Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

New cases of planting prohibited items on believers

Stavropol Territory,   Novosibirsk Region

In April 2019, in Novosibirsk and in the resort village of Inozemtsevo (Stavropol Territory), during searches in the homes of believers, books included in the list of extremist materials were planted on them. This practice was used by law enforcement officers across the country in 2016-2017 and abruptly stopped after the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all communities of Jehovah's Witnesses.

On April 19, 2019, during a search in Novosibirsk, a believer noticed a book planted on him, included in the list of extremist materials.

On April 22, 2019, in Inozemtsevo, groups of law enforcement officers simultaneously invaded the workplace and house of 65-year-old Oleg Popadin. At work, a book and a digital disc were planted on him, and 5 more printed publications were planted at home to his wife. A search was also conducted in the believer's car. They seized phones and a computer hard drive. They asked questions about Jehovah's Witnesses, asked for the names of his fellow believers, tried to persuade him to cooperate, and hinted that the planted literature might or may not be used against him.

At the time of the Supreme Court decision, Jehovah's Witnesses were already aware of at least 60 plantings and falsifications. Illegal actions have repeatedly fallen into the lenses of surveillance cameras. Unscrupulous law enforcement officers, hoping to get a promotion, resort to falsifications, since there are no real violations of the law by Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case of Maletskov and Chaplykina in Novosibirsk

Case History
Even before the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses began in Russia, a certain “Ivan” attended services in Novosibirsk and studied the Bible. In 2018, he began to cooperate with the FSB and collect information about believers. In April 2019, FSB officers invaded the homes of civilians, some planted banned books. A criminal case was opened, Alexander Seredkin and Valery Maletskov were placed under house arrest. Marina Chaplykina was asked to sign a not to leave the place. Later, the case of Seredkin was separated into a separate proceeding, Maletskov was accused of organizing extremist activities, and Chaplykin was accused of participating in it and financing it. After three years of investigation, the case went to court. In December 2023, the court sentenced Maletsky to 6 years, Chaplykin to 4 years in a general regime colony.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Novosibirsk Region
Locality:
Novosibirsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he "organized meetings and supervised the reading and discussion of literature recognized as extremist" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to liquidate all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses)
Court case number:
11907500001000015
Initiated:
April 19, 2019
Current case stage:
Appeal
Investigating:
SO UFSB of Russia in the Novosibirsk region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-16/2023 (1-181/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Новосибирский районный суд Новосибирской области
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Олег Карпец
Case History

Chaplykina's case in Novosibirsk

Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Novosibirsk Region
Locality:
Novosibirsk
Court case number:
12107500001000026
Initiated:
May 26, 2021
Current case stage:
Preliminary investigation
Case History

The case of Seredkin in Novosibirsk

Case History
The criminal prosecution of Aleksandr Seredkin began in April 2019, when security forces invaded the homes of civilians. During the searches, law enforcement officers planted banned books on believers. As a result of the raid, the FSB opened a criminal case for organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization against three believers: Alexander Seredkin, Valery Maletskov and Marina Chaplykina. Later, Seredkin’s case was separated into a separate proceeding. The believer was included in the list of Rosfinmonitoring, which caused difficulties in obtaining a pension. Aleksandr spent a day in a temporary detention center and six months under house arrest. In March 2022, the case went to court. The accusation was based on the testimony of a secret witness who feigned an interest in the Bible and collaborated with the FSB. In November of the same year, the believer was sentenced to 6 years in a general regime colony and placed in a pre-trial detention center, and the appeal approved this sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Novosibirsk Region
Locality:
Novosibirsk
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, he "conducted collective worship services based on the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) with followers of the doctrine ... supervised the reading and discussion... religious literature"
Court case number:
12107500001000044
Initiated:
July 21, 2021
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
SO UFSB of Russia in the Novosibirsk region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-277/2022
Court of First Instance:
Октябрьский районный суд г. Новосибирска
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Евгений Захаров
Case History