Searches of believers in Saransk. Father of young children detained

On February 6, 2019, starting at 6:00 a.m., in the capital of Mordovia, FSB officers conducted at least 20 searches in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. 31-year-old Vladimir Atryakhin, husband and father of two young children, was detained. The issue of the measure of restraint should be decided on February 8.

A total of 8 people were detained, according to preliminary information, most of them were released after interrogation. Believers report that police officers initially behaved rudely, but since the believers remained unfailingly friendly, they even recommended that believers eat before being detained, knowing that the detention procedure could be delayed.

It is known that a criminal case has been initiated, but it is not yet known under what article and against whom. The search warrant was issued the day before by the Leninsky District Court of Saransk. Additional circumstances are being investigated.

Despite concerns about the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, human rights defenders, the Human Rights Council under the President of Russia and the President himself, repressions against believers have recently intensified. Recently, a guilty verdict was passed on a Danish citizen, Dennis Christensen, just for professing his faith.

Update. Together with Atryakhin, Aleksandr Shevchuk and Georgiy Nikulin, a total of 3 people, were detained and sent to the pre-trial detention center. According to updated data, searches were carried out in 9 families.