Photo: Invasion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut (2018)

Photo: Invasion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut (2018)

Photo: Invasion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut (2018)

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses in Rostov-on-Don

Rostov Region

Early in the morning of May 22, 2019, law enforcement officers invaded at least 4 apartments of Rostov residents who were suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Men and women were detained. Some are released, the fate of others is being clarified.

When 50-year-old Sergey Khotov opened the door, the security forces threw him to the floor and twisted his hands behind his back. Later, he was picked up and his apartment was searched, electronic devices were seized, as well as the Synodal edition of the Bible. The search was carried out by employees of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Rostov Region, including the deputy head of the center with the rank of lieutenant colonel of police.

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."

The Case of Avanesovs and Others in Rostov-on-Don

Case History
Searches, arrests, humiliation and intimidation — in May 2019, Aleksandr Parkov, Vilen and Arsen Avanesov from Rostov-on-Don were detained by officers of the Investigative Committee for allegedly continuing the activity of the banned organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They were placed in a pretrial detention center, where they spent 925 days. The charges against the believers were based on falsifications and the testimony of a provocateur recruited by the FSB. In July 2021, the court sentenced Vilen to 6 years in a penal colony, and Aleksandr and Arsen to 6.5 years. The courts of appeal and cassation upheld this decision. Arsen was also charged under another article — financing the activity of an extremist organization, and his sentence was increased to 7 years. In February 2024, Vilen Avanesov was released, having served his term in full. In August 2024, Aleksandr Parkov, and in October Arsen Avanesov were also released from the penal colony.
Timeline

Persons in case

Avanesov
Arsen
Avanesov
Vilen
Parkov
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Rostov Region
Locality:
Rostov-on-Don
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they continued their activity and led the Local Religious Organization (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses, received religious literature, invited other people to join the meetings for worship, and used their places of residence for meetings
Court case number:
11902007712000035
Initiated:
May 22, 2019
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
First Investigation Directorate (deployed in Rostov-on-Don) of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Court case number:
1-44/2021 (1-415/2020)
Court:
Leninskiy District Court for the City of Rostov-on-Don
Judge:
Vladimir Hudaverdyan
Case History
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