Searches and a Criminal Case for Faith in Khakassia

On the evening of April 10, 2019, in Abakan, armed law enforcement officers in masks invaded the homes of at least two families of local residents who were suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Late at night, at the end of the searches, 44-year-old Roman Baranovsky was detained.

According to preliminary information, a criminal case was initiated against Roman Baranovsky under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("participation in the activities of a liquidated organization"). His mother, who lives with him, was interrogated.

Law 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."

Update. On April 10, 2019, a criminal case was initiated against Roman Baranovskiy and his mother, 68-year-old Valentina Baranovskaya, under Article 282.2 (1). As part of the case, on the basis of the investigator's order, a total of 4 searches were carried out, Bibles, personal records, electronic devices and various data carriers were seized.