RESIDENT OF TERRITORY CENTER SUSPECTED OF EXTREMIST CRIME
Website of Investigation Directorate of S.K.R.F. for Kamchatka territory, 4 December 2018
The investigation department for the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka of the Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia (S.K.R.F.) for Kamchatka territory, on the basis of materials of operational search activity by personnel of the U.F.S.B. of Russia for Kamchatka territory and the Center for Combating Extremism of the U.M.V.D. of Russia for Kamchatka territory, opened a criminal case against a 34-year-old resident of the territorial center. He is suspected of committing the crime specified by part 1 of article 282.2 of the CC of the RF (organizing the activity of a religious association with respect to which a court has issued a decision, and it has taken effect, for liquidation and prohibition of its activity, because of the conduct of extremist activity, with the exception of organizations that have been ruled to be terrorist in accordance with legislation of the Russian Federation).
In accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 20 April 2017, the religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" and local religious organizations that are members of its structure were ruled to be extremist.
According to the account of the investigation, despite the aforesaid decision of the court, the perpetrator, who is the leader of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, undertook vigorous actions of an organizational character aimed at the continuation of the illegal activity of a forbidden organization, expressed in the convening of meetings at least twice in a week in one of the apartments located on Daurskaia Street in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, the planning of collective religious performances and worship services, in accordance with the ideology of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses for such meetings, and the distribution of literature of extremist contents, and he conducted with residents of the territorial center the planned study of teachings of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses and arranged the viewing of video materials of the forbidden religious structure, by which he attracted the specified persons into the activity of an extremist organization.
Yesterday searches were conduct in the place of residence of the suspect and in the meeting place of members of the extremist organization, during which items having evidentiary significance for the criminal case were seized.
At the present time, investigative and other procedural actions aimed at establishing all the circumstances of what happened are being conducted. The investigation of the criminal case is continuing. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 December 2018)
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