FOUR DEVOTEES OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARRESTED IN PENZA OBLAST
Interfax-Religiia, 8 August 2018
Investigation agencies have opened a criminal case on the basis of activity in Penza oblast of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses that is forbidden in the RF.
The regional investigation directorate of the SKR [Investigative Committee of Russia] reports on Wednesday [8 August] that a 54-year-old resident of Penza organized, in the period from July 2017 to July 2018, a local cell of Jehovah's Witnesses under the provisional name of "Arbekovo, Penza" [Microdistrict Arbekovo of the city of Penza]. At the same time, the man knew that the activity of this religious organization had been prohibited by a court.
In their turn, his followers conducted conversations with residents of Penza in order to draw new members into the cell, they participated in conspiratorial meetings, and they made contributions for the activity of the organization.
At the present time, investigators are holding four residents of Penza. One of them was arrested on a charge based on part 1 of article 282.2 of the CC RF (preparing the activity of an extremist organization). Another three men are charged under part 2 of article 282.2 of CC RF (participation in the activity of an extremist organization) and they have been placed under house arrest.
s
During searches in the homes of the detainees, forbidden literature and boxes with donations were confiscated.
The Supreme Court of Moscow on 20 April 2017, on the basis of a lawsuit of the Russian Ministry of Justice, ruled the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses to be an extremist organization and banned its activity on the territory of Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 9 August 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/.