Photo source: Alexander Tarakanov / Lori Photobank

Photo source: Alexander Tarakanov / Lori Photobank

Photo source: Alexander Tarakanov / Lori Photobank

Human Rights

Demand to investigate allegations of torture in Surgut

Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area

On February 25, 2019, Andrey Babushkin, head of the standing commission on assistance to the Public Monitoring Commission, penitentiary system reform and crime prevention, as well as a member of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, demanded to stop the criminal activities of the security forces responsible for torturing Jehovah's Witnesses detained in Surgut. His appeal was addressed to the Prosecutor General, the head of the Investigative Committee, as well as the chairman of the Public Monitoring Commission (PMC) for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.

In his statement, the human rights activist described what happened to the detained believers in the dungeons of the Investigative Committee of Russia in Surgut. Andrei Babushkin demanded that a criminal case be opened against the security forces for abuse of office and organization of a criminal community (Articles 286.3 and 210 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and "to choose a preventive measure against them that excludes their criminal activity."

In addition, Andrey Babushkin asked the PMC officers to visit Sergey Loginov in the pre-trial detention center and interview him about torture.

Early in the morning of February 15, 2019, in Surgut, Lyantor and other settlements of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, mass searches were carried out in the homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. At least 7 peaceful Jehovah's Witnesses were tortured in the buildings of the Investigative Committee of Russia in Surgut. A criminal case under the article "organization and participation of an extremist organization" was initiated against 20 local residents, including women. On February 16, 2019, believers in Surgut contacted the hotline of the TFR on the fact of torture. On February 17, 2019, the court chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center for three of them.

Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut

Case History
In February 2019, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against 18 men and 1 woman from Surgut (among them was a man mistaken for a Jehovah’s Witness). Their homes were searched. During the interrogations, 7 believers were subjected to violence. Artur Severinchik was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 29 days, and Yevgeny Fedin and Sergey Loginov - for 56. Timofey Zhukov was illegally placed in a psychiatric hospital for 14 days. Believers complained about the use of torture to the Investigative Committee, the ECHR and the Commissioner for Human Rights, a press conference was held with the participation of human rights defenders, but none of the security forces was ever brought to justice. In October 2021, the case materials were submitted to the court. The prosecutor requested imprisonment for the defendants for a term of 3 years and 3 months to 8.5 years in prison, and for Loginov - 9.5 years, which was the most severe request for punishment for believing in Jehovah God in modern Russia.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area
Locality:
Surgut
Suspected of:
delivering speeches, engaging in the Witnesses' public preaching activity with local members, meeting with Bible education volunteers and appointed congregation assistants, and having as one objective the organizing of appointed men in the Vzlyotnove Congregation
Court case number:
42002007709000023
Initiated:
February 11, 2019
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the city of Surgut of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
№ 1-27/2023 (1-130/2022; 1-1348/2021)
Court:
Сургутский городской суд
Judge:
Дмитрий Люпин
Case History
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