TWO RESIDENTS OF KOSTROMA SUSPECTED OF PLANNING AND PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITY OF ILLEGAL RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION
Website of Investigation Department of SKRF Kostroma, 2 August 2018
Investigation agencies of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation [SKRF] for Kostroma oblast have opened and are investigating a criminal case regarding incidents of planning the activity of a religious association with respect to which a court has made a decision that has taken legal effect for the liquidation or prohibition of activity connected with carrying out extremist activity and also of participating in the activity of said religious association with indicators of the crimes identified in parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the CCRF.
As was established during the investigation, two residents of the city of Kostroma (born 1993 and 1996) who are a married couple conducted illegal activity at their place of residence in the city of Kostroma by planning and conducting meetings of members of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses of the city of Kostroma, which is a member of the structure of the religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia," despite the fact that by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 20 April 2017, which has taken legal effect, the aforesaid religious organization and local religious organizations that are members of its structure, including the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses of the city of Kostroma, were liquidated because of the conduct of extremist activity.
In June 2018 the suspects planned and conducted at their place of residence no fewer than two meetings of members of the above mentioned religious organization. At the meetings that were conducted, members of the liquidated religious organization discussed the ideology of said association and made propaganda of its activity.
The criminal case was opened on the basis of materials presented by personnel of the Center for Combating Extremism of the directorate of the Russian MVD for Kostroma oblast.
As part of the criminal case, a complex of investigative actions and operational search events was conducted, aimed at establishing all of the circumstance of the crime committed. With regard to the man, the organizer of the activity of the illegal religious association, on the basis of a petition of the investigator, the court selected a measure of restriction in the form of confinement in custody, and with regard to his spouse, a measure of restriction in the form of prohibiting certain actions, including prohibition of leaving her place of residence at night, communicating with witnesses and other persons involved in the criminal case, sending and receiving mail and telecommunications, and using means of communication and the internet network. The investigation of the criminal case is continuing. (tr. by PDS, posted 2 August 2018)
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN KOSTROMA SHUT DOWN DURING GRANDIOSE SPECIAL OPERATION
In Kostroma, the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization was shut down, Kostroma Today has learned. It was run by a young couple.
According to information from the press service of the regional SU SKR, during the investigation it was established that a 26-year-old girl and her 23-year-old husband arranged meetings in their home for Kostroma members of this organization. According to information of the investigation, in the meetings the couple "discussed the ideology of the organization and engaged in its propaganda."
We recall that last year the Jehovah's Witnesses were banned in Russia. It was a grandiose brouhaha and believers appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. Now Jehovists are forbidden to assemble in Russia.
"During the search in the apartment of the suspects, police personnel discovered and confiscated 27 books and 45 brochures, office equipment, and electronic devices containing religious sermons," the report by the press service of the regional UMVD says.
A criminal case has been opened against the Kostromites. The young man has been placed in custody and his wife is forbidden to leave her residence at night, to communicate with witnesses or other persons who are part of the criminal case, to send and receive mail, and to use the internet. (tr. by PDS, posted 3 August 2018)
YOUNG MAN ARRESTED FOR FAITH IN KOSTROMA
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 3 August 2018
On 26 July 2018, twenty-two-year-old Sergei Raiman was sent behind bars in Kostroma. For his wife, Valeria, a preventive measure was chosen in the form of a ban on certain actions. The couple is charged with professing the religion of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
On 25 July 2018, friends discovered their apartment empty with signs of doors broken down. On the same day, with the participation of armed OMON troops, searches were conducted in the homes of no fewer than two families who are suspected of professing the religion of the Jehovah's Witnesses. All computers and tablets, a printer, and a Bible were seized from the citizens. Participants in the search included, among others, employees of law enforcement agencies Kuropatkin and Malinin. Law enforcement personnel accompanied their actions with caustic comments regarding religion. The case is being investigated by inspector S. Korchashov from the Investigation Department for the central region of Kostroma of the Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the RF.
On 26 July 2018, the Sverdlovsk district court selected for Sergei Raiman a measure of prevention in the form of two months detention in custody. On the next day the court chose a measure of prevention for Valeria in the form of prohibiting her to leave the house during the night; a ban on the internet, telephone, and mail; and also on communication with "persons professing the teaching of Jehovah." The girl is being held as a defendant on the basis of parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the CC of the RF (arranging an extremist organization and participating in the activity of an extremist community) merely on the basis of the fact that, as the investigation says, citizens gathered in her home two times for discussing the doctrine of the Jehovah's Witnesses. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 August 2018)
YOUNG KOSTROMA FAMILY TURNED THEIR HOME INTO HEADQUARTERS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
In Kostroma, a young married couple are accused of organizing the activity of a forbidden religious association. By the decision of a court, in our country the association of Jehovah's Witnesses is forbidden, but the Kostromites violated this prohibition, the investigation directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (SKRF) for Kostroma oblast reports. The spouses of 25 and 22 years of age arranged in their apartment meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses. This organization was a constituent element of the "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia," and its activity was prohibited because of the conduct of extremist activity.
Nevertheless, in June 2018, the spouses conducted no fewer than two meetings at which they discussed the ideology of the association and promoted it.
The husband was the organizer and he was taken into custody. The wife was placed under arrest and she may not leave the home at night or communicate with witnesses in the criminal case that was opened against her and her husband.
The investigation of the criminal case is continuing. Personnel of the UMVD noted that during searches in the apartment they found 27 books and 45 brochures, office equipment, and electronic devices containing religious sermons. All of that was confiscated. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 August 2018)
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