Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

One of Jehovah's Witnesses, 67, detained in Maykop

Adygea

On 20 October 2022 searches were again carried out in Maykop at least three addresses of Jehovah's Witnesses. Nikolay Voishchev, 67, was arrested and a criminal case was opened against him.

Early in the morning employees of the Investigative Committee and FSB, witnesses and IT-specialist came to the believers with a search. They seized cell phones, electronic devices, and hard drives with personal photos and documents. The law enforcers behaved correctly.

Three believers were taken to the investigative committee of Maikop for questioning, after which two were released and Nikolai Voishchev was placed in temporary detention isolation ward. Soon, the court will choose a measure of restraint for him.

Update. The next day, October 21, the court placed the believer in a pre-trial detention center for 2 months. You can write letters to him, with the following address on an envelope: «Voishchev Nikolay Pavlovich, born 1955, SIZO No. 2 in the Republic of Adygeya, ul. Lenina, 28, p. Tlyustenkhabl , Teuchezhskiy district, Republic of Adygeya, Russia, 385228». Letters of support can be sent by regular mail. They should not discuss topics related to criminal prosecution; letters in languages other than Russian are not allowed.

In Maykop, three more Jehovah's Witnesses are charged with practicing their religion. Two of them, Nikolai Saparov and Inver Siyukhov,, are already defending their beliefs in court. They are being held in pre-trial detention.

Case of Voishchev in Maykop

Case History
In October 2022, an investigator of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on extremism against Nikolai Voishchev, a Jehovah’s Witness from Maykop. The investigation interpreted the discussion of the Bible with fellow believers via video link as extremist activity. A man with a serious illness ended up in jail only because of his faith. The case went to court in December 2022. The case involved the testimony of two secret witnesses and an examination that the defense considers unscientific. The believer was sentenced to 3 years in prison in September 2023.
Timeline

Persons in case

Voishchev
Nikolay

Criminal case

Region:
Adygea
Locality:
Maykop
Suspected of:
"organized and conducted secret meetings together with other members and followers of the religious movement of Jehovah's Witnesses, through personal communication, telephone conversations and the Internet" (from the decision to prosecute as an accused)
Court case number:
12202790010000033
Initiated:
October 19, 2022
Current case stage:
The verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Adygea
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-163/2023 (1-801/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Майкопский городской суд Республики Адыгея
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Заурбий Биржев
Case History