On February 28, 2019, the Lomonosovsky District Court of Arkhangelsk ordered the seizure of two cars of the Yakku family. Yevgeniy Yakku is accused of continuing the activities of the Central Arkhangelsk Local Religious Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. Remarkably, however, Yevgeniy Yakku was never a member of the named organization; moreover, this organization was disbanded on the initiative of the believers and was never recognized as “extremist” by any court.
The court session, at which the decision was made to seize the property, was attended only by the judge and the prosecutor. Official records show that neither Yevgeniy Yakku himself, nor his lawyer, were invited to the meeting. Questioned about the impoundment of the two cars, the investigator, who leads the case against Mr. Yakku, explained the cars had to be held to ensure the execution of a possible sentence, implying a fine of three years' salary or up to 700,000 rubles.
Mr. Yakku considered the court decision unjust and has appealed to a higher authority.
