CRIMINAL PROSECUTION BEGINS OF JEHOVISTS IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD OBLAST
Nine leaders of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, whose activity is forbidden in Russia, became defendants in five criminal cases that were opened by law enforcement agencies in Nizhny Novgorod oblast. This was reported by the press service of the police headquarters on 22 July.
According to information received, personnel of the chief directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the directorate of the Russian FSB for Nizhny Novgorod oblast, with the armed support of the department of the Russian Guard conducted 31 searches in the places of residence of Jehovists, during which religious literature banned in Russia, computer technology, disks, flash drives, cell phones, and other objects having significance for the investigation were seized.
As the press service declared, from July 2017 to July 2019, devotees of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Nizhny Novgorod engaged in their activity by conducting secret meetings. Allegedly they proclaimed their superiority over other citizens and conducted work for recruiting new members of the organization among Nizhny Novgorodians, encouraging them to break off kinship and familiar relations and to not recognize bodies of government authority.
The suspects are from 23 to 52 years of age, including two women. They are suspected of committing the crimes defined by parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (arranging the activity of an extremist organization). The sanctions of said article provide for a maximum penalty in the form of imprisonment for a term of from 6 to 10 years. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 July 2019)
COURT SENDS TWO SUBJECTS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CASE TO SIZO IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
In Nizhny Novgorod, two subjects of the case concerning the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Aleksei Oreshkov and Alexander Vavilov, were sent to the SIZO. This was reported to OVD-Info by representatives of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses. The MVD reports 31 searches, 5 criminal cases, and 9 suspects.
As Jehovah's Witnesses report, criminal cases were opened on the basis of part 1 of article 282.2 (arranging the activity of an extremist organization). With respect to the other seven suspects in the cases, a measure of restriction not involving imprisonment was chosen. Oreshkov and Vavilov were arrested back on 16 July.
The MVD website says that the subjects of the criminal cases are people aged 23 to 52 years, among whom are two women. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 July 2019)
ACTIVITY OF FORBIDDEN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION EXPOSED IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
Website of chief directorate of Russian MVD for Nizhny Novgorod, 22 July 2019
At the present time, personnel of law enforcement agencies have identified 9 organizers of the group and have opened 5 criminal cases.
Personnel of the chief directorate of the Russian MVD for Nizhny Novgorod oblast, along with agents of the department of the Russian FSB for Nizhny Novgorod oblast, with the armed support of the department of the Russian Guard for Nizhny Novgorod oblast, within the context of criminal cases that have been opened, conducted 31 searches in the places of residence of organizers and members of a forbidden extremist organization, during which extremist religious literature, computer technology, disks, flash drives, cell phones, and other objects having significance for the investigation were confiscated.
It was established, that on the territory of the city of Nizhny Novgorod, from July 2017 to July 2019, activity of one of the religious organizations was arranged. Adherents of said organization proclaimed their superiority over other citizens, and conducted secret gatherings with the aim of developing plans of activity and the study of extremist ideology, and they conducted work for recruiting new members of the organization from among the residents of the city of Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod oblast, and they also encouraged the newly involved members to break off kinship and familial relations and to not recognize bodies of governmental authority.
According to materials of the criminal cases, the leaders of the religious organization, which has been ruled in Russia to be extremist, are 9 residents of Nizhny Novgorod oblast, aged from 23 to 52 years, including two women.
On the basis of indicators of the crimes specified by parts 1 and 2 of article 282.2 of the CC of the RF (arranging the activity of an extremist organization), criminal cases were opened against the organizers and members of the forbidden extremist religious organization.
The sanctions of said article provide for a
maximum penalty
in the form of imprisonment for a term of from 6 to 10 years,
with the
elimination of the right to hold certain offices or to engage in
certain
activity for a period of up to 10 years and restrictions on
liberty for a term
of from 1 to 2 years. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 July 2019)
Large scale operation
against believers in Nizhny Novgorod
oblast
July 17, 2019
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