Krasnoyarsk: new mass searches in the homes of believers

Searches of approximately 20 apartments and houses where citizens suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses live took place on November 7, 2018, starting at 5:00 a.m. They were sanctioned by the Central District Court of Krasnoyarsk in the criminal case against Andrey Stupnikov, who was arrested on July 3, 2018 on charges of "organizing the activities of an extremist organization" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses).

During the searches, phones, tablets, computers, flash drives, notebooks, photographs and the like were seized. After the searches, almost all citizens were taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation. Some were detained for more than 3 hours. There is no information about new arrests. FSB officers took an active part in the events. Some were threatened with criminal prosecution if they refused to testify against fellow believers.

The Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights referred to such criminal cases in its appeal to the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia. "Accusations of citizens that they read the Bible together and pray to God are interpreted as "continuation of the activities of an extremist organization." The Council considers that such an interpretation is not consistent with the legal position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. There is a contradiction between the declared position of the Government of the Russian Federation and law enforcement practice. This cannot but cause concern, since criminal prosecutions and arrests have become systemic."