Photo: Special forces breaking down the door to the apartment of believers (Polyarny, April 18, 2018)

Photo: Special forces breaking down the door to the apartment of believers (Polyarny, April 18, 2018)

Photo: Special forces breaking down the door to the apartment of believers (Polyarny, April 18, 2018)

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Searches and Criminal Case in the Chelyabinsk Region

Chelyabinsk Region

On March 26, 2019, at approximately 7:00 a.m., there was a soft knock on the door of the apartment where the spouses Pavel and Elena Popov live with their young daughter in Yemanzhelinsk (Chelyabinsk region). The owners were told through the door that there was some kind of accident with their car in the yard. When they opened the door, they saw about 10 masked men with machine guns and a sledgehammer to kick down the door.

The couple were informed that their home would be searched because they professed the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. A computer, phones, tablets, family photos, books and passports were seized. After the search, the spouses were taken for interrogation to another city, presumably to Chelyabinsk. The child was left in the care of family friends. According to law enforcement officers, whether the spouses will be arrested "depends on how they cooperate." (Law enforcement officers across the country have threatened believers to incriminate themselves or others by "confessing" to engaging in extremist activities.) The case against believers is being handled by the Department for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Russia in the Chelyabinsk Region.

Simultaneously with the operational activities in Yemanzhelinsk, searches in the homes of believers, according to reports, are taking place in the Metallurgichesky district of Chelyabinsk.

Earlier, after the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, the Russian Federation admitted that it had violated the rights of 150 deaf Jehovah's Witnesses in Chelyabinsk in connection with the disruption of their worship services, and paid 30,000 euros in compensation for moral damage and 60,544 euros in compensation for legal costs. The ECHR ruling in this case, known as Konstantin Kuznetsov and Others v. Russian Federation, states: "It is undeniable that the joint study and discussion of liturgical texts by members of the Jehovah's Witnesses community is a recognized form of professing [their] religion during worship and teaching." This ruling was issued in 2007.

Update. A total of 10 searches were conducted in the homes of believers in the Chelyabinsk region on March 26, 2019.

Case of Suvorova in Chelyabinsk

Case History
A criminal case against 73-year-old Valentina Suvorova, a labor veteran, former choir teacher and conductor, was opened by the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Chelyabinsk Region on March 18, 2019. A few days later, the believer was searched, and 10 months later, a case was opened against her husband [Vladimir] (/en/prisoners/suvorovv.html). The security forces introduced an informant into the Suvorovs’ entourage - a woman who feigned interest in the Bible. In addition to the betrayal of this man, the couple had to go through a lot in their lives, including the death of their 42-year-old only son. The criminal prosecution caused the believer, according to her, an incurable emotional trauma. Other diseases have worsened. For more than a year, Valentina was under recognizance not to leave. Since February 18, 2020, she has defended her good name in the Metallurgicheskiy District Court, where, for health reasons, she testified while sitting. On March 11, 2021, Judge Grigory Yarygin sentenced her to 2 years probation with restriction of liberty for 6 months with a probation period of 1 year.
Timeline

Persons in case

Suvorova
Valentina

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Court case number:
11902750030000002
Initiated:
March 18, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
СК РФ по Челябинской области
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-3/2021 (1-164/2020)
Court:
Металлургический районный суд г. Челябинска
Judge:
Григорий Ярыгин
Case History

The Case of Popov in Chelyabinsk

Case History
The security forces searched the apartment of Pavel Popov and his wife in the presence of their young daughter twice - in 2019 and 2021. A peaceful believer from Yemanzhelinsk was brought in as a witness in the case of Valentina Suvorova from Chelyabinsk, and in April 2021, investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Chepenko opened a criminal case against him. He considered preaching, singing religious songs and prayers to be organizing the activities of an extremist organization. In November 2021, the case went to court. During the hearings, it became obvious that the testimony of prosecution witnesses was falsified, and the prosecution had no evidence. Despite this, the prosecutor asked the court to sentence the believer to 8 years in prison. In May 2022, the believer was found guilty and sentenced to 6 years probation with a probation period of 4 years. The appeal and cassation upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Popov
Pavel

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Court case number:
12102750030000010
Initiated:
April 22, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-77/2022 (1-659/2021)
Court of First Instance:
Металлургический районный суд г. Челябинска
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Мария Мельникова
Case History

The case of Mikhailenko in Chelyabinsk

Case History
Searches of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Chelyabinsk in 2019 changed the lives of dozens of believers. Among them is Irina Mikhailenko, director of a law firm. The believer was a witness in the case of Valentina Suvorova, but in 2021 she herself became a suspect of participating in extremist activities. Mikhailenko’s house was searched again. The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region accused the believer of “directly participating in and personally speaking in … religious meetings”, singing songs and saying prayers. Mikhailenko was also accused of attending an international convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea. In July 2022, the trial began. In April 2023, the court sentenced the believer to a fine of 120,000 rubles. The appellate court upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Mikhaylenko
Irina

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Suspected of:
«... directly participated and personally spoke in religious meetings convened and organized by V. N. Suvorov" (from the decision to bring as an accused)
Court case number:
12102750030000024
Initiated:
August 31, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Third Department for the Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-16/2023
Court of First Instance:
Металлургический районный суд г. Челябинска
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Людмила Благодырь
Case History
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