SPASSK-DALNII: CASE OF CONTINUATION OF ACTIVITY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ORGAIZATION OPENED
SOVA Center for News and Analysis, 30 November 2018
A resident of Spassk-Dalnii was suspected on the basis of part 1 of article 282 of Criminal Code.
On 12 November 2018, the Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia (SUSKR) for Primorskii territory reported that in Spassk-Dalnii a criminal case was opened on the basis of part 1 of article 282.2 of the CC (creation of the activity of an extremist organization). The issue is the activity of a local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The investigation believes that the suspect (his name is not given) from 16 April 2018 planned the activity in Spassk-Dalnii of a banned religious organization. Within the framework of the investigation of the criminal case, searches were conducted, extremist literature was seized, and forensic expert analyses were ordered. It is reported that "the crime was discovered by the border directorate of the Russian F.S.B. for Primorskii territory."
In late November, believers reported that the case involves four residents of Spassk-Dalnii: M.D., T.A., O.O., and P.O. (their names have not been disclosed). All four were placed under house arrest for two months. Law enforcement agencies have been conducting surveillance of them since 2017.
Previously three criminal cases were opened in connection with the activity of the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses—two in Vladivostok and one in Nadezhdino district.
In April 2017 the Russian Supreme Court adopted a decision to find the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and 395 local organizations to be extremist. In July an appeal of this decision was turned down, after which, in August, the organizations were included in the list of extremist organizations. We consider that this decision, like prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses on the whole, do not have legal bases and are a clear manifestation of religious discrimination. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 December 2018)
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