Case of Murtuzov and Others in Moscow

Case History

In December 2024, searches were carried out at least 8 addresses of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow and Lyubertsy near Moscow. The day before, the Moscow Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kislaya, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov. The reason for initiating the case was their conversations about the Bible with Olga Grigoryeva, who feigned interest in this book. Five of Jehovah’s Witnesses are accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving other persons in it. Later, Murtuzov, Korol and Petrochenko were sent to a pre-trial detention center, and Kislaya and Ivanova were placed under house arrest.
Timeline

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    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2) Art. 282.2 (1.1)

    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.

    The 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.

    The 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.

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    Search Interrogation

    Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kisla, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov are charged under "extremist" articles.

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    Violence by law enforcement officers Search Interrogation Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2) Art. 282.2 (1.1)
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    Detention center House arrest

    The court sends Murtuzov, Korol and Petrochenko to a pre-trial detention center, and Kislaya and Ivanova to house arrest.

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    Detention center

    Initially, Darya is placed in a cell without a bed and with a mattress on the floor, but later she is transferred to a cell in which the conditions are much better. The believer tries to take care of her health, does exercises. According to her, the food in the detention center is good, but she does not receive the vitamins that she needs due to her pre-diabetes condition. Darya tries to maintain a positive attitude and draws solace from the Bible, which she borrowed from the library of the pre-trial detention center.

    There are bedbugs in the cell where Zaur Murtuzov is kept, the believer is allergic to their bites. Other than that, the conditions of detention are satisfactory. Two other prisoners are being held in the cell with Zaur. Cellmates and the administration of the pre-trial detention center treat Murtuzov with respect. Zaur has already received the first letters of support. According to him, they are like a breath of fresh air. He doesn't have a Bible yet.

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    Transfer of a prisoner

    Zaur Murtuzov is transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Moscow.

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