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Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

A 39-year-old believer was arrested in Khabarovsk

June 1, 2018 Magadan Region, Khabarovsk Territory

On the evening of May 30, 2018, 39-year-old Ivan Puyda, who is suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, was taken into custody in Khabarovsk. His apartment was searched, during which his wife Anastasia and her mother Olga were also present.

It is noteworthy that the arrest warrant for Ivan Puida was issued by a court in Magadan, where three believers were arrested on the same day .

Russian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization and bring charges against them of "organizing" or "participating" in "extremist activities", and even of "financing" it (282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

The Case of Puyda and Others in Magadan

Case History

After a series of searches in Magadan in May 2018, Konstantin Petrov, Yevgeniy Zyablov and Sergey Yerkin were placed in a pre-trial detention center. On the same day in Khabarovsk, Ivan Puida was searched. He was arrested and then taken 1,600 km away to a pre-trial detention center in Magadan. The believers spent 2 to 4 months behind bars, and then were placed under house arrest. In March 2019, the FSB conducted another series of searches. The number of defendants in the case has reached 13, including 6 women, including elderly women. The investigator regarded the holding of peaceful worship services as organizing the activities of an extremist organization, participating in it and financing it. In almost 4 years of investigation, the case against 13 believers has grown to 66 volumes. It went to court in March 2022. At the hearings, it became clear that the case was based on the testimony of a secret witness, an FSB informant who kept covert recordings of peaceful worship. In March 2024, the believers were given suspended sentences ranging from 3 to 7 years, and an appeal later upheld this sentence.

Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:

Magadan Region

Locality:

Magadan

Suspected of:

according to the investigation, together with others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)

Court case number:

11807440001000013

Initiated:

May 30, 2018

Current case stage:

the verdict entered into force

Investigating:

Investigative Department of the Directorate of the FSB of Russia for the Magadan Region

Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:

282.2 (2), 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)

Court case number:

1–6/2024 (1-12/2023, 1-220/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Магаданский городской суд Магаданской области

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Татьяна Белаева

Case History

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