","webp":"/news/2020/01/24/image_hu_cbb8a2635ac730de.webp","webp2x":"/news/2020/01/24/image_hu_f4ad620d440ec14d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2020/01/24.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search","elderly"],"title":"Faith As a Felony: New Details of the Criminal Case Against a Peaceful Civilian in Zelenogorsk","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Trans-Baikal Territory is initiating a case of extremism against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kutsenko in Chita","date":"2020-01-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chita2/index.html#20200120","regions":["zabaykalsky"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Maksim Zaitsev initiated a criminal case against Aleksandr Vospitanyuk (born in 1979), the father of two minor children, under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2020-01-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20200117","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"Alexander Chepenko, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Chelyabinsk Region, initiates a criminal case against 74-year-old Vladimir Suvorov under the article \"organization of extremist activity\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The decision to initiate the case states that Suvorov organized meetings of fellow believers, during which they prayed to Jehovah together and sang religious songs. The investigator interprets these actions as a continuation of the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Chelyabinsk\", which was liquidated after the decision of the Supreme Court to liquidate 396 legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Suvorov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2020-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk3/index.html#20200116","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly","families"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Maksim Zaitsev initiates a criminal case against Andrey Ryshkov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2020-01-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20200116","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 9, 2020, in Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), a criminal case was opened against 62-year-old Viktor Sagin two months after the search of his apartment. The man is charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity) because of his religious views in the complete absence of victims and the damage caused.\n\"Organized the activities of members of a banned organization on the territory of Achinsk and supervised their activities during weekly religious meetings, dissemination of religious and ideological attitudes of a banned organization,\" the decision to initiate a criminal case says. It is led by the investigator of the investigative department for the Achinsk district, Lieutenant of Justice Maria Lebedeva.\nOperational measures against the believers of Achinsk began in November 2019. Then Viktor Sagin and several other citizens were searched and interrogated, Bibles and spiritual books were seized from them.\n","category":"trial","date":"2020-01-15T16:18:05+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/2020/01/4.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search"],"title":"The first criminal case for faith was opened in Achinsk. Earlier, the suspect seized the \"instrument of crime\" - the Bible","type":"news"},{"body":"The Rostov investigator of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Major Kalnitsky, opens another criminal case against 36-year-old Arsen Avanesov. The believer is accused of receiving donations to rent premises for meetings of fellow believers, which the investigator equates with financing extremist activities (part 1 of article 282.3). About two months ago, the same investigator opened a similar case against another Rostov resident, Semyon Baibak.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2020-01-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20200114","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for especially important cases Nikitin initiates a new criminal case against Bondarchuk and Yavushkin under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing of extremist activities). The joint criminal case retains the previous 11902320035000583 number.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2020-01-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20200113","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case has been opened against Viktor Sagin under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in connection with his religion.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sagin in Achinsk","date":"2020-01-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/achinsk/index.html#20200109","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior investigator of the Investigation Department for Georgievsk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Stavropol Ostya A.M. initiates a criminal case under two \"extremist\" articles. The investigator suspects Viktor Zimovskiy of organizing meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, interpreting this as a continuation of the activities of an extremist cell (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Also, the defendants in the case are a married couple Anatoly and Irina Gezik.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zimovskiy and others in Georgievsk","date":"2019-12-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/georgievsk/index.html#20191230","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigative unit of the Main Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Republic of Tatarstan initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It is investigated by R. U. Galimzyanov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bochkarevs and Obizhestvit in Kazan","date":"2019-12-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kazan/index.html#20191227","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 18, 2019, it became known about 2 more criminal cases for faith, this time in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Back in the spring, he opened a case against 44-year-old Alexander Kozlitin, and on December 10, 2019, he opened a hunt for 45-year-old Yevgeny Yelin.\nThe basis for the initiation of these criminal cases, according to D. S. Melnikov, is \"active participation in ... the religious group and the activities therein, including religion, religious rites and ceremonies, religious instruction and religious education.\" Yevgeny Elin is charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and Aleksandr Kozlitin is charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In fact, believers face real terms only for their religious activities, which were not prohibited by the court.\nThe first searches of Sakhalin believers took place on January 20, 2019 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Nevelsk and the village of Nogliki. Then, on February 25, under the guise of a \"survey of premises\", searches were conducted in the Kuril Islands. On October 17, CPE officers invaded the homes of believers in Kholmsk and Chekhov, and on October 24 in Nevelsk.\n","category":"other","date":"2019-12-24T15:31:09+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1495/depositphotos_75905113_7_1_hu_a7e12beae6cb7bec.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1495/depositphotos_75905113_7_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1495/depositphotos_75905113_7_1_hu_d58f9b884b44bb7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1495/depositphotos_75905113_7_1_hu_eb91f4ca8be731ca.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1495.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"New criminal cases on Sakhalin. Two more local believers turned out to be \"criminals\" only because of their faith","type":"news"},{"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":"Senior Investigator of the Investigation Department for the city of Murmansk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice A. Sokolova, issues a decision to initiate a \"criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against an unidentified person.\"\nAccording to the investigator's report, an unidentified person, \"acting intentionally and in concert in a group of persons, illegally organized in residential premises, as well as in other places, the activities of a local religious organization by holding meetings ... personal ascension of sermons... involvement of new persons, as well as other actions of an organizational nature.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Omelchenko in Murmansk","date":"2019-12-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/murmansk/index.html#20191223","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator for the Department of Internal Affairs of the Rybinsk Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Major of Justice Ufimtseva Y. A. initiates a criminal case against believers under Part 2, Article 282.2.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kabanov in Zelenogorsk","date":"2019-12-21T16:47:58+02:00","permalink":"/en/cases/zelenogorsk/index.html#20191221","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"On November 25, 2019, a second criminal case on extremism was initiated against Yevgeniy Yakku in Arkhangelsk. At the same time, he has already been under investigation since February of this year. In April, a court seized two cars belonging to the believer's family. The new criminal case was combined in one proceeding with the previous one.\nR. V. Shagarov, an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Committee, who is investigating the criminal case against Yevgeny Yakku, has expanded the scope of the charges: now, in addition to participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving others in its activities (parts 1.1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), the believer is also accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). This is a more serious charge, as Yakku now faces six to ten years in prison.\nIn addition to Yevgeniy Yakku, another resident of Arkhangelsk, 78-year-old Kaleria Mamykina, faced persecution for her faith, the criminal case against her was initiated on May 7, 2019, and the next day was merged with the Yakku case. Prior to this, the elderly woman had been under surveillance for more than a year.\nThe ranks of peaceful believers who profess a religion that is \"objectionable\" to law enforcement officers are constantly replenished. To date, at least 116 criminal cases have been opened against 300 Russians, and their number continues to grow steadily.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-12-17T14:35:04+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1476/ukrf_montazhnaya_oblast_1_edited_hu_d1a5946b1b07aa6b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1476/ukrf_montazhnaya_oblast_1_edited_hu_d33dec874c441bdf.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1476/ukrf_montazhnaya_oblast_1_edited_hu_1a160899306ca471.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1476/ukrf_montazhnaya_oblast_1_edited_hu_2c3db5adc4c777fe.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1476.html","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","belongings-arrest"],"title":"In Arkhangelsk, another criminal case was initiated against Yevgeniy Yakku for his faith","type":"news"},{"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":"Investigator Georgy Malykh charges Yevgeny Udintsev with organizing the activities of an \"extremist organization.\" The 70-year-old believer faces up to 10 years in prison.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2019-12-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20191213","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Deputy Head of the Investigation Department for Nevinnomyssk Sabadash V.V. initiates a criminal case against 60-year-old Sergey Kuznetsov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Rimma Vashchenko, Anatoliy Boyko, Georgiy and Tatyana Parfentyev, Evgenia Akhrameeva, Nadezhda Konkova and Karina Sahakyan are charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kuznetsov and Others in Nevinnomyssk","date":"2019-12-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevinnomyssk/index.html#20191212","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On December 6, 2019, repeated searches were carried out in the homes of residents of Surgut (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug), accused of extremism because of their religion. It is known about the searches of Ilkhom Aminzhanov and Timofey Zhukov. Less than a year has passed since believers in this city were tortured for their religious beliefs.\nIt is already known that the search took place in the apartments of Ilkhom Aminzhanov and Timofey Zhukov. The case against them under Articles 282.2 (1) and 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated on February 11, 2019. The search was led by the investigator of the investigation department for the city of Pyt-Yakh, senior lieutenant of justice Igonina Elena Olegovna. Electronic devices were seized from believers. Information about other possible searches is being clarified.\nThe wave of terror against peaceful believers in Surgut began on February 15, 2019, when, after mass searches accompanied by brutal torture, at least 15 people were detained and taken to the investigating authorities. And the total number of persons against whom criminal cases have been initiated in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug is now 22.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-12-10T15:32:53+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1461/search_01_0_hu_345f97689922c53.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1461/search_01_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1461/search_01_0_hu_3d24520b699a0e20.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1461/search_01_0_hu_2021c7bce5ce4c61.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1461.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"In Surgut, the flame of religious persecution does not subside. Two believers were again searched","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice, investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Sakhalin Region D. S. Melnikov initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 against Yevgeny Yelin.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kulakovs and Others in Nevelsk","date":"2019-12-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevelsk3/index.html#20191210","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It became known that the searches in Tynda, which took place on November 17, 2019, were carried out as part of a criminal case against four residents of Tynda - Sergey Yuferov, Valery Slashchev, Mikhail Burkov and Vladimir Bukin. All of them are accused of \"organizing meetings of followers ... religious organizations\".\nThe criminal case was initiated on November 11, 2019. The persecution of believers is carried out by the investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Amur Region, V. S. Obukhov. According to investigators, the defendants \"wanted an offensive ... socially dangerous consequences, acting out of extremist motives.\" They are charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nDuring the searches on November 17, 2019, electronic media, Bibles in the Synodal translation and even a napkin with a beautiful illustration, which the security forces considered suspicious, were seized. To date, 10 believers have already been prosecuted in the Amur Region.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-12-04T17:04:06+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/12/1446/312_edited_hu_3c81089fb7ef7662.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/12/1446/312_edited_hu_99cdaf48cf4c5211.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/12/1446/312_edited_hu_f7208f3419e7fe0e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/12/1446/312_edited_hu_60fde69805fd126c.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/12/1446.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"A new criminal case in the Amur Region. Four residents of Tynda were accused of extremism ","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":"On October 31, 2019, V. Obukhov, investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Amur Region, sent a request to the Zeya Hospital for a medical examination of Vasily Reznichenko, accused for his faith under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n\"Given the advanced age of the accused,\" the investigator writes to the chief physician, \"there is a need to identify the presence (absence) of diseases that prevent the serving of a sentence of imprisonment.\"\nThe case against the 77-year-old believer was initiated on March 11, 2019. Since March 21, 2019, he has been under recognizance not to leave.\nOn top of that, Vasiliy Reznichenko was included in the List of active terrorists and extremists. On this basis, the bank blocked all his savings.\nThe elderly believer is not guilty of anything. The Amur FSB, in particular investigator Obukhov, receives funding from taxpayers' funds to persecute ordinary believers who do not pose any threat.\nCivilians in the Amur Region have been prosecuted for more than a year simply because they believe in Jehovah God. In June 2018, it became known about the first searches in this region - in Blagoveshchensk. In March 2019, the same events took place in Zeya, and in November 2019 in Tynda.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-11-28T12:30:48+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/11/1417/reznichenko_veb_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_29cf2579f2a00dab.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/11/1417/reznichenko_veb_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_2383228708d39a47.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/11/1417/reznichenko_veb_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_776539759c1a914c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/11/1417/reznichenko_veb_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_c39a99c4b50bda75.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/11/1417.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","282.2-2","new-case","recognizance-agreement","rosfinmonitoring","liberty-deprivation"],"title":"Make sure that there are no obstacles to \"serving a sentence of imprisonment.\" The Amur FSB nobly sent a 77-year-old believer for a medical examination","type":"news"},{"body":"Investigator R. Shagarov initiates a new criminal case under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Yevgeniy Yakku - now he is charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2019-11-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20191125","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 11th criminal case for faith in Birobidzhan under Article 282.2 (2) - against Anastasia Sycheva. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-11-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20191120","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB Directorate for the Amur Region V. S. Obukhov initiates a criminal case against Sergey Yuferov, Valery Slashchev, Mikhail Burkov and Vladimir Bukin. All of them are accused of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Bukin and Others in Tynda","date":"2019-11-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tynda/index.html#20191111","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major Kalnitsky, Deputy Head of the First Investigation Department of the First Investigation Department of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia, is initiating another criminal case against 22-year-old Semyon Baybak under Part 1 of Article 282.3. Semyon is accused of collecting donations to rent a room for meetings of fellow believers. In this, the investigator sees the financing of an extremist organization banned by a court decision.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baybak in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-11-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don2/index.html#20191105","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On October 24, 2019, in the city of Nevelsk (Sakhalin), searches were conducted at the homes of 49-year-old Vyacheslav Ivanov and 22-year-old Dmitry Kulakov. This is the second criminal case for faith in the city.\nThe search warrants were issued by Polina Rykova, chairman of the Nevelsk City Court. The searches were conducted by D. Aimagambetova, a senior investigator of the city Department of Internal Affairs. The searches of believers were also supported by the prosecutor E. Pomogaeva.\nIn Nevelsk, 2 criminal cases for faith are being investigated. The first of them is being investigated by the SO of the FSB in the Sakhalin Region. This case was initiated in 2018 against 58-year-old Sergey Kulakov (father of Dmitry Kulakov). As a result, on January 20, 2019, the FSB conducted a series of searches in the homes of believers on Sakhalin. The second case is being investigated by the Department of Internal Affairs of the Nevelsk urban district. It was initiated at the end of August 2019 against Dmitry Kulakov and Vyacheslav Ivanov.\nInvestigator D. Aimagambetova believes that Vyacheslav Ivanov and Dmitry Kulakov \"conducted conversations\" with residents of one of the houses in Nevelsk, \"trying to impose on them the ideas that were preached by a religious association liquidated by a court decision, in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.\" During the search, personal notes, notebooks, various translations of the Bible and receipts for electricity were seized from believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-10-29T17:38:47+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1306/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_0_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1306/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_0_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1306/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_0_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1306/190206_saransk532_0_0_0_1_0_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1306.html","regions":["sakhalin"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","families"],"title":"A new criminal case for faith on Sakhalin. Searches were carried out","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 16, 2019, in the city of Novozybkov (Bryansk Region), a new criminal case was opened against 42-year-old believer Vladimir Khokhlov on suspicion of belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses. The investigation is being conducted by the Novozybkovsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Bryansk Region.\nAccording to the case file, Khokhlov is accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, as well as financing it (respectively, Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The case is being investigated by Senior Lieutenant of Justice I. Postevoy. The decision to initiate a criminal case against Khokhlov can be appealed.\nThis is the second criminal case that has been initiated against peaceful believers in Novozybkov. Earlier, as a result of mass searches in the Bryansk region , they stopped communicating and later arrested 31-year-old Olga Silaeva and 42-year-old Tatyana Shamsheva. They have been languishing in the Bryansk pre-trial detention center for more than 4 months.\nReading the Bible and peaceful meetings of believers continue to be misinterpreted by law enforcement agencies as participation in the activities of an extremist organization. Because of this loose interpretation of the \"extremist\" articles of the Criminal Code, the number of people persecuted only for their adherence to their religious views is steadily growing.\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-10-26T10:11:57+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1293/depositphotos_75905113_7_0_hu_a7e12beae6cb7bec.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1293/depositphotos_75905113_7_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1293/depositphotos_75905113_7_0_hu_d58f9b884b44bb7.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1293/depositphotos_75905113_7_0_hu_eb91f4ca8be731ca.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1293.html","regions":["bryansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"title":"Another criminal case for faith opened in the Bryansk region","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 21, 2019, V. S. Obukhov, an investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, issued a decision to initiate a new criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sergey Yermilov and Anton Olshevsky are now accused of extremism. Both were taken on their own recognizance.\nThis is not the first criminal case initiated against civilians in Blagoveshchensk. On July 20, 2018, searches were carried out in seven homes of believers in the city. One of them was Dmitry Golik, in whose apartment a listening device was installed. For almost six months, operatives listened to the details of the personal life of Dmitry and his wife. On January 21, 2019, Alexei Berchuk was detained at the Moscow airport and taken to Blagoveshchensk. Both men signed recognizance agreements. A preliminary investigation of the criminal case is underway.\nThus, the authorities of Blagoveshchensk interpret the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of religion as organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization. Sergey Yermilov and Anton Olshevskiy face real prison terms just because they believe in God.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-10-25T19:13:42+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1291/blagoveshchensk_0_hu_145f92ebc5eb5a7d.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1291/blagoveshchensk_0_hu_5fd67dc6b998858a.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1291/blagoveshchensk_0_hu_7291d7ce29a903f6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1291/blagoveshchensk_0_hu_fbb94a92841f67bb.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1291.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","recognizance-agreement","282.2-2"],"title":"In Blagoveshchensk, a new criminal case was opened for faith. Two men signed a recognizance agreement","type":"news"},{"body":"On the evening of October 10, 2019, groups of armed special forces broke down the doors and broke into the apartments of dozens of Sochi residents through the balcony. Both young and old were laid face down on the floor. The action, resembling a special operation against terrorists, turned out to be searches of those who believe in God differently from others.\nSearches in the homes of peaceful believers were carried out at at least 19 addresses in Sochi and its environs. Not only local security officials participated in the special operation, judging by the license plates, even outfits from the Rostov and Volgograd regions joined.\nThe reason for the raid in Sochi was a criminal case under the \" extremist\" article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which is being investigated by the senior investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Petrunnikov.\nThey stormed through the balcony. Vyacheslav and Yulia Popov are among those to whom special forces raided the apartment. The assault began at about 7 p.m. Armed masked men burst through the balcony, breaking the handrails. At this time, there were children at home who were very frightened and crying. The security forces immediately took Vyacheslav away for interrogation, then, presenting the decision of the judge of the Central District Court of Sochi, began a search that lasted more than an hour and a half. Cell phones, tablets and other computer equipment were seized from the family, as well as some printed publications, notebooks with personal notes and postcards.\nThe whole family is at gunpoint. On the same evening, employees of the Investigative Committee, accompanied by the National Guard, invaded the house of 26-year-old Normund Gudin. They forced the entire family, including Normund's parents and even his elderly grandmother, to lie on the floor at gunpoint. The search lasted more than three hours. During the search of another family, Vladislav and Alla Martynov, law enforcement officers planted a religious publication that did not belong to them. The security forces admitted that it was unpleasant for them themselves, but that was their job.\nA search warrant issued by Anna Voronkova, a judge of the Central District Court of Sochi, was presented as grounds for the intrusion.\nTwo believers in a pre-trial detention center. As a result of the raid on believers in Sochi, two people were detained - 68-year-old Nikolai Kuzichkin and 45-year-old Vyacheslav Popov. On October 11, a trial was held, Judge Shevelev decided to arrest them and place them in a pre-trial detention center until November 24. Believers came to support their relatives, friends and acquaintances, some gathered at the entrance to the building. They supported their fellow believers with applause as the paddy wagon took them to the place of detention.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-10-21T14:16:07+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1266/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_0_hu_629c956bfc528fb9.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1266/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1266/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_0_hu_5ec894a2047700ee.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1266/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_0_hu_195644e9b5393c11.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1266.html","regions":["krasnodar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","elderly","sizo","plant"],"title":"Elderly Woman Facing the Floor and Planted Material Evidence: Details of the Raid on Believers in Sochi","type":"news"},{"body":"V. S. Obukhov, investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Anton Olshevsky and Sergey Ermilov. According to investigators, Yermilov, together with Olshevsky, \"anticipating the onset of socially dangerous consequences, ... took a direct part in religious events.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olshevskiy and Others in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2019-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk/index.html#20191021","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. Kharlamov, Senior Investigator of the Investigation Department for the Leninsky District of Krasnoyarsk, initiates and accepts for his proceedings a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Eduard Belyaev. The case is based on the following arguments (according to the investigator): \"Being at a public transport stop on Glinka Street in Krasnoyarsk ... [Eduard Belyaev] committed actions of an organizational nature ... expressed in the involvement of new members in the activities of the religious organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses Krasnoyarsk\", the distribution among the members of the organization of extremist literature and software intended for distance learning of the basics of religion\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case). It is alleged that he also committed similar actions on June 22 and September 24, 2018, as well as on May 20 and September 10, 2019. (The text of the resolution is copied almost word for word from the decision to initiate a criminal case against Sergey Tolstonozhenko, signed by R. I. Kurbanov, an investigator of the SO for the Leninsky District of Krasnoyarsk.) ","caseTitle":"Case of Tolstonozhenko in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-10-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk3/index.html#20191021","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Two groups of SOBR surround the camp site, where the believers are at this time. Masked commandos break into the building and demand to hand over their phones and tablets. More than 50 people suffer from the actions of law enforcement officers. A number of those present were taken away for interrogation. At least 5 searches took place, which lasted an average of 5 hours.\nInvestigator of the Investigation Department for Norilsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, Senior Lieutenant of Justice V.E. Vazhenin initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nIn relation to Alexander Polozov, a preventive measure was chosen in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polozov and Shevelev in Norilsk","date":"2019-10-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/norilsk/index.html#20191020","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement","leisure-disruption"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department combines the criminal cases of Shamsheva, Silayeva and Zhinzhikov, Khokhlov into one proceeding. The investigation is conducted by Captain of Justice R. Y. Bogatyrev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov","date":"2019-10-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novozybkov/index.html#20191017","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Ilya Postevoy, investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Bryansk Region, initiates a criminal case against 42-year-old Vladimir Khokhlov and 47-year-old Eduard Zhinzhikov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov","date":"2019-10-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novozybkov/index.html#20191016","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 10th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Yulia Kaganovich. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-10-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20191010","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2) against 53-year-old Yuliya Kaganovich. According to the investigation, she \"committed deliberate actions related to the resumption and continuation of the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Birobidzhan.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kaganovich in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-10-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan6/index.html#20191010","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"On October 3, 2019, in the capital of the Republic of Mari El, searches were carried out in the homes of believers. According to preliminary data, the case under the article \"participation in the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) was initiated against 30-year-old Ekaterina Pegasheva, she was sent to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the city of Yoshkar-Ola. Thus, 7 women and 33 men are in various prisons in Russia for practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nIt is known about three searches in the case of Ekaterina Pegasheva: two took place in Yoshkar-Ola, one in the village of Pirogovo (Kirov region), where her mother lives. During the searches, books and videos, electronic devices, personal letters and documents were seized, including even a school certificate and a certificate of passing the exam. Other details of the incident are being clarified.\nThe number of criminal cases against peaceful believers is growing throughout the country, despite the explanation of the Government of the Russian Federation that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited and citizens have the right to practice it. This was recently confirmed by the district court in Kostroma.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-10-08T22:26:56+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/10/1202/yoshkar-ola_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_e72af37aa75d1f1c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/10/1202/yoshkar-ola_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_7805ecde99cd73d0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/10/1202/yoshkar-ola_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_df8ef87054fb48b9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/10/1202/yoshkar-ola_montazhnaya_oblast_1_hu_5350b2c269f17eb4.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/10/1202.html","regions":["mari-el"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","sizo"],"title":"A criminal case for faith in Yoshkar-Ola. A young woman was sent to jail","type":"news"},{"body":"The investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the Leninsky District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia, R.I. Kurbanov, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and accept it for its production.\nWhat did the investigator impute to the believer? \"In the period from 10.09.2018 to 20.05.2019, a more accurate time was not established by the investigation, Tolstonozhenko S.A. at the public transport stop \"Tire Crossroads\" on Glinka Street in Krasnoyarsk ... committed actions of an organizational nature ... expressed in the involvement of new members in the illegal activities of the religious organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses Krasnoyarsk\", the distribution among the participants of the organization of extremist literature and software intended for distance learning of the basics of religion\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case).\nAn identical text of the resolution is issued in relation to T. Feruleva: \"In the period from 20.06.2018 to 20.05.2019, a more exact time has not been established by the investigation, T. G. Feruleva, being at the public transport stop \"Tire Crossroads\" on Glinka Street in Krasnoyarsk ... committed actions of an organizational nature ... expressed in the involvement of new members in the illegal activities of the religious organization \"Jehovah's Witnesses Krasnoyarsk\", the distribution among the participants of the organization of extremist literature and software intended for distance learning of the basics of religion\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case). ","caseTitle":"Case of Tolstonozhenko in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-10-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk3/index.html#20191002","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"There is information in the media about the initiation of 5 criminal cases under Part 2 of Article 282.2 by the Chief Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia of the Moscow Region, including against Yuri Krutyakov, who, according to the investigation, was previously one of the founders of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Podolsk. The investigation believes that he attracted his wife and three other residents of the Moscow region to the faith.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Nikiforov and Others in Chekhov","date":"2019-10-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chekhov/index.html#20191001","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 9th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Yelena Reyno-Chernyshova. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190929","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 8th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) against Svetlana Monis. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190926","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigative Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Yankin initiates a criminal case against Monis under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Monis in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan4/index.html#20190926","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Mari El initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, she \"deliberately continued illegal activities ... by conducting interviews with unidentified persons in order to promote the activities of the banned religious extremist organization Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as by directly participating in events held by the banned organization.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Ekaterina Pegasheva (born in 1989).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Pegasheva in Yoshkar-Ola","date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yoshkar-ola/index.html#20190926","regions":["mari-el"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 7th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Larisa Artamonova. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190925","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. S. Yankin, investigator of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Larisa Artamonova (born in 1970).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Artamonova in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan2/index.html#20190925","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, she \"committed deliberate actions related to the resumption and continuation of the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Birobidzhan\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Anastasia Sycheva (born in 1977).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sycheva in Obluchye","date":"2019-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan3/index.html#20190925","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Yankin, investigator of the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Elena Reyno-Chernyshova. The case is separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Reyno-Chernyshova in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-09-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan5/index.html#20190925","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Krasnodar Territory initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1) against Nikolay Kuzichkin and Vyacheslav Popov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kuzichkin and Popov in Sochi","date":"2019-09-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sochi/index.html#20190924","regions":["krasnodar"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"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":"Investigator V. S. Obukhov makes a decision on the separation of materials into separate proceedings on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation from the materials of criminal case No. 11807100001000051 (against Alexei Berchuk and Dmitry Golik).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Olshevskiy and Others in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2019-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk/index.html#20190919","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate for the city of Ussuriysk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to the investigation, he carried out \"organizational actions to disseminate prohibited literature and information, as well as control over the conduct of sermons by members of a local religious organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate the religious organization \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\" and its local religious organizations). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Ilyinykh Vitaly (born in 1974).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ilinych in Ussuriysk","date":"2019-09-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk/index.html#20190918","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The case is accepted for proceedings by the investigator for especially important cases of the 1st Investigative Directorate of the 4th Investigative Directorate in Yekaterinburg of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Guselnikov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2019-09-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20190917","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Maksim Zaitsev, Senior Investigator of the Kursk Region FSB Directorate of the Kursk Region of the Russian Federal Security Service initiates criminal cases for faith under Articles 282.2 (1) and 282.2 (2). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Andreev Andrey (born in 1976), Bagratyan Artyom (born in 1972), Bagratyan Alevtina (born in 1977).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Andreyev and Others in Kursk","date":"2019-09-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kursk/index.html#20190912","regions":["kursk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The prosecutor's office cancels the suspension of the investigation of the case. The case was sent for further investigation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Voykov and Shalyapin in Belgorod","date":"2019-09-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belgorod/index.html#20190911","regions":["belgorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"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":"The Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nevelsk Urban District initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2) against Vyacheslav Ivanov and Dmitry Kulakov. According to the investigation, \"by prior conspiracy ... conducted conversations with residents ... at home, trying to impose on them the ideas that were preached by a religious association liquidated by a court decision in connection with extremist activities.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivanov and Kulakov in Nevelsk","date":"2019-08-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevelsk2/index.html#20190829","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From the materials of the criminal case against Andrey Stupnikov , materials and items relating to Zinich and other persons are separated into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"Zinich's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-08-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk7/index.html#20190828","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Omsk Region, D. V. Levchenko, separates the criminal case against Igor Zhukov from the case of the couple Polyakov and others in Omsk into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zhukov in Omsk","date":"2019-08-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk/index.html#20190828","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Denis Lugovoi, during the preliminary investigation of the criminal case against Andrei Stupnikov, reveals signs of a crime in the actions of Anatoly Gorbunov, Yevgeny Zinich and other persons.\n","caseTitle":"Zinich's case in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2019-08-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk7/index.html#20190826","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another criminal case has been opened against Shpakovsky on the financing of an extremist organization. Allegedly, Shpakovsky collected donations for the needs of the liquidated organization. On the same day, the new business is merged with the old one.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2019-08-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20190821","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Pozdnyakov decides to separate the criminal case against Semenyuk and Svetonosov into separate proceedings.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Svetonosov and Semenyuk in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-08-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk2/index.html#20190820","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case was initiated by the investigator of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region D.V. Levchenko against A.V. Karimzhanov, S.V. Polyakov, and I.V. Zhukov under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Combining a criminal case initiated on 20.06.2018 with a new criminal case into one.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2019-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20190819","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case was initiated by the investigator of the first department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Omsk region Levchenko D.V. against Karimzhanov A.V., Polyakov S.V., and Zhukov I.V. under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2019-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20190819","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Ignatov, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Volgograd Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code against Vyacheslav Osipov, Valery Rogozin and Denis Peresunko.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2019-08-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20190819","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The wave of religious persecution in Russia reached Karelia. The local FSB department opened three criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses at once, namely against 44-year-old Aleksey Smelov from Kondopoga, 42-year-old Maxim Amosov and 57-year-old Nikolai Leshchenko from Petrozavodsk. On July 31, 2019, each of them was searched, and a written undertaking not to leave was taken from them. In total, 6 searches were carried out in the homes of believers in the city of Kondopoga, and at least 11 more searches were carried out in Petrozavodsk. In general, the FSB officers behaved politely, however, unreasonably invading the personal space of law-abiding citizens, law enforcement officers violate human rights enshrined in Russian legislation.\nIn recent months, the pressure on Jehovah's Witnesses has only increased. In total, after the decision of the Supreme Court, searches were carried out in 613 houses of believers. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-08-06T17:38:56+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/08/1022/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_hu_8188fd3eca415f5.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/08/1022/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/08/1022/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_hu_543774ce06547aeb.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/08/1022/190717_nizhniy_novogorod_2_0_hu_b2b50dd1f8eb461d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/08/1022.html","regions":["karelia"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"At least 17 searches have been carried out in Karelia and 3 criminal cases for faith have been initiated ","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Department for the Pervorechensky District of the city of Vladivostok is initiating a criminal case against Elena Barmakina.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Redozubov and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2019-08-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok/index.html#20190806","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 30, 2019, in the city of Karpinsk (Sverdlovsk region), a criminal case was initiated against 19-year-old Daria Dulova solely on religious grounds. The investigation believes that she professes the views of Jehovah's Witnesses. For the same reason, her mother has been under recognizance not to leave for a year. According to the investigation, the 19-year-old college student, colluding with her mother and acquaintance, \"continued to actively participate in the activities of the banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses\" and had a \"psychological impact on society.\" On this basis, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department for Krasnoturinsk of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Captain of Justice V. A. Sudin opened a criminal case against Daria for participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The girl became the youngest accused in the trials against Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia at the moment. A year earlier, on July 30, 2018, a criminal case was initiated under a similar article against Daria's mother, Venera Dulova, who has a hearing disability. Then law enforcement officers searched their apartment and subjected Darya to psychological pressure and threats. They were actively interested in whether her parents read religious literature. The case of Darya Dulova is combined with the criminal cases of Venera Dulova and Aleksandr Pryanikov, another peaceful believer who was persecuted in Karpinsk. Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has recently become widespread, and law enforcement agencies are initiating cases under serious criminal articles, regardless of the age and gender of the believers. The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, President Putin himself, prominent public figures of Russia, the European Union External Action 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 drew attention to this problem. The Russian government has repeatedly stated that the decisions of the Russian courts on the liquidation and prohibition of the organization 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":"trial","date":"2019-08-03T22:36:25+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/08/1015/web_daria_dulova_hu_30445067175a901e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/08/1015/web_daria_dulova.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/08/1015/web_daria_dulova_hu_999b0d270f58fa0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/08/1015/web_daria_dulova_hu_208c1233e4e8bf06.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/08/1015.html","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","families","282.2-2","disability"],"title":"In the Sverdlovsk region, a criminal case for faith was opened against a young girl and her disabled mother ","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":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 6th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Arthur Lokhvitsky. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190731","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case against 33-year-old Artur Lokhvitsky for his faith under Article 282.2 (2). According to the investigation, \"in order to disseminate the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses by improving the skills of preaching and other religious activities, a study was carried out ... the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Holy Scripture - New World Translation\", recognized as extremist.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Lokhvitskiy in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan7/index.html#20190731","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, he conducted \"a study among the participants of the collection of religious literature of Jehovah's Witnesses, including the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Holy Scripture / New World Translation\". Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Golik Yevgeny (born in 1975).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Golik in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan/index.html#20190730","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 4th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Igor Tsarev.\nOn the same day, the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 5th criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Yevgeny Golik. According to available data, both cases are separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190730","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 against 45-year-old Igor Tsarev. According to the investigation, he \"in order to spread the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses by improving the skills of preaching and other religious activities, he studied ... the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Holy Scripture / New World Translation\", recognized as extremist.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tsarev in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan8/index.html#20190730","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 2nd criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Yevgeny Yegorov. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\nOn the same day, the 3rd criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against Konstantin Guzev. The investigation is being conducted within the framework of the Alam Aliyev case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190729","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates the 3rd criminal case in Birobidzhan for faith under Article 282.2 (2) - against Konstantin Guzev. According to reports, the case was separated from the case file against Alam Aliyev.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzev in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan11/index.html#20190729","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Yevgeny Egorov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yegorov in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-07-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan9/index.html#20190729","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice M. V. Golubenko, Deputy Head of the Federal Security Service Directorate for the Republic of Karelia, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against 44-year-old Aleksey Smelov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The basis for this is the report of the FSB operative, Lieutenant S. A. Usoltsev.\nThe document notes that the believer \"performed organizational, informational and supervisory functions in the local division of the banned religious organization\" Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia \"took measures to intensify the activities and development of this extremist religious organization in Kondopoga by committing actions ... expressed, among other things, in the convening of meetings, the organization of propaganda activities, the attraction of new members.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Smelov in Kondopoga","date":"2019-07-23T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kondopoga/index.html#20190723","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice M. V. Golubenko, Deputy Head of the Federal Security Service Directorate for the Republic of Karelia, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case against 42-year-old Maxim Amosov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe basis for initiating the case is the report of the detective of the Department of the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order and Combating Terrorism (NWKBT) of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Karelia, Senior Lieutenant M. N. Dmitriev.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Amosov and Others in Petrozavodsk","date":"2019-07-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petrozavodsk/index.html#20190722","regions":["karelia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Office of the Investigative Committee for the Kemerovo Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2). According to investigators, local residents communicated with others about God and gathered with fellow believers, which, according to investigators, is \"a continuation of the activities of the liquidated religious organization.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Alexander Bondarchuk (born in 1974), Sergey Yavushkin (born in 1960). The case is assigned No. 11902320035000583.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yavushkin and Bondarchuk in Kemerovo","date":"2019-07-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kemerovo/index.html#20190718","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"Investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Captain of Justice S. S. Sosunov initiates a criminal case on the fact that unidentified persons committed a crime under Part 2 of Article 35 (a crime by a group of persons by prior conspiracy who agreed in advance on the joint commission of a crime) and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nAccording to the investigation, \"unidentified persons, realizing a joint criminal intent, acting deliberately, by a group of persons by prior conspiracy ... took active steps aimed at... conducting religious performances and worship services.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Vavilov and Oreshkov in Pavlovo","date":"2019-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pavlovo/index.html#20190716","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator Denis Shevchenko initiates a second criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, this time against an \"unidentified person\".\n","caseTitle":"Case of Filippov in Razdolnoye","date":"2019-07-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volno-nadezhdinskoye3/index.html#20190701","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Kaluga District Court elects Roman Makhnev and Dmitry Kuzin a measure of restraint in the form of detention for a period of 2 months. The court stubbornly ignores the atrocities committed by the FSB and evades assessing the circumstances of the detention of believers. It becomes known that 53-year-old Eduard Petrushin became another defendant in the criminal case for his faith; No preventive measure was chosen against him.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2019-06-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20190628","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["sizo","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Novosibirsk Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, \"they participated in conducting collective religious services, teaching the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, methods and methods of disseminating the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses among citizens, and collected funds in the form of donations.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Vitaly Popov (born in 1967), Maxim Eremeev (born in 1987).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Popov and Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-06-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk/index.html#20190627","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Novosibirsk Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, \"they participated in conducting collective religious services, teaching the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, methods and methods of disseminating the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses among citizens, and collected funds in the form of donations.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Vitaly Popov (born in 1967), Maxim Eremeev (born in 1987).\n","caseTitle":"Case Eremeev in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-06-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk4/index.html#20190627","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["282.2-2","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A group of armed masked militants invades the apartment of 87-year-old believer Olga Verevkina. In Kaluga, the FSB raids at least 6 apartments until late at night. Electronic devices, Bibles, scientific books on religious studies are seized from Kaluga residents.\n43-year-old Roman Makhnev claims that banned literature was planted in his house, his 15-year-old daughter is taken outside and forced to stand barefoot in the rain while the house is searched. Roman Makhnev was taken to the FSB building, where he was handcuffed to a pipe and left in this position until the next morning.\nIt becomes known that the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Kaluga Region is initiating a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1) against local Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga","date":"2019-06-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kaluga/index.html#20190626","regions":["kaluga"],"tags":["search","plant","siloviks-violence","torture","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice D.V. Levchenko, Senior Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region, having considered the report on the detection of signs of a crime of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation No. 234pr-19 and the materials of the check on the fact of participation in the activities of a religious organization, opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, against Karimzhanov A.Zh., Polyakov S.V., Polyakova A.A., Dyusekeeva D.Kh., Bektemirova G.M. and other persons.\nThe head of the first department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Omsk Region, Colonel of Justice K.M. Martynenko, reviewed the materials of UD No. 11802520007000028 and the materials of UD No. 11902520035000010 decided to combine criminal cases under the number No. 11802520007000028.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2019-06-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20190624","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Tatyana Shamsheva, 42, and Olga Silaeva, 31, were arrested during mass searches conducted in the Bryansk region on June 11, 2019, in the homes of local Jehovah's Witnesses and their relatives. In total, in the city of Unecha, the city of Novozybkov, in the village. Klimovo and the village of Dobrik underwent 22 searches.\nIt is known that a criminal case has been initiated on charges of participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). After the searches, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva stopped communicating. On June 14, 2019, it became known that they were in SIZO-2 in the Bryansk region (in Novozybkov, 9 Red Square Street).\nSearches were also carried out in families with young children, as well as in the home of an 83-year-old woman. As part of this criminal case, the 23rd search also took place at Olga Silaeva's relatives in Moscow.\nA huge number of Russian and international figures and organizations unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. These include the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, prominent public figures of Russia, the European Union External Action Service, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, 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 teachings individually.\"\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-06-14T20:48:01+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/934/depositphotos_6406965_2_0_hu_a80eba6c9c4df8ed.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/934/depositphotos_6406965_2_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/934/depositphotos_6406965_2_0_hu_47aec7c6d02f45f8.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/934/depositphotos_6406965_2_0_hu_e8c0909b3e5d1bad.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/934.html","regions":["bryansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","sizo","elderly","minors"],"title":"2 women believers were arrested in the Bryansk region. 22 searches carried out","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigation Department for the Central District of Kostroma of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kostroma Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2). According to investigators, Dmitry Terebilov (born in 1980) \"Distributing ... literature included in the federal list of extremist materials, containing information inciting religious discord, promoting the exclusivity, superiority of the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses and the inferiority of other citizens who do not profess this doctrine ... took part in the meetings held.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Terebilov in Kostroma","date":"2019-06-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma/index.html#20190613","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Early in the morning of June 11, 2019, in the cities of Unecha and Novozybkov (Bryansk region), law enforcement officers conducted mass raids on the homes of local residents who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Criminal cases have been initiated. In some cases, believers were forced to lie on the floor.\nAdditional details are being clarified.\nLaw enforcement officers inappropriately call the religion of citizens participation in the activities of an extremist organization. The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, prominent public figures of Russia, 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":"2019-06-11T15:17:11+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/923/190206_saransk532_1_hu_bc35e2b13fcbc919.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/923/190206_saransk532_1_hu_f571588148f19ed3.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/923/190206_saransk532_1_hu_18155fa8c9f9373.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/923/190206_saransk532_1_hu_a34abcc86fea65d6.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/923.html","regions":["bryansk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","siloviks-violence"],"title":"Mass Searches in the Homes of Believers in the Bryansk Region","type":"news"},{"body":"In the cities of Uneche, Novozybkov, village. Mass searches in the homes of believers are taking place in Klimovo. Eduard Zhinzhikov and Vladimir Khokhlov are taken away for interrogation to the Investigative Committee.\nA few hours later, the investigator for especially important cases, R. Y. Bogatyrev, opened a criminal case against Olga Silaeva under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He points out that the believer \"in collusion with T. V. Shamsheva spreads the ideology of the religious organization \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\" by conducting conversations with residents of Novozybkov and Klimovo,\" although the believers are not related to any banned legal entity.\nTatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva were detained.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov","date":"2019-06-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novozybkov/index.html#20190611","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["search","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the morning of June 10, 2019, 32-year-old Ruslan Alyev was detained for 48 hours at his home in Rostov-on-Don. A few hours later, it also became known about the detention of 22-year-old Rostov resident Semyon Baibak. According to preliminary data, they are waiting for a court decision on the measure of restraint, being in a temporary detention center on Voroshilovsky Avenue. Update. On June 11, 2019, the court imposed house arrest on Ruslan Alyev and Semyon Baibak. They left the detention center after spending a day behind bars\nRuslan Alyyev's wife was informed that a criminal case had been opened against her husband for his faith. Earlier, on May 22, 2019, employees of the Investigative Committee of Russia conducted raids on at least 15 addresses of Rostov residents who were suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Men and women were detained. Three believers — father and son Vilen and Arsen Avanesov, as well as Alexander Parkov — were then sent to jail.\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 foreign policy service of the European Union, 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":"2019-06-10T15:35:05+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/919/depositphotos_21862193_4_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/919/depositphotos_21862193_4.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/919/depositphotos_21862193_4_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/919/depositphotos_21862193_4_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/919.html","regions":["rostov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["ivs","new-case"],"title":"Two more believers detained in Rostov-on-Don","type":"news"},{"body":"On the evening of June 2, 2019, in Prokhladnoye (Kabardino-Balkaria), attackers set fire to an empty building where Jehovah's Witnesses had previously held worship services. At one time, the building was built by local believers, but because of persecution it is not used.\nAfter firefighters extinguished the flames, three sources of ignition were discovered. The CCTV camera was previously rendered unusable. The building was badly damaged. The police arrived at the scene, conducted an inspection with witnesses, and a report was drawn up.\nIn Prokhladny, a criminal trial under the article \"extremism\" against Arkadi Hakobyan, a peaceful believer from Prokhladny, who was unreasonably persecuted by the court for about three years, recently ended. All charges were dropped after an appeal against the wrongful conviction was filed.\nNevertheless, the actions of officials against Jehovah's Witnesses apparently fuel an atmosphere of religious hatred and enmity and push aggressive people to commit such acts of vandalism.\nUpdate. It became known that on July 2, 2019, in Kabardino-Balkaria, in connection with the arson of an empty hall for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses, a criminal case was initiated under the article \"Intentional destruction or damage to property\" committed in a generally dangerous way (part 2 of article 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The case is being handled by the investigative department of the inter-municipal police department \"Prokhladnensky\".\n","category":"crime","date":"2019-06-06T10:51:25+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/909/190602_prohladnyy_kbr695_hu_cbbd71f0a263e05b.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/909/190602_prohladnyy_kbr695_hu_66c39cf8fcba0b3c.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/909/190602_prohladnyy_kbr695_hu_86245a5e950c2591.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/909/190602_prohladnyy_kbr695_hu_bfdb50007d63c540.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/909.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["vandalism","arson","new-case","hatred-attacks"],"title":"In Kabardino-Balkaria, an empty hall for worship of Jehovah's Witnesses was set on fire","type":"news"},{"body":"The First Investigation Department (located in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, he participated in religious meetings, including religious services; made donations; engaged in agitation among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Baibak Semyon (born in 1997).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baybak in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don2/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice M. Antipov, Senior Investigator for Particularly Important Cases of the First Investigation Department of the First Investigation Department (based in Rostov-on-Don) of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, initiates a criminal case for his faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, he participated in religious meetings, including religious services; made donations; engaged in agitation among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Pavel Gild (born in 1998).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gild in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don3/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The First Investigation Department (based in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates criminal cases for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 against Olga Ganusha (born in 1961), Lyudmila Ponomarenko (born in 1950) and Galina Parkova (born in 1970). According to the investigation, they participated in religious meetings, including religious services; provided living quarters for meetings; made donations; engaged in agitation among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ganusha in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don4/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The First Investigation Department (based in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates criminal cases for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 against Olga Ganusha (born in 1961), Lyudmila Ponomarenko (born in 1950) and Galina Parkova (born in 1970). According to the investigation, they participated in religious meetings, including religious services; provided living quarters for meetings; made donations; engaged in agitation among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Parkova in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don5/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The First Investigation Department (located in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates a criminal case, accusing Ruslan Alyev of participating in religious meetings and campaigning among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alyev in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don6/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The First Investigation Department (based in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiates criminal cases for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 against Olga Ganush (born in 1961), Lyudmila Ponomarenko (born in 1950) and Galina Parkova (born in 1970). According to the investigation, they participated in religious meetings, including religious services; provided living quarters for meetings; made donations; engaged in agitation among persons who are not followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. The reason for initiating a criminal case against Lyudmila Ponomarenko is the report of the head of the CPE of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Arthur Metzger. According to Mikhail Antipov, a senior investigator for especially important cases, the believer \"had the intent to participate in the activities of an extremist organization ... bringing to the attention of the population of Rostov-on-Don the content of religious literature.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ponomarenko in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-06-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don8/index.html#20190606","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On the evening of June 4, 2019, the FSB conducted searches in at least 9 homes of local believers. Viktor Stashevsky, 52, was detained, but the next day he was released from the detention center on his own recognizance. A criminal case was opened against him 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).\nThe search warrants were issued by the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Sevastopol, Anatoly Vasilenko. They were attended by FSB officers and special forces. In at least one case, the security forces invaded the apartment in the absence of the owners, making the door unusable. The searches continued until late at night. Computer hard drives, phones and tablets were seized. The next morning, the believers were summoned for interrogation to FSB investigator A. Chumakin, who specializes in persecution for faith in Crimea.\nShortly before the searches, residents of one of the apartments suspected hidden espionage activity and changed their wireless Internet access point. During the search, the task force was accompanied by a \"technician\" who hid his face behind a mask.\nDetainee Viktor Stashevskiy was a former member of the local Christian religious organization (MHRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses. This organization was registered by the Russian Ministry of Justice in May 2015 at the initiative of the Russian authorities, along with 21 other similar organizations, in order to promote the religion of 8,000 Jehovah's Witnesses on the peninsula. Less than 2 years later, without receiving any complaints, without involvement in the case, these organizations were liquidated by the Supreme Court of Russia with a single stroke of the pen and recognized as \"extremist\" without any reason. The criminal prosecution of believers was a direct consequence of these events, despite the fact that the activities of the MHRO were not carried out after the liquidation.\nThe 10-minute film tells about how the persecution cripples the lives of innocent Crimean believers.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-06-05T10:52:57+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/904/190215_surgut2759_0_0_hu_662e0edcab67be80.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/904/190215_surgut2759_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/904/190215_surgut2759_0_0_hu_a47e5911c24caa4c.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/904/190215_surgut2759_0_0_hu_e8566297f0f0d897.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/904.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-1","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"Raid and detention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sevastopol","type":"news"},{"body":"Ilya Postevoy, investigator of the Novozybkovsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee for the Bryansk Region, initiates a criminal case against Tatyana Shamsheva on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe investigator rules that the believer disseminates \"the ideology of the religious organization\" Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia \"and its local organizations by conducting conversations with residents of Novozybkov and Klimov.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov","date":"2019-06-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novozybkov/index.html#20190605","regions":["bryansk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Oleg Makerov, senior investigator for internal affairs, decides to initiate criminal cases against unidentified persons, \"in whose act there are signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation,\" referring to the results of an inspection conducted by employees of the Center for Countering Extremism in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zavrazhnov in Nizhniy Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Oleg Makerov, senior investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, initiates criminal cases against unidentified persons, \"in whose act signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are seen.\" The evidence base is collected by employees of the Center for Economics of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malyanov and Others in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod2/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice O. V. Makerov, senior investigator of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, initiates criminal case No. 11901220089000242 against Sergey Verkhoturov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Verkhoturov, together with other persons, \"deliberately organized and led an autonomous unit of a banned religious organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Verhoturov in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod4/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["282.2-1","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"O. V. Makerov, Senior Investigator for Internal Affairs of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, initiates a criminal case against unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The reason is that in April 2019, local Jehovah's Witnesses rented a conference room of one of the Nizhny Novgorod stores for 6 hours for a friendly meeting.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Yevstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod6/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Oleg Makerov, senior investigator for particularly important cases of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, initiates criminal case No. 11901220089000239 for faith against unidentified persons, \"in whose act signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are seen.\" According to the investigation, they \"held meetings, collected donations for the needs of a religious organization, and improved their missionary skills.\"\n","caseTitle":"The case of Tsarev and Smirnov in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod7/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Oleg Makerov, senior investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, initiates criminal cases against unidentified persons, \"in whose act signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are seen.\" The evidence base is collected by employees of the Center for Economics of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.\n","caseTitle":"Manushakyan's case in Nizhny Novgorod","date":"2019-06-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nizhniy-novgorod9/index.html#20190604","regions":["nizhegorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol Andreev Y. A. initiates a criminal case for faith against Viktor Stashevskiy under Part 1 of Article 282.2. He is accused of \"continuing the activities and promoting the ideas of Jehovah's Witnesses, holding meetings, and carrying out religious performances.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stashevskiy in Sevastopol","date":"2019-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sevastopol/index.html#20190531","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator D. Pozdnyakov makes a decision to separate a new criminal case from the criminal case against Valery Moskalenko - against Stanislav Kim and Nikolai Polevodov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Polevodov and Kim in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk/index.html#20190530","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"D. Pozdnyakov, a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigation department of the FSB Directorate for the Khabarovsk Territory, initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Yevgeniy Aksenov, Sergey Semenyuk and Sergey Svetonosov. According to investigators, they discussed the Bible with other people, which is interpreted as a continuation of extremist activity.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Svetonosov and Semenyuk in Khabarovsk","date":"2019-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk2/index.html#20190530","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"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":"The FSB initiates criminal proceedings for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to the investigation, several local residents \"organized religious gatherings, the so-called 'meetings,' during which they conducted a study of printed materials of the banned organization 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' with the participation of residents of the Republic of Dagestan.\" Arsen Abdullaev, Maria Karpova, Anton Dergalev and Marat Abdulgalimov become innocent victims of law enforcement officers. The Sovetsky District Court of Makhachkala sent them to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Abdullaev and Others in Makhachkala","date":"2019-05-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/makhachkala/index.html#20190527","regions":["dagestan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"On May 18, 2019, the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk, Lyudmila Kuzub, decided to detain two women for a period of 2 months: Tatyana Galkevich and 63-year-old Valentina Vladimirova. Prior to that, both were searched.\nAlthough Valentina Vladimirova was detained under the pretext of stealing from the prosecutor's house, during the interrogation the investigator immediately began to ask prepared questions about her religion. A case was opened against the women under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in extremist activities). Then her house was searched, interrogated, and electronic devices were seized.\nSmolensk law enforcement officers, following their colleagues in other Russian cities, claim that peaceful believers are engaged in \"organizing extremist activities,\" while they only privately read the Bible and prayed. The Russian government confirmed that the decisions of the Russian courts \"do not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice individually the above teachings [of Jehovah's Witnesses].\"\nVladimirova and Galkevich became the seventh and eighth defendants in criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses in Smolensk. At the end of April 2019, four believers were sent to the pre-trial detention center, and before that, Maria Troshina and Natalia Sorokina spent 191 days behind bars.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-05-22T15:57:38+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/867/depositphotos_6406965_2_hu_1bbec167c0c66ac.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/867/depositphotos_6406965_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/867/depositphotos_6406965_2_hu_67809cd636efcf6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/867/depositphotos_6406965_2_hu_2407383a2cdbcb51.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/867.html","regions":["smolensk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","elderly","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"In Smolensk, two more women were sent to a pre-trial detention center for their faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Employees of the Investigative Committee of Russia conduct searches in at least 15 houses of Rostovites who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In some cases, riot policemen use force when breaking into apartments. Vilen and Arsen Avanesov, as well as Aleksandr Parkov, were detained. A criminal case was opened against them for their faith under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don","date":"2019-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/rostov-on-don7/index.html#20190522","regions":["rostov"],"tags":["search","siloviks-violence","new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior Investigator of the First Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Volgograd Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice Ignatov, initiates a criminal case under the article on participation in a banned organization (Article 282.2 (2)). At that time, 48-year-old Vyacheslav Osipov, 71-year-old Valentina Makhmadagaeva and 65-year-old Olga Medvedeva and a number of \"unidentified persons\" became innocent victims of law enforcement officers. They are accused of holding video conferences, discussing biblical thoughts, and singing songs with fellow believers. According to the investigator, this is the resumption of the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses organizations.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Rogozin and Others in Volgograd","date":"2019-05-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volgograd/index.html#20190513","regions":["volgograd"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kirov Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1); According to investigators, 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.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Tokarev Anatoly (born in 1958).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Tokarev in Kirov","date":"2019-05-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov/index.html#20190508","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate for the city of Ussuriysk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory Marvanyuk E.S. initiates a criminal case against Sergey Melnikov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Melnikov in Ussuriysk","date":"2019-05-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk3/index.html#20190508","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Arkhangelsk Region and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, she continued the illegal activities of the banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Arkhangelsk. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Mamykina Kaleria (born in 1941).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Mamykina in Arkhangelsk","date":"2019-05-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk/index.html#20190507","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Another criminal case under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against 78-year-old Kaleria Mamykina. According to investigators, the pensioner allegedly continued the illegal activities of the banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Arkhangelsk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2019-05-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20190507","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 7, 2019, a criminal case was initiated against Kaleria Fedorovna Mamykina. The woman is accused of \"continuing the illegal activities of the banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Arkhangelsk.\" Investigators equated reading the Bible and talking about faith with acts with criminal intent.\nFor more than a year, the woman was under surveillance, during which sufficient information was collected, according to investigators, indicating the presence in the actions of Kaleria Fedorovna of signs of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Namely: participation in meetings of groups of possible participants in extremist activities at their place of residence.\nThe case is being investigated by the investigator for the investigation of especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Arkhangelsk Region and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug R. Shagarov, who is in the rank of lieutenant colonel.\nRussian and foreign leaders and organizations unanimously condemn the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. These include the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation, prominent public figures of Russia, the European Union External Action Service, observers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, 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 teachings individually.\"\n","category":"trial","date":"2019-05-07T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/06/935/planting-062765_0_hu_87c5d9fbde9b8ed0.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/06/935/planting-062765_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/06/935/planting-062765_0_hu_de1a879ad76fa4f4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/06/935/planting-062765_0_hu_7713b4ab65b461a7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/06/935.html","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","new-case","282.2-2","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"A 78-year-old resident of Arkhangelsk is accused of inciting religious hatred with criminal intent","type":"news"},{"body":"On May 1, 2019, a court in Smolensk sent 30-year-old Yevgeniy Deshko, who is suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, to prison for 2 months. The man was arrested on April 29, 2019 in Dagomys (Krasnodar region) and taken to Smolensk.\nAccording to preliminary information, Yevgeny Deshko came to the attention of Smolensk law enforcement officers in the context of the criminal prosecution of Valery Shalev and other followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Smolensk, against whom the Investigative Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Smolensk Region opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The case became known on April 25, 2019, when searches were carried out in the homes of believers in Smolensk. The next day, the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk sent Ruslan Korolev, Valery Shalev and Viktor Malkov to jail.\nThis is the second such criminal case in the Smolensk region. On October 7, 2018, officers of the FSB Directorate for the Smolensk Region conducted a series of searches, during which in Sychevka (Smolensk Region) 2 women, Natalia Sorokina and Maria Troshina, were arrested. They spent more than six months behind bars, after which they were transferred to 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":"2019-05-02T16:57:31+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/05/813/190501_smolensk_deshko2938_hu_b1b09ffc05734fc.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/05/813/190501_smolensk_deshko2938.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/05/813/190501_smolensk_deshko2938_hu_dfaf7658a4675457.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/05/813/190501_smolensk_deshko2938_hu_dae34042d32b0013.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/05/813.html","regions":["smolensk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Fourth believer arrested in Smolensk","type":"news"},{"body":"On April 24, 2019, Inga Gavritskaya, a judge of the Sharypovsky City Court of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, decided to detain Anton Ostapenko, a 28-year-old power plant driver, for a period of two months. He was detained during mass searches in the homes of believers that took place throughout the city on April 19. According to the investigation, the believer is \"the organizer of the activities of an extremist organization\" (part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nThe case was opened on April 19, 2019 by Y. Fedynyak, a senior investigator of the investigation department for the Sharypovsky district of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The charges are based on transcripts of conversations about the Bible made on a hidden video camera in the house of one of the believers.\nConsidering the investigator's petition for Ostapenko's detention, the judge ignored the lawyer's arguments that no instruments or traces of the crime were found during the search in his apartment. The court's decision was not affected by the fact that the accused is characterized positively by everyone who knows him, has never been prosecuted and is caring for his disabled mother.\nSearches on April 19, 2019 in Sharypov took place in a total of 10 houses of believers. A similar scheme was used: groups of FSB and Investigative Committee officers blocked peaceful, unarmed people in their homes, took away all their electronic devices and Bibles (including in the Synodal translation), forbade them to talk to each other, and interrogated them. Some were detained and taken to the investigation department. Believers reported that they experienced great stress, some had complicated illnesses.\nLaw enforcement officers in Sharypov, following their colleagues from other cities of Russia, came to the wrong conclusion that the usual religious activities of citizens (reading the Bible, praying) are \"a continuation of the activities of an extremist organization.\" International organizations, the Human Rights Council and even the President of Russia have repeatedly drawn attention to this vicious practice and its sad consequences.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-04-26T19:29:04+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/04/794/190424_sharypovo2893_hu_dc57a86423a53d8a.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/04/794/190424_sharypovo2893.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/04/794/190424_sharypovo2893_hu_e2b6fffb28c4e239.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/04/794/190424_sharypovo2893_hu_421138bc57b994ba.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/04/794.html","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","sizo","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"In Sharypov, a believer was imprisoned for 2 months for talking on spiritual topics","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":"E. Leontiev, an investigator for especially important cases, initiates a criminal case against Alexei Metzger under Part 2 of Article 282.2.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Metsger in Perm","date":"2019-04-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm/index.html#20190425","regions":["perm"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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 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":"The Minusinsk District Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to investigators, he organized religious performances at a religious service. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Dmitry Maslov (born in 1976).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Maslov in Minusinsk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/minusinsk/index.html#20190419","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Novosibirsk Region is initiating a criminal case against believers - 65-year-old Alexander Seredkin, 45-year-old Valery Maletskov and 48-year-old Marina Chaplykina under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, Seredkin \"organized meetings and supervised the reading and discussion of literature recognized as extremist.\" Maletskov and Chaplykina are accused of participating in the activities of a banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk2/index.html#20190419","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Novosibirsk, new searches are being carried out in the homes of believers, a total of 12 addresses. It becomes known that the FSB opened a new criminal case against Marina Chaplykina, Valery Maletskov, Alexander Seredkin. They are placed in an isolation ward.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20190419","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["search","new-case","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia for the Novosibirsk Region is initiating a criminal case against three believers - Alexander Seredkin, Valery Maletskov and Marina Chaplykina.\nOn the same day, a series of searches of believers, including 67-year-old Tatyana Oliynyk, took place.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Oleynik in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk6/index.html#20190419","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","search","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Novosibirsk Region initiates a criminal case against Alexandr Seredkin, Valeriy Maletskov and Marina Chaplykina under Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Seredkin \"organized meetings and led the reading and discussion of literature recognized as extremist.\" Maletskov and Chaplykina are accused of participating in the activity of a banned organization.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Seredkin in Novosibirsk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk7/index.html#20190419","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the investigation department for the city of Partizansk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, I. A. Bochkarev, issues a search order in the home of Irina Buglak and Nelly Tarasyuk. The searches last about 5 hours, then the women are taken to the prosecutor's office and interrogated from 4:00 to 7:00. A case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 was initiated, Irina was placed in a temporary detention facility.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Buglak in Partizansk","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/partizansk/index.html#20190419","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","ivs"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate for the Sharypovsky District of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to the investigation, he was active in holding meetings, expressed in public speaking, discussion of biblical scriptures, and prayers. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Ostapenko Anton (born in 1991).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ostapenko in Sharypovo","date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sharypovo/index.html#20190419","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Department for the city of Abakan of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Khakassia A.V. Pachuev initiates a criminal case against 44-year-old Baranovsky Roman and his mother Valentina under Article 282.2 Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"organization of activities of a banned organization\"). Later, Valentina was commuted to Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"participation in the activities of a liquidated organization\").\nArmed law enforcement officers are conducting searches at four addresses. Bibles, personal records, electronic devices and various media are seized from believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranovskiy in Abakan","date":"2019-04-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan/index.html#20190410","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case","search","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior Lieutenant of Justice, investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Sakhalin Region D. S. Melnikov initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 against Alexander Kozlitin.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kulakovs and Others in Nevelsk","date":"2019-04-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevelsk3/index.html#20190405","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Lieutenant of Justice E. S. Marvanyuk, investigator of the Investigative Directorate for Ussuriysk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory, makes a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The reason for this is the testimony of the witness K.V. Rusakov, an employee of the department of the FSB of Russia in the Primorsky Territory in Ussuriysk, who from 21.08.2017 to 23.09.2018 conducted surveillance and listened to telephone conversations of believers.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Korolchuk in Ussuriysk","date":"2019-03-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ussuriysk2/index.html#20190330","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","hidden-surveillance"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case was initiated against Sergey Komissarov and Aleksey Khabarov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khabarov in Porkhov","date":"2019-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov/index.html#20190328","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Irina Pravdivtseva, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Pskov region, is initiating a criminal case for faith under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against believers in the city of Porkhov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Komissarov in Porkhov","date":"2019-03-28T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/porkhov2/index.html#20190328","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The First Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Kirov Region initiates criminal proceedings for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, together with others, he conducted worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Andrey Shchepin (born in 1991), Alexander Shamov (born in 1960), Yevgeny Udintsev (born in 1949).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shchepin and Others in Kirov","date":"2019-03-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov2/index.html#20190326","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Decision to prosecute D. Zagulin as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-03-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190325","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On March 21, 2019, at least 5 searches were conducted in the homes of local residents believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses in Zeya (Amur Region). A criminal case has been initiated under the article \"organization of the activities of an extremist organization\". 42-year-old Konstantin Moiseenko was involved in the case as a suspect, he was taken on his own recognizance.\nShortly before that, on March 17, 2019, searches in the homes of believers took place in Luchegorsk (Primorsky Territory). Local residents Yuriy Belosludtsev and 63-year-old Sergey Sergeyev were sent to the pre-trial detention center. They were prosecuted under the article for organizing the activities of an extremist organization on the grounds that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation unreasonably immediately banned 396 organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, including a local religious organization in Luchegorsk.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2019-03-21T21:35:22+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/03/680/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_0_hu_5714af0d470f0912.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/03/680/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/03/680/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_0_hu_a4d5176d412b10a4.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/03/680/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_0_0_0_hu_cd87270a34f44d1d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/03/680.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement"],"title":"Along China's Border, New Criminal Prosecutions for Faith ","type":"news"},{"body":"The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Khakassia sends a report to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Khakassia to the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Khakassia \"on the detection of signs of a crime\" in relation to Valentina Baranovskaya and Roman Baranovskiy.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Baranovskiy in Abakan","date":"2019-03-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/abakan/index.html#20190321","regions":["khakassia"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Magadan Region initiates a criminal case under Article 282.2 (2) against believers: Lyubov Asatryan (born in 1951), Irina Khvostova (born in 1992), Oksana Solntseva (born in 1966), Inna Kardakova (born in 1980), Galina Dergacheva (born in 1956), Mikhail Solntsev (born in 1962), Viktor Revyakin (born in 1957) and Sergey Agadzhanov (born in 1957).\nInvestigator Shungayev orders searches of the homes of all new suspects. On the same day, employees come to the homes of believers. All 9 believers are 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":"2019-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20190320","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","search","recognizance-agreement"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is initiated against Aleksandr Korolev, which is combined with the case of Shevchuk and others.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shevchuk and Others in Saransk","date":"2019-03-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk/index.html#20190320","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Decision to bring Sergey Shulyarenko as an accused.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190319","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Gennadiy was charged with organizing the activities of a banned community. After about 4 months, the charges are clarified.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2019-03-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20190319","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["282.2-1","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator Alexander Chepenko initiates criminal case No. 119027500300000002 on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, against unidentified persons from among the residents of Chelyabinsk and the Chelyabinsk region who participated in religious meetings of believers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Vinogradov in Chelyabinsk","date":"2019-03-18T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/chelyabinsk2/index.html#20190318","regions":["chelyabinsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Republic of Crimea initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to the investigation, together with others, he conducted worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). An innocent victim of law enforcement officers becomes: Artyom Gerasimov (born in 1985).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Gerasimov in Yalta","date":"2019-03-15T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yalta/index.html#20190315","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being opened against Denis Antonov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It connects with the case of Shevchuk and others.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shevchuk and Others in Saransk","date":"2019-03-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk/index.html#20190314","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In Severodvinsk, searches have been carried out since early morning at at least nine addresses: in the homes of Igor Shaman, Sergey Potylitsyn, Sergey Antropov, Oleg Vokhtomin, Vlad Shchegolkov, Viktor Kuznetsov, Alexander Okon, Oleg Novikov and Vladimir Teterin. At another address, the believer is not at home. 24-year-old Andrey Maksimovich is taken from his workplace, after interrogation he is brought home and searched in the presence of his wife and 3-year-old child.\nThe searches are carried out by FSB investigators P. Yuriev, I. Kozodubov, I. Mironov, D. Fedotov and others. About 20 conscripts were involved as witnesses. Believers report the seizure of equipment, personal records, information carriers, Bibles and religious literature; In some cases, operatives break down the doors. The searches were sanctioned by the Severodvinsk City Court.\nSergey Antropov, 34, Sergey Potylitsyn, 37, Vladimir Teterin, 61, Vlad Shchegolkov, 25, and Oleg Novikov, 44, are interrogated by the FSB in Arkhangelsk. There they are directly told that the goal of law enforcement officers is to stop the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, but they do not object to each individually professing his faith.\nA criminal case has been opened 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). The suspects are Vladimir Teterin and Sergey Potylitsyn (later another suspect is Andrei Maksimovich).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Teterin and Others in Severodvinsk","date":"2019-03-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/severodvinsk/index.html#20190313","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The head of the investigation department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Bashkortostan instructs a group consisting of four investigators to conduct a preliminary investigation in a criminal case. As stated in the resolution, this is due to the fact that the investigation of a criminal case is particularly complex and requires a large number of investigative actions.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Lemeshev in Dyurtyuli","date":"2019-03-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dyurtyuli/index.html#20190312","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate for the city of Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorsky Territory initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1) and 282.2 (2); According to the investigation, \"conducted conversations aimed at explaining the norms, foundations, rules and restrictions, in order to promote the activities of the banned organization [Jehovah's Witnesses] and took a direct part in the meetings.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sergeyev and Belosludtsev in Luchegorsk","date":"2019-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/luchegorsk/index.html#20190311","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. S. Obukhov, investigator of the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Amur Region, initiates a criminal case for his faith under Article 282.2 (2) against 76-year-old Vasily Reznichenko.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Reznichenko in Zeya","date":"2019-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya/index.html#20190311","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V. S. Obukhov, an investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 42-year-old Konstantin Moiseenko. According to investigators, he \"organized meetings of followers ... of a religious organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moiseyenko in Zeya","date":"2019-03-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/zeya2/index.html#20190311","regions":["amur"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code against D.N. Zagulin. On the same day, a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against Sergey Shulyarenko. He is under investigation as part of the Aliyev case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2019-03-06T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20190306","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia for the Ulyanovsk Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2). Sergey Mysin (born in 1965), Natalia Mysina (born in 1971), Andrey Tabakov (born in 1973), Khoren Khachikyan (born in 1985), Mikhail Zelensky (born in 1960), Alexander Ganin (born in 1957) are accused of \"promoting the popularization of the ideas of Jehovah's Witnesses\", finding places to meet with fellow believers and participating in such meetings.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zelenskiy and Others in Ulyanovsk","date":"2019-02-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ulyanovsk/index.html#20190224","regions":["ulyanovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On February 17, 2019, the Surgut City Court of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra chose 42-year-old Yevgeny Fedin, 57-year-old Sergey Loginov and 50-year-old Artur Severinchik as a preventive measure 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.\nOn February 15, 2019, mass searches were carried out in the homes of believers in the city. This was followed by beatings and torture of at least 7 believers with electric shocks, strangulation and beatings, which took place on the first floor of the building of the Investigative Committee of Russia at 47 Ostrovsky Street in Surgut.\nSergey Loginov, 57, was tortured, among others. On Saturday, February 16, 2019, his friends contacted the hotline of the Investigative Committee of Russia with a request to take action against 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. After contacting the hotline, Sergey Loginov 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.\nLaw enforcers mistakenly mistake citizens' religion for participation in the activities of an extremist organization, referring to a court decision to liquidate and ban the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses organizations in Russia.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2019-02-20T15:32:58+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/623/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_hu_e4cc14d2169bc51c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/623/depositphotos_18573119_0_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/623/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_hu_6e8eef7dc4a96af6.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/623/depositphotos_18573119_0_1_hu_eb738af7a5a4a71f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/623.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","new-case","torture","complaints"],"title":"Three Believers Thrown Into Prison in Surgut After Torture","type":"news"},{"body":"On February 8, 2019, Arkady Koba, a judge of the Khanty-Mansiysk District Court, ordered Andrey Sazonov, a 38-year-old husband and father believed to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses, to be sent to a pre-trial detention center. A few days earlier, on January 31, 2019, the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case against him and other residents of Urai (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) 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).\nEarlier, on February 6, 2019, mass searches were carried out in the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city.\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, as well as the President of the Russian Federation himself 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":"2019-02-14T17:11:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/615/190208_sazonov285_hu_e8d90c04feb7708c.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/615/190208_sazonov285.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/615/190208_sazonov285_hu_8153604e5632f8b3.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/615/190208_sazonov285_hu_7644750ad6b1879f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/615.html","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"title":"In the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, the court sent the believer under arrest for 55 days","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Arkhangelsk Region and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2) against Yevgeny Yakku (born in 1980); according to the investigation, he participated in worship services, which is interpreted as participation and involvement in the activities of an \"extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). The case is being investigated by an investigator for especially important cases, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice R. Shagarov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Yakku in Arkhangelsk","date":"2019-02-13T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/arkhangelsk2/index.html#20190213","regions":["arkhangelsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1.1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug initiates a criminal case for faith under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Sergey Loginov, Yevgeniy Fedin, Artur Severinchik, Yevgeniy Kayryak, Vyacheslav Boronos, Artem Kim, Aleksey Plekhov, Savely Gargalyk, Sergey Volosnikov, Igor Trifonov, Viktor Fefilov, Timofey Zhukov, Leonid Rysikov, Igor Kobotov, Vasily Burenescu, Yevgeny Kozak, Igor Petrov, Pavel Romashov and his wife Viola Shepel.\nThe investigation considers peaceful conversations of believers about the Bible and God with friends and other people to be illegal actions.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut","date":"2019-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut/index.html#20190211","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","families","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug Stepan Tkach initiates a criminal case for faith under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2. Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Yevgeny Kozak, Artur Severinchik, Sergey Loginov, Evgeny Fedin, Yevgeny Kayryak, Vyacheslav Boronos, Artem Kim, Alexey Plekhov, Savely Gargalyk, Sergey Volosnikov, Igor Trifonov, Viktor Fefilov, Timofey Zhukov, Leonid Rysikov, Igor Kobotov, Grigory Ozhiganov, Pavel Romashov, Vasily Burenescu, Viola Shepel, Ilhom Aminzhanov, Igor Petrov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Khorikov and Others in Surgut","date":"2019-02-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/surgut2/index.html#20190211","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","families","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 21, 2019, 43-year-old Alexei Berchuk was detained while passing through passport control at the Moscow airport. The next day, he was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, and was forced to cancel his plans and, together with the senior investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, go to Blagoveshchensk, where his case is being investigated. He signed a recognizance not to leave.\nBefore the arrival of the FSB investigator from Blagoveshchensk, Aleksey Berchuk was in custody for 2 days. It turned out that on June 22, 2018, a criminal case was opened against him in the Amur Region, according to which on July 20, 2018, in Blagoveshchensk, searches were carried out in at least 5 homes of citizens who are considered Jehovah's Witnesses. Another resident of Blagoveshchensk, 31-year-old Dmitry Golik, was also involved as a defendant in a similar case. He is charged with Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\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, as well as the President of the Russian Federation himself 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":"trial","date":"2019-02-08T13:40:24+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/02/599/berchuk_7285_hu_f4112e29b23381b4.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/02/599/berchuk_7285.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/02/599/berchuk_7285_hu_1f646007fe165640.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/02/599/berchuk_7285_hu_70595c283f841371.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/02/599.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["282.2-1","ivs","search","recognizance-agreement","new-case"],"title":"The believer was detained in Moscow and forced to leave for the Amur region","type":"news"},{"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":"Investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Mordovia, E. V. Makeev, initiates a criminal case for faith under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The suspects are Alexander Shevchuk (born in 1989), Vladimir Atryakhin (born in 1987), Denis Antonov (born in 1976), Elena Nikulina (born in 1968), Alexander Korolev (born in 1978), Georgy Nikulin (born in 1963).\nAccording to the investigation, the believers were engaged in \"spreading ideology and faith among the inhabitants of the Republic of Mordovia ... by conducting conversations in public places and living quarters with residents of the city of Saransk and other settlements\", which investigators interpret as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization.\"\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shevchuk and Others in Saransk","date":"2019-02-04T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saransk/index.html#20190204","regions":["mordovia"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia in the Kemerovo region, Major of Justice Efimov M. I. makes a decision to separate the case of Kogut from criminal case No. 11807320001000380 (Levchuk and Britvin) into a separate proceeding.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kogut in Beryozovsky","date":"2019-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky/index.html#20190131","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2); religious affiliation is interpreted as \"organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the court decision to liquidate the local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses). An innocent victim of law enforcement officers is Andrei Sazonov (born in 1980).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Sazonov in Uray","date":"2019-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray/index.html#20190131","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2); religious affiliation is interpreted as \"organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the court decision to liquidate the local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Andrey Sazonov (born in 1980) and Nikolai Makhalichev (born in 1984). Previously, believers noticed spying on themselves from cars with tinted windows, so they even had to file a complaint with the police on the helpline.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Makhalichev in Uray","date":"2019-01-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/uray2/index.html#20190131","regions":["khanty-mansi"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On January 28, 2019, Larisa Zubova, judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Ivanovo, sent 32-year-old Yevgeny Spirin to the pre-trial detention center for 2 months only for his faith in God. A. Dmitriev, investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Ivanovo region, and A. Tsitskeev, assistant prosecutor of the Oktyabrsky district of the city of Ivanovo, petitioned the court for his detention.\nIt is known that the case against Yevgeny Spirin was initiated on January 21, 2019 by the investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Ivanovo region A. Dmitriev.\nOn January 27, 2019, Yevgeny Spirin, a resident of Furmanov (Ivanovo region), was detained by FSB officers. On this day, the FSB conducted searches in the city in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yevgeniy Spirin was brought to the criminal case under Article 282.2 (1) as an accused. Investigators charge Yevgeniy Spirin with \"committing actions aimed at the resumption and continuation of the illegal activities of the said religious organization [\"structural unit of the religious organization\" Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia \"], namely, he convened and held meetings of this organization, carried out religious conversations with residents of the Ivanovo region in order to promote it.\nThis is the second criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Ivanovo region. The first case in Shuya was initiated by the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Ivanovo Region against Dmitry Mikhailov, his wife Yelena and 3 other people under Articles 282.2 (2) and 282.3 (1). Dmitry Mikhailov spent 171 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Ivanovo region, then was released on his own recognizance.\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, as well as the President of the Russian Federation himself 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":"2019-01-29T16:41:17+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/01/585/depositphotos_21862193_2_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/01/585/depositphotos_21862193_2.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/01/585/depositphotos_21862193_2_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/01/585/depositphotos_21862193_2_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/01/585.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","new-case","282.2-1","search"],"title":"In Ivanovo region, a believer was sent to jail for 2 months ","type":"news"},{"body":"On January 27, 2019, Yevgeny Spirin, a 32-year-old resident of Furmanov (Ivanovo region), was detained by FSB officers. On this day, the FSB conducted searches in the city in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yevgeniy Spirin was brought to the criminal case under Article 282.2 (1) as an accused. Information on the number of detainees and the number of searches is being specified.\nIt is known that the case was initiated on January 21, 2019 by the investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Ivanovo region, A. Dmitriev, allegedly for the resumption and continuation of the illegal activities of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThis is the second criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Ivanovo region. The first case in Shuya was initiated by the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Ivanovo Region against Dmitry Mikhailov, his wife Yelena and 3 other people under Articles 282.2 (2) and 282.3 (1). Dmitry Mikhailov spent 171 days in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in the Ivanovo region, then was released on his own recognizance.\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, as well as the President of the Russian Federation himself 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":"2019-01-28T15:37:44+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2019/01/584/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_0_hu_f13bf151c2842b16.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2019/01/584/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2019/01/584/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_0_hu_97082e715053af9d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2019/01/584/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_0_hu_6703762e7e2dca17.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2019/01/584.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"In Ivanovo region, a new criminal case for faith and detention","type":"news"},{"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":"When passing through passport control at the Moscow airport, security forces detain and detain Alexei Berchuk. The believer learns that a criminal case was initiated against him on June 22, 2018.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2019-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20190121","regions":["amur"],"tags":["administrative-detention","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the FSB of Russia in the Ivanovo region A. Dmitriev initiates a criminal case against 32-year-old Yevgeniy Spirin. According to investigators, he, together with others, conducted worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the court decision to liquidate the local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Spirin in Furmanov","date":"2019-01-21T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/furmanov/index.html#20190121","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Sakhalin Oblast Investigative Directorate of the FSB is initiating a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1). According to investigators, 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, ensuring the performance of religious rites and ceremonies, teaching religion and religious education.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Kulakovs and Others in Nevelsk","date":"2018-12-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/nevelsk3/index.html#20181224","regions":["sakhalin"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"Senior investigator of the FSB Directorate of the Stavropol Territory Astakhov A.V. decided to initiate a criminal case on extremist activity in Neftekumsk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Samsonov and Others in Neftekumsk","date":"2018-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk/index.html#20181207","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major of Justice A. Astakhov, senior investigator for particularly important cases of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Stavropol Territory, initiates a criminal case under the article on organizing the activity of an extremist organization against Konstantin Samsonov, Alexander Akopov, Shamil Sultanov and Aleksey Shcherbich.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Shcherbich in Neftekumsk","date":"2018-12-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/neftekumsk3/index.html#20181207","regions":["stavropol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"Without a court sanction, employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kamchatka Territory Sunchaliev D. and Smirnov D.A., accompanied by FSB officers Prokopenko A.V., Filimonov P.D., Yakovlev S.A. and police officer Lykov I.A. invade with searches in 2 apartments of believers of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Investigator D. Sunchaliev initiated a criminal case against Sergey Ledenev under Part 1 of Article 282.2. A written undertaking not to leave is taken from the believer.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ledenyov in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy","date":"2018-12-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/petropavlovsk-kamchatskiy/index.html#20181202","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-1","recognizance-agreement"],"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":"78-year-old Alexander Petrovich Ursu, who was repressed for his faith and later recognized as an innocent victim, was pressed against the wall and fell to his knees, handcuffed. This happened on the evening of November 15, 2018 in the city of Dzhankoy (Crimea), where the FSB, with the support of riot police, carried out gross incursions into the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was initiated against a 46-year-old local resident Sergey Filatov. The arrests are not yet known, the handcuffs of Alexandr Ursu have been removed.\nThe Russian authorities in 2018 are repeating the tragic mistake made during the Stalinist period. Since the early 1930s, Alexandr Ursu's family has considered itself to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. In the 1940s, his father, uncle and grandfather were sent to labor camps because of their religion. In 1947, with a serious injury, but alive, only his father returned. \"When I was nine years old, our family and hundreds of other Witnesses from Moldavia were exiled to Siberia,\" Alexander Ursu said in his autobiography, \"On July 6, 1949, we were loaded into cattle cars, and we traveled non-stop for 12 days. Having covered more than six thousand kilometers, we arrived at the Lebyazhye station. The local authorities were already waiting for us there. We were divided into small groups and immediately settled in different places. For our group, a small empty school became home. We were exhausted and depressed.\" Later, Alexandru Ursu was repeatedly subjected to various forms of pressure from the state security agencies, including searches in his house. On May 21, 1991, Alexandr Ursu was rehabilitated in accordance with the Decree \"On additional measures to restore justice for the victims of repressions that took place in the period of the 30-40s and early 50s\". Certificate of rehabilitation No. 23 was issued to him on 17 June 1991.\nPunitive authorities in modern Russia consider any worship of Jehovah as participation in the activities of an \"extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses), while the Russian government officially declares that the decision of the Supreme Court \"does not contain a restriction or prohibition to practice the above teachings individually.\" \"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,\" the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights said in a statement .\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-11-16T16:42:57+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/11/517/ursu_aleksandr6523_hu_24c79b751c8a428f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/11/517/ursu_aleksandr6523.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/11/517/ursu_aleksandr6523_hu_98b1c69a897dd89d.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/11/517/ursu_aleksandr6523_hu_c3a40c30185a4f08.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/11/517.html","regions":["crimea"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["elderly","siloviks-violence","deportation","ussr","new-case","282.2-1"],"title":"Crimea: A Believer, a Victim of Political Repression, Was Injured in a Force Operation","type":"news"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Primorsky Territory initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1); According to the investigation, he illegally organized the activities of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses on the territory of the city of Spassk-Dalny (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Dmitry Malevaniy (born in 1990), Aleksey Trofimov (born in 1959), Olga Opaleva (born in 1952), Olga Panyuta (born in 1959).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Malevaniy and Others in Spassk-Dalny","date":"2018-11-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/spassk-dalny/index.html#20181112","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being opened based on information about Filatov's participation in a religious meeting, which the security forces interpret as a continuation of the activities of the banned local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses \"Sivash\".\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Filatov in Dzhankoy","date":"2018-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dzhankoy/index.html#20181110","regions":["crimea"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case has been initiated against 6 residents of Khabarovsk.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Polevodov and Others in Khabarovsk","date":"2018-11-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk4/index.html#20181110","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"V.V. Bryantsev, Deputy Head of the Investigative Directorate of the FSB Directorate for the Jewish Autonomous Region, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2, Part 1 of Article 282.3 against Valery Krieger. He is under investigation as part of the Alam Aliyev case.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2018-11-08T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20181108","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Novosibirsk Region A. N. Bryuzgin initiates a criminal case against Yuri Savelyev and other unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Savelyev in Novosibirsk","date":"2018-11-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/novosibirsk3/index.html#20181107","regions":["novosibirsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"It became known that from September 24 to September 26, 2018, the Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Perm Territory initiated at least 4 more criminal cases against local residents who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist community). Earlier in Perm, 2 criminal cases for faith had already been initiated: one is being investigated by the Investigative Committee, the second by the FSB.\nOn May 22, 2018, employees of the Investigative Committee detained Aleksandr Solovyov and his wife at the exit from the train in Perm. After 2 days in the detention center, Solovyov was placed under house arrest. Later, on September 17, 2018, in a number of cities of the Perm Territory, the FSB conducted rolling searches in the homes of citizens. After 3 days of detention in the detention center, Igor Turik and Viktor Kuchkov were placed under house arrest.\nIn total, more than 90 criminal cases for faith have been initiated in 30 regions of Russia. In 30 criminal cases against citizens, a preventive measure related to detention or house arrest has been chosen. 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":"trial","date":"2018-10-26T21:25:54+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/504/depositphotos_75905113_4_hu_9562793a62681db7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/504/depositphotos_75905113_4.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/504/depositphotos_75905113_4_hu_5a6a4c97f64aac9f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/504/depositphotos_75905113_4_hu_2199880271566a24.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/504.html","regions":["perm"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","house-arrest","ivs","search"],"title":"4 more criminal cases for faith in Perm","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 9, 2018, Lyudmila Kuzub, judge of the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk, sent Maria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina, who live in Sychevka (Smolensk region), to prison. Women are accused of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the judge's decision, women must stay in the Smolensk pre-trial detention center at least until November 19, 2018.\nMaria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina were detained during mass searches conducted on October 7, 2018 by officers of the FSB Directorate for the Smolensk Region. A criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist community). The special services, in fact, deny Smolensk residents the constitutional right to freedom of religion, charging ordinary citizens who have been seen in worshiping Jehovah God with continuing the activities of a religious organization liquidated by the court. On that day, at least 17 citizens, including minors, suffered from the actions of the Smolensk special services. All of them experienced severe stress, were searched, personal belongings were seized.\nThere are now three women in prison in Russia on charges of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses: Maria Troshina, Nataliya Sorokina, and Anastasia Polyakova, who has been in Detention Center No. 1 in the Omsk Region for 104 days (at the time of publication) since her and her husband's arrest on July 4, 2018. Another 4 women spent from 2 to 4 days in temporary detention centers, but later their preventive measure was mitigated. Currently, 14 women believers are under recognizance not to leave or under a ban on certain actions.\nMaria Troshina and Nataliya Sorokina are being held in Detention Center No. 1 in the Smolensk Region.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-10-15T22:01:41+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/493/sorokina-troshina6110_hu_44c855f621c37b18.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/493/sorokina-troshina6110.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/493/sorokina-troshina6110_hu_af9eabce823a03cd.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/493/sorokina-troshina6110_hu_6c88470f4660755f.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/493.html","regions":["smolensk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","new-case","282.2-2","search"],"title":"Smolensk: 2 more women sent to prison for their faith ","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 9, 2018, in the city of Kirov, during a search in the house of pensioner Vladimir Bogomolov, who collects artifacts from the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), investigators seized fragments of obviously incapable rusted shells. The man was searched because his 69-year-old wife (the only one of her entire family) professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The woman does not share her husband's passion for antiques. Thus, the report that the ammunition was allegedly seized from Jehovah's Witnesses is not true.\nJehovah's Witnesses do not take up arms for reasons of conscience. For this position, they appeared before the tribunals of different countries and went to concentration camps. They will be grateful to the media for clarifying the misunderstanding.\nVladimir Bogomolov, from whom the relics were seized, in the past an active participant in the search movement (aimed at burying the remains of soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War), the foreman of the search party. The activities of his detachment were written in the newspapers. On October 9, 2018, a criminal case was opened on the discovery of artifacts on illegal possession of weapons, it was separated into a separate proceeding. The items were sent for examination.\nThe criminal prosecution of peaceful believers, including searches and arrests of civilians in Kirov, was the result of a miscarriage of justice—the recognition of all registered Jehovah's Witnesses organizations in Russia as \"extremist.\" Believers will appeal this decision to the European Court of Human Rights. The Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation expresses concern about the growing religious repression.\n","category":"crime","date":"2018-10-12T19:19:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/489/depositphotos_215301272_hu_caee271291cb7333.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/489/depositphotos_215301272.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/489/depositphotos_215301272_hu_e5eb64641ac75ca9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/489/depositphotos_215301272_hu_20f15e060acd3cb7.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/489.html","regions":["kirov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","elderly","new-case","fabrications"],"title":"Jehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with ammunition in Kirov","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 7, 2018, officers of the FSB Directorate for the Smolensk Region, together with operatives of the Center for Counteracting Extremism and SOBR fighters, conducted a series of searches in the homes of Smolensk residents suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. In the city of Sychevka (Smolensk region), 2 women did not get in touch for the third day: Natalia Sorokina and Maria Troshina. Presumably, they were arrested, because, according to neighbors, they were taken away in an unknown direction by the officers who conducted the search.\nIt became known that a criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist community). According to the interpretation of the Smolensk FSB, unidentified persons continued the activities of the \"Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia\", which was liquidated by the court in 2017. On October 2, 2018, Andrey Lantsov, a judge of the Leninsky District Court of Smolensk, issued permits for searches in the homes of citizens whom the FSB considers to be related to the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nLaw 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. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-10-10T17:01:19+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/487/depositphotos_75905113_3_hu_9562793a62681db7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/487/depositphotos_75905113_3.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/487/depositphotos_75905113_3_hu_5a6a4c97f64aac9f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/487/depositphotos_75905113_3_hu_2199880271566a24.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/487.html","regions":["smolensk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","new-case","282.2-2"],"title":"Two women arrested for their faith in Smolensk region","type":"news"},{"body":"On October 9, 2018, searches were carried out in Kirov in the homes of citizens accused of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as relatives who do not share their beliefs. 5 people were detained, including a foreigner. According to investigators, the question of the further measure of restraint for them should be decided on October 10-11, 2018.\nThe list of detainees includes 50-year-old Andrzej Oniszczuk (a citizen of the Republic of Poland living in Russia), 65-year-old Vladimir Korobeynikov, 25-year-old Andrey Suvorkov, 40-year-old Yevgeny Suvorkov and 44-year-old Maxim Khalturin. During searches in their homes, all electronic devices were seized. The investigating authorities searched not only believers, but also their relatives who do not profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.\nThe case was initiated by investigators of the Investigative Committee under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist community) and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (financing of extremist activities). The official report of the investigation states that the citizens \"organized meetings of followers and participants of this association in various apartments in compliance with the actions characteristic of this association, expressed in the joint singing of biblical songs, improving the skills of missionary activity, studying religious literature, the so-called \"Holy Scripture\" (Bible), which is included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials Containing Doctrine Jehovah's Witnesses.\"\nAs can be seen, this criminal case is a direct consequence of the decision of the Vyborg City Court to recognize as extremist material the translation of the Bible into modern Russian, which was seized at customs from Jehovah's Witnesses.\nAfter the Russian Supreme Court liquidated and declared all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations \"extremist\", law enforcement agencies throughout 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":"org","date":"2018-10-10T15:31:08+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/10/486/depositphotos_21862193_1_hu_dc77be40404d0772.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/10/486/depositphotos_21862193_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/10/486/depositphotos_21862193_1_hu_b2617c89503029b0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/10/486/depositphotos_21862193_1_hu_a991a9524848ca09.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/10/486.html","regions":["kirov"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","elderly","families","new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"title":"In Kirov, a new criminal case for faith and the arrest of 5 citizens, including a Polish citizen","type":"news"},{"body":"It becomes known about the initiation of the first criminal case in the region for faith. The FSB, together with the CPE and SOBR, conducts searches in the homes of believers . The court sends Natalia Sorokina and Maria Troshina to jail.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shalev and Others in Smolensk","date":"2018-10-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/smolensk2/index.html#20181007","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["new-case","search","sizo"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kirov Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2), 282.3 (1); According to the investigation, \"they organized meetings of followers and members of the said association [of Jehovah's Witnesses] in various apartments in compliance with the actions characteristic of this association, expressed in the joint singing of biblical songs, improving the skills of missionary activity, studying 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.\" Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Andrzej Onischuk (born in 1968), Vladimir Korobeynikov (born in 1952), Andrey Suvorkov (born in 1993), Yevgeny Suvorkov (born in 1978), Maxim Khalturin (born in 1974), Yuri Geraskov (born in 1956), Vladimir Vasilyev (born in 1956).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Oniszczuk and Others in Kirov","date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov3/index.html#20181003","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kirov Region initiates a criminal case for faith against seven Jehovah's Witnesses, including Vladimir Korobeynikov (born in 1952).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Korobeynikov in Kirov","date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kirov4/index.html#20181003","regions":["kirov"],"tags":["new-case","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Perm Territory, Major of Justice S. A. Vodianenko initiates a criminal case for faith under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Valery Petrenko. The reason for the initiation is the report of Abramov's employee on the detection of signs of a crime in the actions of the believer.\nAccording to the investigation, he \"deliberately took an active part in the meeting of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses ... which was expressed in the coverage and discussion of issues on topics recommended by higher organizations in the structure of the world organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, discussed with those present the topic: \"What is the kingdom of God?\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Petrenko in Berezniki","date":"2018-09-26T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/berezniki/index.html#20180926","regions":["perm"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On September 17, 2018, in Perm and other cities of the Perm Territory, such as Gubakha and Ocher, searches were carried out in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Several citizens were detained and interrogated, including 77-year-old Boris Burylov. According to preliminary data, after three days of detention in the detention center, 50-year-old Igor Turik and 51-year-old Viktor Kuchkov were placed under house arrest.\nA criminal case against these citizens was initiated on September 7, 2018 by an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Perm Territory. Turik, Kuchkov and Burylov are charged with violating Article 282.2(1) (organization of an extremist community). According to available information, the security services tapped their phones and conducted surveillance on them.\nDuring the searches, mobile phones and other electronic devices were seized from citizens. During searches and interrogations, FSB officers threatened citizens with long prison terms.\nLaw 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. ","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-09-21T11:04:15+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/09/473/depositphotos_75905113_0_hu_9562793a62681db7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/09/473/depositphotos_75905113_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/09/473/depositphotos_75905113_0_hu_5a6a4c97f64aac9f.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/09/473/depositphotos_75905113_0_hu_2199880271566a24.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/09/473.html","regions":["perm"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","ivs","house-arrest","282.2-1","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"A new criminal case and house arrest of two believers in the Perm region","type":"news"},{"body":"Dyurtyulinsky Investigative Division of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Bashkortostan initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); \"Continuation of the illegal activities of the banned organization [the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses Ufa], including the convening of meetings, the organization of the recruitment of new members\" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case). Anton Lemeshev (born in 1987) becomes an innocent victim of law enforcement officers.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Lemeshev in Dyurtyuli","date":"2018-09-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/dyurtyuli/index.html#20180920","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case is being opened on the participation of two female believers in an organization recognized as extremist in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Sorokina and Troshina in Sychevka","date":"2018-09-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sychevka/index.html#20180919","regions":["smolensk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Perm Territory initiates a criminal case for faith under Article 282.2 (1); According to the investigation, together with others, he conducted worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Igor Turik (born in 1968), Viktor Kuchkov (born in 1967), Boris Burylov (born in 1941).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Turik and Others in Perm","date":"2018-09-07T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm2/index.html#20180907","regions":["perm"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","elderly"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator D.M. Petukhov makes a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282. 2 in relation to Konstantin and Snezhana Bazhenov and Vera Zolotova.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Bazhenovs and Others in Yelizovo","date":"2018-08-17T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/yelizovo/index.html#20180817","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"Senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Pozdnyakov, having considered the report of the crime, decides to initiate a criminal case against Valery Moskalenko on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Polevodov and Kim in Khabarovsk","date":"2018-08-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk/index.html#20180801","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator-criminalist of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Pozdnyakov, having considered the report of the crime, decides to initiate a criminal case against Valery Moskalenko on the grounds of a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\nThe deputy head of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory, Captain of Justice M. Eremin, entrusts the production to an investigation team headed by a senior investigator-criminalist of the investigative department of the FSB of Russia in the Khabarovsk Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice D. Pozdnyakov.\nJudge of the Railway Court of Khabarovsk Svetlana Zherebtsova makes a decision to allow a search of Moskalenko's apartment.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Moskalenko in Khabarovsk","date":"2018-08-01T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/khabarovsk5/index.html#20180801","regions":["khabarovsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Criminal case No. 11802650042000038 under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Aleksandr Pryanikov and Venera Dulova was initiated.\nThe case is being investigated by the Investigative Department of the Krasnoturinsk SU of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Prianikov and Others in Karpinsk","date":"2018-07-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/karpinsk/index.html#20180730","regions":["sverdlovsk"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of Russia in the Pervorechensky district of Vladivostok is opening a criminal case against Dmitry Barmakin. The investigator authorizes a search at the place of residence of Dmitry Barmakin in the city of Nakhodka - in the apartment of his wife's grandmother. (Dmitry Barmakin moved from Crimea to Nakhodka to take care of her, as well as his sick mother-in-law.)\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Barmakin in Vladivostok","date":"2018-07-27T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok2/index.html#20180727","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Initiation of a criminal case against the Popovs under Part 1 of Article 282.2 and Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. 26.07.2018 The case is accepted for proceedings by Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Viktor Ushakevich, acting head of the investigation department.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Popovs in Vilyuchinsk","date":"2018-07-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vilyuchinsk/index.html#20180725","regions":["kamchatka"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-1.1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Kostroma is initiating criminal proceedings against unidentified persons under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation due to the fact that, according to investigators, \"at least two meetings\" of Jehovah's Witnesses were held in the city in June 2018.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Raymans in Kostroma","date":"2018-07-24T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/kostroma2/index.html#20180724","regions":["kostroma"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"From 7:00 a.m. on July 20, 2018, at least three homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in Blagoveshchensk. One of them was charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\nThe case is being conducted by the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, investigator I. Beloglazov. According to the investigator, it became known that as part of the operational preparation of this case, a listening device was installed in the apartment of a married couple for almost six months, as a result, the investigation has a number of details of the personal life of the spouses. Such an unceremonious invasion of privacy, violation of the right to inviolability of the home, personal and family secrets, became possible as part of the brutal persecution unleashed against Jehovah's Witnesses. Law enforcement officers across the country falsely interpret compliance with common religious precepts, such as praying together or reading the Bible, as participation in the activities of an extremist organization. All this was a direct consequence of a miscarriage of justice made by the Supreme Court of Russia and personally by Judge Yuri Ivanenko.\nSearches in the homes of peaceful Blagoveshchensk residents were sanctioned by Oleg Filatov, a judge of the Blagoveshchensk City Court of the Amur Region. Similar criminal cases have been initiated in other Far Eastern regions - in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, in the Magadan and Jewish Autonomous Regions, and also in Yakutia. Update. According to updated data, on July 20, 2018, 7 searches were conducted in the apartments of believers in Blagoveshchensk.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-07-23T23:12:14+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/373/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_0_hu_ef9922f011dd685f.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/373/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/373/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_0_hu_9ee4384f48cdbbd9.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/373/180418_polyarnyy_vylamyvayut_dver3351_0_hu_a56c2aa557bee22e.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/373.html","regions":["amur"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","new-case","282.2-2","hidden-surveillance"],"title":"In the Amur region, a criminal case for faith was initiated, searches were carried out","type":"news"},{"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":"Investigator of the Investigation Department of the FSB of Russia in the Kemerovo Region, Senior Lieutenant of Justice E. Suspitsyn, having considered the report of the crime, decides to initiate a criminal case under Part 2. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Levchuk and Britvin in Beryozovsky","date":"2018-07-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/beryozovsky2/index.html#20180719","regions":["kemerovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Senior investigator D. A. Shevchenko initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against \"unidentified persons\". Later in this case, the Nadezhdinskiy District Court will convict a local resident, G. G. Bubnov, for believing in God.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Filippov in Razdolnoye","date":"2018-07-16T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/volno-nadezhdinskoye3/index.html#20180716","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Decision to initiate two criminal cases at once under the \"extremist\" article 282. The court allows a search in the homes of believers in Penza.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Alushkin and Others in Penza","date":"2018-07-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/penza/index.html#20180711","regions":["penza"],"tags":["new-case","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"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 July 6, 2018, 46-year-old Sergey Polyakov and his wife Anastasia, who were suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, were sent to the Omsk pre-trial detention center. They were detained during searches conducted on July 4, 2018 in the homes of local residents.\nThe Polyakovs did not get in touch for 2 days, the door to their apartment was found broken open. Simultaneous searches were carried out in at least 4 dwellings of Omsk residents. Starting at 7:00 a.m., the searches continued until 3:00 p.m. and were carried out in houses, on land plots, in outbuildings and in parked cars of citizens. All possible electronic storage media and electronic devices were seized. During the search, the witnesses actively helped law enforcement officers, prompted and even tried to interrogate believers. The case is being conducted by Denis Loginovsky, an investigator of the Azov District Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region.\nIt is not yet known under what articles the criminal case was initiated. However, law enforcement officers in different regions of Russia mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization. Prominent public figures of Russia, as well as the Presidential Council for Human Rights, have already drawn attention to this problem.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-07-06T17:46:39+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/07/360/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_hu_17a7f6510007a8a6.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/07/360/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/07/360/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_hu_fa10a11985b59e0e.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/07/360/180603_tomsk_vylamyvayut_dver3352_hu_5745fb0cb44e8fa9.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/07/360.html","regions":["omsk"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","families","new-case","282"],"title":"In Omsk, a husband and wife were arrested for their faith, a criminal case was opened","type":"news"},{"body":"At the Emelyanovo airport in Krasnoyarsk, Andrei Stupnikov is detained by officers of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. After a personal search, he was forcibly taken to the building of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Krasnoyarsk Territory at the address: Krasnoyarsk, Dzerzhinsky Street, 18. Senior Investigator of the Investigation Department for the Zheleznodorozhny District of Krasnoyarsk of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory Brigida S.A., having considered the report (registered in the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee for the Zheleznodorozhny District of Krasnoyarsk under No. 257pr-18) of the investigator department of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory Ivanov S.Y. dated 03.07.2018 on the detection of signs of a crime in the actions of Andrey Stupnikov, initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Stupnikov was detained and on the same day, around midnight, a detention protocol was drawn up.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Stupnikov in Krasnoyarsk","date":"2018-07-03T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/krasnoyarsk4/index.html#20180703","regions":["krasnoyarsk"],"tags":["new-case","personal-inspection","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A decision is made to initiate criminal proceedings against an unidentified circle of persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. An investigation team is appointed, which includes Andrey Myreev, Captain of Justice of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The investigation period is extended until 29.05.2019.\nJudge of the Lensky District Court Ekaterina Azimova orders a search of Ivashin's apartment.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Ivashin in Lensk","date":"2018-06-29T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/lensk/index.html#20180629","regions":["sakha"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","search"],"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":"I. A. Beloglazov, senior investigator of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region, initiates a criminal case for faith under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Aleksey Berchuk. The investigation interprets the exercise of the right to freedom of religion as the organization of the activities of an extremist community.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Berchuk and Golik in Blagoveshchensk","date":"2018-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/blagoveshchensk2/index.html#20180622","regions":["amur"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A case is being initiated against D.V. Mikhailov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-06-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180622","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1); Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Igor Zhukov (born in 1986).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zhukov in Omsk","date":"2018-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk/index.html#20180620","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["282.2-1","282.3-1","new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region initiates a criminal case under Article 282.2 (1) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and Article 282.3 (1) of the Criminal Code against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zhukov in Omsk","date":"2018-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk/index.html#20180620","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Sylnik, senior investigator of the Azov Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region, initiates a criminal case under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against Sergey and Anastasia Polyakov.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2018-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20180620","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A. Sylnik, senior investigator of the Azov Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Omsk Region, initiates a criminal case under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"Case of the Polyakovs and Others in Omsk","date":"2018-06-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/omsk2/index.html#20180620","regions":["omsk"],"tags":["new-case","282"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"An investigator of the investigation department of the FSB of Russia in the Saratov region initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Bazhenov and Others in Saratov","date":"2018-06-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/saratov/index.html#20180609","regions":["saratov"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 29, 2018, Dmitry Mikhailov, a 40-year-old resident of Shuya (Ivanovo region), who professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, was taken into custody. Earlier, on April 20, 2018, he was recognized as a suspect in participation in the activities of an extremist organization (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).\nAt the time of his arrest, Mikhailov was told that he was now suspected of \"financing\" extremist activities (Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Law enforcers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-06-01T16:24:13+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/06/336/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_hu_cb8bbc79fc28e15e.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/06/336/mihaylov_dmitriy4875.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/06/336/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_hu_7df984e635d864c2.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/06/336/mihaylov_dmitriy4875_hu_9b4e644f4360b76d.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/06/336.html","regions":["ivanovo"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["ivs","282.3-1","new-case"],"title":"A 40-year-old believer was arrested in Ivanovo region ","type":"news"},{"body":"The FSB of Russia in the Pskov region initiates a criminal case against Gennady Shpakovsky and unidentified persons. Before that, the security forces have been following Gennady for several months, collecting \"evidence\".\n","caseTitle":"Case of Shpakovskiy in Pskov","date":"2018-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/pskov/index.html#20180531","regions":["pskov"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"A criminal case has been initiated on the organization of extremist activities against an unidentified person. On the same day, the court authorizes a search in the apartment where Sergey Klimov and his wife Yulia live.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Klimov in Tomsk","date":"2018-05-31T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/tomsk/index.html#20180531","regions":["tomsk"],"tags":["new-case","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The investigator of the Magadan Region Directorate of the FSB Directorate A. A. Aspiev issues a decision to initiate a criminal case under Article 282.2 (1) against 4 believers; According to the investigation, they, together with others, conducted worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses).\nThe victims of law enforcement officers are: Ivan Puida (born in 1978), Konstantin Petrov (born in 1986), Yevgeny Zyablov (born in 1977) and Sergey Yerkin (born in 1953).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan","date":"2018-05-30T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/magadan/index.html#20180530","regions":["magadan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"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":"In Tatarstan, investigators are opening a criminal case on the participation of several people in the services of Jehovah's Witnesses, considering this to be a continuation of the activities of religious organizations banned in Russia.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Karimov and Others in Naberezhnye Chelny","date":"2018-05-25T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/naberezhnyye-chelny/index.html#20180525","regions":["tatarstan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"On May 16, 2018, 18 searches were carried out in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses in 4 settlements of the Orenburg Region. 15 believers were detained, three were sent to a temporary detention facility (IVS). 11 people were found guilty in the criminal case.\nG. Buzuluk. Searches in 5 houses. A written undertaking not to leave was taken from one of the citizens. Orenburg. Searches were carried out at 9 addresses, where a total of 25 people live, including small children. 8 people were found guilty in the criminal case. A written undertaking not to leave was taken from 6 people. Three were sent to a temporary detention center, namely 25-year-old Vladislav Kolbanov, 38-year-old Aleksandr Suvorov and 38-year-old Vladimir Kochnev. P. Perevolotsky. Searches were carried out in 3 families at 2 addresses, including 25-year-old Boris Andreev, who lives with his wife and 2-year-old child. Andreev was found guilty in the criminal case. Sol-Iletsk. There were 2 searches. 44-year-old Anatoly Vichkitov was found accused. The criminal case was initiated under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Earlier, the Supreme Court of Russia approved the liquidation and prohibition of all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations registered in Russia, but the constitutional right of citizens to freely practice their religion, both individually and in community with others, was not abolished. Law enforcers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\n","category":"siloviki","date":"2018-05-22T14:59:42+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/05/321/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_hu_501a9b3bd3475921.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/05/321/180516_orenburg_fsb5114.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/05/321/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_hu_91230167b0c4adb0.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/05/321/180516_orenburg_fsb5114_hu_8d5f14a80842be41.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/05/321.html","regions":["orenburg"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["search","ivs","review","282.2-1","new-case"],"title":"Details of the raid on believers in the Orenburg region","type":"news"},{"body":"A criminal case is being initiated against Alexander Solovyov and unidentified persons on the territory of Perm for participation in an extremist organization. As stated in the resolution, the reason was \"participation in the activities of a religious association\" after July 17, 2017. On the same day, Aleksandr was detained at the Perm railway station. Throughout the night, searches are carried out in their apartment on the basis of an investigator's order, during which all property documents, electronic devices, storage media, a wi-fi router, photographs, and a collection of Bibles were seized.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Solovyev in Perm","date":"2018-05-22T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/perm3/index.html#20180522","regions":["perm"],"tags":["new-case","search","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"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":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region is initiating a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2), 282.3 (1) against Alam Aliyev, Valery Krieger, Sergey Shulyarenko, Dmitry Zagulin and Konstantin Guzev. According to the investigation, together with others, they held worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses).\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Aliyev and Others in Birobidzhan","date":"2018-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan10/index.html#20180514","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Jewish Autonomous Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2), 282.3 (1) against local believers. According to the investigation, together with others, they held worship services, which is interpreted as \"organizing the activities of an extremist organization\" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Guzev in Birobidzhan","date":"2018-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/birobidzhan11/index.html#20180514","regions":["jewish"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2","282.3-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2). 7 believers become defendants in the case at once: Alexander Suvorov, Vladimir Kochnev, Vladislav Kolbanov, Pavel Lekontsev, Alexey Matveev, Sergey Logunov and Nikolai Zhugin.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Kochnev and Others in Orenburg","date":"2018-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orenburg/index.html#20180514","regions":["orenburg"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2). 7 believers become defendants in the case at once.\n","caseTitle":"Suvorov's case in Orenburg","date":"2018-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orenburg2/index.html#20180514","regions":["orenburg"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg Region initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2). 7 believers become defendants in the case at once.\n","caseTitle":"The case of Matveev in Orenburg","date":"2018-05-14T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/orenburg3/index.html#20180514","regions":["orenburg"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"One of the followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vladivostok, 42-year-old Valentin Osadchuk, was arrested for two months, until June 20, 2018. He is charged under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in an extremist organization). On the eve of his arrest, on April 19, 2018, police officers and the FSB conducted searches in the homes of local residents. Women of 66 and 83 years old (!) were involved as suspects under the same article in the criminal case, they were taken on their own recognizance.\nThe criminal case was initiated on April 9, 2018 by an FSB investigator. This was preceded by operational-search activities, including secret video filming. On April 23, 2018, Sergey Olkhovsky, judge of the Frunzensky District Court of Vladivostok, chose a preventive measure in the form of detention against Valentin Osadchuk. On April 27, 2018, the investigator of the FSB Directorate for the Primorsky Territory, Senior Lieutenant of Justice O. A. Tunyk, decided to bring Valentin Osadchuk as an accused.\nThe 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, including the local religious organization in Vladivostok. Law enforcers often mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.\n","category":"restriction","date":"2018-04-23T00:00:00Z","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2018/05/311/depositphotos_18573119_1_hu_d5cee966f90916.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2018/05/311/depositphotos_18573119_1.jpg","webp":"/news/2018/05/311/depositphotos_18573119_1_hu_51a8cf3809faf296.webp","webp2x":"/news/2018/05/311/depositphotos_18573119_1_hu_526cdc1b7d7f3266.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2018/05/311.html","regions":["primorye"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["sizo","282.2-2","search","new-case"],"title":"In Primorye, a civilian was arrested for 2 months for his faith","type":"news"},{"body":"Senior investigator of the Komsomolsk Interdistrict Investigation Department, seconded to the Investigation Department for the city of Shuya of the Investigative Department for the Ivanovo Region, Captain of Justice Robert Barseghyan, initiates a criminal case.\nSergey Garber, a judge of the Shuisky City Court, authorizes a search in the house of Dmitry Mikhailov.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of the Mikhaylovs and Others in Shuya","date":"2018-04-19T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/shuya/index.html#20180419","regions":["ivanovo"],"tags":["new-case","search"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region initiates a criminal case against Viktor Trofimov and other unidentified persons under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Markin and Trofimov in Polyarny","date":"2018-04-12T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/polyarny/index.html#20180412","regions":["murmansk"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky Interdistrict Investigation Department for the city of Ufa initiates a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code against Vilitkevich. Anatoliy Vilitkevich was brought to the criminal case as a defendant under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2018-04-11T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20180411","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-1"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Primorsky Territory is initiating a criminal case on extremism. One of the defendants is Valentin Osadchuk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Zayshchuk in Vladivostok","date":"2018-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok11/index.html#20180409","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Primorsky Territory is initiating a criminal case on extremism. One of the defendants is Valentin Osadchuk.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Osadchuk and Others in Vladivostok","date":"2018-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/vladivostok3/index.html#20180409","regions":["primorye"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Leninsky MRSO for the city of Ufa initiates a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against unidentified persons.\n","caseTitle":"The Case of Vilitkevich in Ufa","date":"2018-04-02T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/ufa/index.html#20180402","regions":["bashkortostan"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Investigator A. Kompaniets initiates a case against Sergey Skrynnikov under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization).\n","caseTitle":"Case of Skrynnikov in Oryol","date":"2018-02-20T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/oryol2/index.html#20180220","regions":["oryol"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Belgorod Region is initiating a case under Article 282.2 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Voykov and Shalyapin in Belgorod","date":"2018-02-05T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belgorod/index.html#20180205","regions":["belgorod"],"tags":["new-case","282.2-2"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"Major Lyushakov, an employee of the CPE of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Belgorod Region, submits a report on the discovery of signs of a crime: local residents \"for religious reasons participated in meetings, during which they were engaged in propaganda activities, got acquainted with literature.\"\n","caseTitle":"Case of Voykov and Shalyapin in Belgorod","date":"2018-01-10T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/belgorod/index.html#20180110","regions":["belgorod"],"tags":["new-case"],"type":"timeline"},{"body":"In August 2017, it became known that in the village of Maysky (Kabardino-Balkaria), the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against a 54-year-old local resident, Yuriy Zalipaev, under Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (\"incitement to hatred or enmity\"). The believer faces up to 5 years in prison.\nFrom the decision to initiate a criminal case, signed by senior investigator A. Kodzokov, it follows that in 2016 Yuriy Zalipaev allegedly distributed 3 copies of the magazine \"Awake!\" for August 2009 with the title \"Discrimination and prejudice: the root and solution of the problem\".\nIn fact, in 2016, believers unsuccessfully tried to prove to the Maysky District Court of Kabardino-Balkaria that these copies of the magazine \"Awake!\" were planted by them in a worship building. During the service, the lights went out in the building and more than 20 law enforcement officers, led by an FSB officer, invaded it without explanation. Under the threat of force, some of the believers were blocked in the premises, and electronic devices were confiscated from them. Law enforcement officers in the dark began inspecting the premises. When the lights were turned on, the police pointed out to the believers the publications included in the FSEM, which were lying on a bench next to an employee in camouflage uniform. Despite the fact that video recordings were carefully seized from the believers, they managed to keep videos proving that there were no publications on the bench before the start of the search. However, in November 2016, the court of the village of Maisky was critical of these videos and imposed a fine of 200,000 rubles on the community. Less than a year later, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against one of the believers, Yuri Zalipaev.\nYuri Viktorovich Zalipaev is a respected head of the family, husband and father, who has been known as a decent believer for 25 years.\nIn 2010, the magazine \"Awake!\", which Yuriy Zalipayev is unreasonably accused of distributing, was included in the FSEM under number 757 on the basis of the decision of the Kemerovo District Court, which considered the article \"The Point of View of the Bible: Should Believers Be Divided into Clergy and Laity?\" as extremism.\nThis is the second similar case in the republic: the Prokhladnensky District Court of Kabardino-Balkaria is hearing a case against 69-year-old Jehovah's Witness Arkadi Hakobyan. According to the prosecution, Arkady Akopovich Hakobyan made a speech in which the dignity of persons of other religions was allegedly humiliated, and instructed those present to distribute prohibited literature. He was charged under Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Earlier, Arkadya Hakobyan appealed to the Investigative Committee of Russia with a request to bring to justice those who gave knowingly false testimony on which the charges were based.\n","category":"trial","date":"2017-08-23T22:01:39+03:00","duration":null,"image":{"jpg":"/news/2017/08/207/gavel3845_1_0_hu_bf906f76fa2a38a7.jpg","jpg2x":"/news/2017/08/207/gavel3845_1_0.jpg","webp":"/news/2017/08/207/gavel3845_1_0_hu_755724c945518180.webp","webp2x":"/news/2017/08/207/gavel3845_1_0_hu_c57b019ca489577.webp"},"permalink":"/en/news/2017/08/207.html","regions":["kabardino-balkar"],"subtitle":null,"tags":["new-case","282.2-1","plant","fsem"],"title":"New Criminal Case for Faith in Kabardino-Balkaria ","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":"Investigator M. Dukhovnev issues a decision to initiate a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (incitement of hatred or enmity committed by an organized group). More than 2 years of preliminary investigation begins.\n","caseTitle":"Case of Stepanov and Sivak in Sergiyev Posad","date":"2013-04-09T00:00:00Z","permalink":"/en/cases/sergiyev-posad/index.html#20130409","regions":["moscow_obl"],"tags":["new-case","282"],"type":"timeline"}]