Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Searches Took Place in the Khabarovsk Territory. A Believer, 60, Was Detained and Placed in a Pre-Trial Detention Center

Khabarovsk Territory

On March 3, 2022, at least 2 families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the Knyaz-Volkonsky rural settlement (Khabarovsk Territory). Valeriy Rabota was detained and on March 6, by a court decision, was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months.

A search was conducted in the house of Valeriy, 60, and his wife Elvira, during which electronic devices, various translations of the Bible, personal notes, video cassettes, a camera and a video camera were seized.

After the search, the spouses were taken to the investigative department for the Industrial District of Khabarovsk for interrogation. Valeriy and Elvira took advantage of the right guaranteed by Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation not to testify against themselves. Then Valeriy Rabota was detained and sent to a temporary detention facility.

Earlier in the Khabarovsk Territory, criminal cases had already been opened against 23 Jehovah's Witnesses, one of whom, unfortunately, died in the hospital during the trial.

The Case of Valery's Work in Knyaz-Volkonsky

Case History
In March 2022, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under an extremist article against Valery Rabota from the village of Knyaz-Volkonskoye. His house was searched, after which the believer was taken away for interrogation and placed in a temporary detention facility, and two days later the man ended up in a pre-trial detention center for “unwillingness to cooperate” — to incriminate himself and fellow believers. In June 2022, despite the investigator’s demand to extend Valeriy’s detention, the judge softened the measure of restraint by placing the believer under house arrest. In March 2023, the case went to court, and in November, the prosecutor asked to send the believer to a colony for 6 years. A month later, the judge recused herself, and the case was sent for a new trial in a different composition.
Timeline

Persons in case

Rabota
Valeriy

Criminal case

Region:
Khabarovsk Territory
Locality:
Knyaz-Volkonskoye
Court case number:
12202080023000009
Initiated:
March 1, 2022
Current case stage:
trial in Court of First Instance
Investigating:
Komsomolsk-on-Amur Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khabarovsk Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-223/2023
Court of First Instance:
Хабаровский районный суд Хабаровского края
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Ангелина Свидерская
Case History