IMPRISONED JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, SUSPECTED OF PARTICIPATION IN FORBIDDEN ORGANIZATION, TRANSFERRED TO HOUSE ARREST
Echo of Moscow Orenburg, 13 August 2018
Two representatives of a religious organization have been in an investigation cell [Sledstvennyi IZOliator—SIZO] since May of this year. A decision to change the measure of restriction to house arrest was made directly by two courts.
The Orenburg oblast court changed the decision of a lower court regarding extension of detention in custody. At the same time, the Lenin district court considered a new request of the prosecution to extend the measure of restriction in the form of detention in custody. However in this case the district court agreed with the arguments of the defense and placed the Jehovah's Witnesses under house arrest. In addition, house arrest for a third detainee, who was there from the start, was extended.
Attorney Egiazar Chernikov called the courts' decisions unexpected.
"Rarely [are such decisions issued] . . . . Such a case is known in Ufa and such a case is known in Birobidzhan. Mainly the measure of restriction in the form of detention in custody is selected. Even for disabled persons and women in various regions. But it is still too soon to say that this is a trend."
Egiazar Chernikov noted that they still do not have the "moral right" to appeal this measure of restraint, since they themselves requested it be chosen.
Earlier the rights advocacy organization Memorial recognized 29 Jehovah's Witnesses believers as political prisoners, who were taken into custody or placed under house arrest. Among them are people who were detained in Orenburg oblast.
In 2017 the Russian Supreme Court banned the
activity of the
"Administrative Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses" [sic] and
ruled
it to be extremist. (tr. by PDS, posted 15 August 2018)
Background articles:
Orenburg
Jehovah's Witnesses held without trial
July 23, 2018
Rights
advocates identify Jehovah's Witnesses as political prisoners
August 3, 2018
Operation
"Judgment Day" against Jehovah's Witnesses
May 17, 2018
Jehovah's
Witness in Birobidzhan released from two-months detention
May 25, 2018
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