THREE ADHERENTS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARRESTED IN TATARSTAN
Interfax-Povolzhe, 30 May 2018
A court in Tatarstan confined in custody three followers of the extremist religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is banned in Russia, the news agency Interfax-Povolzhe was told by an informed source.
"The men will be detained until 25 July," the news agency's source said.
He said, a criminal case has been opened against them on the basis of part 1 and 2 of art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (directing the activity of an extremist organization and participation in it).
The detainees are suspected of directing the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization and participating in its activity, as well as recruiting devotees.
On 20 April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court adopted a decision that has taken legal effect finding the aforesaid organization to be extremist and banning its activity on the territory of Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 30 May 2018)
THREE BELIEVERS ARRESTED AFTER MASS RAIDS IN TATARSTAN
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 30 May 2018
On 27 May 2018 in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny (Tatarstan), personnel of law enforcement agencies burst into ten apartments of local residents for searches, who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Arrested were 37-year-old Ilkham Karimov, 30-year-old Vladimir Miakushin, and 29-year-old Konstantin Matrashov.
The searches and interrogations in the homes of peaceful believers began on Sunday evening and continued late into the night. The law enforcers were represented by personnel of the Investigative Committee and the F.S.B. From the believers, among whom were four men, ten women (including elderly women), and children, were seized all electronic equipment, cell phones, and civilian passports.
In the coming days the issue of the measure to insure appearance for the detainees should be decided. It has been learned that a criminal case has been opened on the basis of part 1 and 2 of art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the RF (leading and participating in the activity of an extremist organization). Russian law enforcement personnel mistakenly take joint religious confession of citizens as participation in an extremist organization. This criminal prosecution is a direct consequence of the decision of the Russian Supreme Court, which on 20 April 2017 liquidated and ruled to be "extremist" immediately 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country. (tr. by PDS, posted 30 May 2018)
Editorial disclaimer: RRN does
not intend to certify the accuracy of information
presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the
accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the
articles as they appeared in news media of countries of
the former USSR.
If material is quoted, please give credit to the
publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit
this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please
include reference to the URL,
http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.