17:24, 18 April 2024

Jehovah's Witness* from Cherkessk arrested on charges of extremism

The Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation. Photo by Yelena Sineok, Yuga.ru

The court has placed into custody a Jehovah's Witness* from Cherkessk, suspected of taking part in activities of an extremist organization and involving his girlfriend in it.

According to investigators, from October 2019 to April 2023, he took part in activities of a local religious organization. Investigators have suggested that he had convinced other people, in particular his female acquaintance, of the need to accept the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses; he organized meetings and services at which he preached.

Earlier, an investigation was launched into criminal cases of participation in activities of an extremist organization and involvement in it against a Jehovah's Witness* from Cherkessk.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 28, human rights defenders declared Vladimir Fomin, a Jehovah's Witness* from Cherkessk, as a political prisoner; despite his disability, Vladimir was arrested on charges of extremism.

Investigators treat any talks on biblical topics as a crime, although this is not considered extremism in any country where Jehovah's Witnesses* operate, Yaroslav Sivulsky, a member of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses*, has stated earlier.

*396 Russian organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as extremist, and their activities in Russia are banned by court's decision.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 16, 2024 at 04:27 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot