Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Three Years After the Mass Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses, Searches Were Again Held in the Bryansk Region. Criminal Case Was Initiated

Bryansk Region

On August 11, 2022, in Trubchevsk and Unecha, two cities in the Bryansk Region, searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some of them were already invaded by the security forces in 2019.

The raid, conducted by officers Center for Combating Extremism (CPE) and the Investigative Committee, took place at least at four addresses. Electronic devices, personal records and friendly letters were confiscated from believers. During subsequent interrogation in the Investigative Committee, citizens used the 51st article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Update. According to updated information, on August 11, not four, but two searches took place, in the city of Unecha and the village of Vorobyovka, Unechsky district.

According to available information, the investigative measures took place within the framework of a criminal case under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation against 44-year-old Yelena Yashina. According to the investigation, the believer “being in public places and living quarters of residents of the city of Unecha and other settlements in the region, promoted the activities of the organization [Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia], distributing relevant literature and making attempts to involve new members in the banned organization” (from the press release of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Bryansk Region).

Case of Khokhlov and Zhinzhikov in Novozybkov

Case History
On September 3, 2020, the Novozybkovsky City Court found Vladimir Khokhlov, Eduard Zhinzhikov, Tatyana Shamsheva and Olga Silaeva guilty of extremist activities and sentenced them to imprisonment for a term of 12 to 15 months, followed by restriction of freedom and a ban on holding leadership positions. Since the believers had already spent about a year behind bars, they were released right in the courtroom. All of them ended up in jail after mass raids by armed security forces in 2019 in the Bryansk region. The security forces considered the usual communication of believers on religious topics to be a “criminal conspiracy”. However, during the court session it turned out that “information and files relevant to the criminal case were not found.” Due to the stress experienced, Vladimir Khokhlov suffered a hypertensive crisis, and Eduard Zhinzhikov and his wife lost an unborn child. In October 2020, the appeal upheld the verdict. In December 2021, this decision was upheld by the Court of Cassation.
Timeline

Persons in case

Khokhlov
Vladimir
Shamsheva
Tatyana
Silayeva
Olga
Zhinzhikov
Eduard

Criminal case

Region:
Bryansk Region
Locality:
Novozybkov
Suspected of:
According to the investigation they held talks in public places and living quarters with residents in order to promote the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, involved other people in this activity by persuasion, and raised money
Court case number:
11902150006000035
Initiated:
October 16, 2019
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
The First Department for the investigation of particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the IC of Russia in Bryansk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-64/2020
Court:
Новозыбковский городской суд Брянской области
Case History