ARRESTS IN ORENBURG DO NOT FRIGHTEN BELIEVERS
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 12 June 2018
Approximately 100 persons did not fear coming on 6 June 2018 to the Orenburg oblast court in order to support their fellow believers who had been thrown into prison for their faith. With tears on their faces, they bravely looked into the eyes of the judges. The judges and prosecutors sent the believers behind bars with a bowed head.
Three weeks earlier, when the Promyshleny district court of Orenburg issued an order for the arrest of Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov, the hearing lasted from 11 in the morning to almost midnight. All this time about 50 persons were in the building and in the yard of the court building. From the window of the courtroom it was seen that several were holding children in their arms. Someone on a bicycle brought hot food. People did not disperse so they could catch a glimpse of how the detainees, one after the other, were placed into a transport vehicle, and to shout words of support to them: "Hold up!" "We are with you!" and "We will support your girls!"
After rude break-ins into the homes of 19 families, and also arrests, interrogations, threats, and use of physical force, believers found within themselves the courage to arrive at the court and were prepared to look into the eyes of their assailants—agent Beloshenko of the Center for Combating Extremism and personnel of the F.S.B., Investigative Committee, and the prosecutor's office.
With the permission of Alexander Suvorov, a letter was read in the court that his wife and daughter wrote to him in the SIZO. "Papochka, I love you very much and I want for you to return soon. When you return, we will tell you many interesting things. Everybody is supporting us. I have met many people. We miss you very, very much. Mama promised that before you return we will buy a dog, a Jack Russell." This was written with a child's hand and a felt-tipped pen: "You are the best papa in the world." Natalia Suvorova writes: "Sashenka, please do not worry at all about us. Around us is a sea of love and support!"
Previously the Russian Supreme Court confirmed the liquidation and ban of the activity of all organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, registered in Russia, although the constitutional right of citizens to the freedom to confess their religion, both individually and jointly with others, has not been rescinded. Nevertheless, Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov are charged with directing the activity of an extremist organization, because law enforcement agents mistakenly take joint religious profession of citizens as participation in an extremist organization. Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov are in the Federal Penal Institution SIZO No. 3 of the Directorate of the Federal Corrections Service for Orenburg oblast. (tr. by PDS, posted 12 June 2018)
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