MEMBER OF OREL JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ORGANIZATION SUSPECTED OF EXTREMISM
Social Media News, 20 February 2018
Today the Russian Investigative Committee for Orel oblast reported about the opening of a criminal case with respect to a citizen of Orel.
The man is suspected of committing the crime specified in part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of RF, "Participation in the activity of a religious association with respect to which a court has made a decision regarding liquidation or prohibition of activity because of commission of extremist activity."
"The suspect, who is a member of the local Orel religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, which was ruled to be extremist and liquidated on the basis of a court's decision, on 26 February 2017 participated in conducting a religious meeting of the aforementioned organization in Orel, where he made a public speech containing propaganda of the superiority of the banned organization," Yulia Dorofeeva, the senior aide to the director of the investigation directorate for relations with news media, reported.
At the present time, the necessary investigative activity is being conducted aimed at established all of the circumstances of the commission of a crime. The investigation of the criminal case is continuing.
We recall that on 18 October 2016, the Russian Supreme Court left without change a decision of the Orel oblast court of 14 June 2016 by which the local Orel religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses was ruled to be extremist and liquidated, with its subsequent removal from the Uniform State Register of Legal Persons. The appeal of the organization was left without satisfaction.
In late May 2017, personnel of the Directorate of the F.S.B. of Russia for Orel oblast conducted investigation actions within the context of a criminal case that was opened on the basis of part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of RF with respect to the director of the local Orel religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, Danish citizen Dennis Christensen. As a result of the interrogation of about 50 members of the local organization, security forces got evidence with regard to the defendant of the criminal case and his participation in illegal activity.
On the basis of a decision of the Soviet district court of the city of Orel of 26 May 2017, the defendant was held in custody in SIZO-1, which was the first instance in Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 20 February 2018)
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