Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses Is Underway in 68 Regions of the Russian Federation. Security Officials Raided Believers in Kurgan and Shadrinsk

Kurgan Region

On the morning of 14 July 2021, searches were conducted in the homes of at least 8 families of local Jehovah's Witnesses in Kurgan and Shadrinsk. According to preliminary data, at least 13 peaceful believers were detained; the location of most of them is not yet known.

One of the searches was of 43 year-old Sergey Skudaev from Kurgan. He was detained and taken to the temporary detention center, awaiting a court decision on pre-trial restraint. A criminal case under the article on extremism was initiated. The case is being led by Nikolay Astapov, an investigator for particularly important cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Kurgan region. In the resolution signed by him, the reason for the raid is a meeting of believers via video conference. Investigator Ivan Bezborodov and six other officers took part in the search of Skudayev's apartment, garage and dacha. Electronic gadgets, Bibles, diaries and wedding photos were seized from the believer.

In Kurgan, 49-year-old Valeriy Minsafin and 56-year-old Anatoliy Isakov were also searched. Searches in Isakov's family were carried out at three addresses at once.

The search in the house of Minsafin took place under the supervision of lieutenant colonel of justice, A.V. Tretyakov, investigator of internal affairs department of Kurgan region Investigation Committee, with participation of local FSB and Centre for counteraction to extremism. Some security officers were armed with machine guns. Electronic devices, Bibles in various translations, personal records, and bank cards were seized from the Minsafin family. After the search, the believer was taken to the building of the Investigative Committee in Kurgan (132 Burova-Petrova St.).

According to preliminary information, at least 8 men were detained and taken to Kurgan in the town of Shadrinsk, about 150 km from the regional center.

Kurgan region became the 68th region in Russia where Jehovah's Witnesses are persecuted. The international community and Russian human rights organizations unanimously condemn the actions of the Russian authorities against the followers of this religion.

The Case of Lubin in Shadrinsk

Case History
In July 2021, in Shadrinsk, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case for faith against Aleksandr Lubin, an elderly man with a group II disability. His house was searched. The believer was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 1.5 months, despite the fact that he needed regular inpatient treatment and could hardly move. According to the doctors’ orders, Aleksandr had to use an oxygen cylinder for 16 hours a day, which was impossible in prison. In August 2021, after a request from the ECHR and human rights activists, the court released Aleksandr from the pre-trial detention center. Ilia Yershov was also a defendant in this case, but the materials against him were separated into separate proceedings. In June 2023, Lubin’s case went to court. During the trial, the prosecution interrogated witnesses who were over 80 years old. In October 2024, the court fined the believer 500 thousand rubles (the prosecutor asked for a 7-year suspended sentence). A month later, Aleksandr ended up in intensive care due to the deterioration of his condition and died.
Timeline

Persons in case

Lubin
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Kurgan Region
Locality:
Shadrinsk
Court case number:
12102370012000108
Initiated:
July 13, 2021
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
First Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-2/2024 (1-217/2023)
Court of First Instance:
Shadrinskiy District Court of the Kurgan Region
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Natalya Korotneva
Case History

Case of Ershov in Shadrinsk

Case History
In July 2021, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Ilya Yershov and Aleksandr Lubin. A few days later, law enforcement officers searched the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kurgan and Shadrinsk, after which Yershov was sent to a temporary detention facility for 2 days. In March 2023, the investigator stopped the prosecution on charges of organizing the activities of an extremist organization and separated the materials against Ilya into a separate proceeding. A new criminal case against the believer was initiated in September 2023 on charges of participating in the activities of an extremist organization.
Timeline

Persons in case

Yershov
Ilya

Criminal case

Region:
Kurgan Region
Locality:
Shadrinsk
Suspected of:
"studied with members of a religious organization in the city of Shchadrinsk, Kurgan Region, the religious literature "Jehovah's Witnesses"" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12302370012000067
Initiated:
September 18, 2023
Current case stage:
preliminary investigation
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Kurgan Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Case History

Case of Skudaev in Kurgan

Case History
In July 2021, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Sergey Skudaev from Kurgan, he was accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, the believer’s guilt is that he conducted worship services using video conferencing. The security forces searched the apartment, garage and dacha of the Skudaevs. Wedding cards and personal records were seized from them. The believer was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility, and then in a pre-trial detention center. There he had covid without receiving proper treatment. After 4 months, Sergey was released home under a ban on certain actions. In June 2023, the case went to court.
Timeline

Persons in case

Skudaev
Sergey

Criminal case

Region:
Kurgan Region
Locality:
Kurgan
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "he carried out ... religious meetings... including through video conferencing using the Zoom platform."
Court case number:
12102370012000106
Initiated:
July 13, 2021
Current case stage:
trial in court of first instance
Investigating:
First Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-45/2024 (1-1081/2023)
Court of First Instance:
Kurgan City Court of the Kurgan Region
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Yevgeniy Kolesov
Case History

The Case of Isakov and Minsafin in Kurgan

Case History
In July 2021, the investigation accused Anatoliy Isakov, a disabled person, of organizing the activity of an extremist organization, and Valeriy Minsafin of participating in it. The next day, the homes of the believers were searched, and the men were placed in a temporary detention facility. The investigator released Minsafin from custody, and the court sent Isakov, who can hardly move, is fighting cancer and needs to regularly take strong prescription medication, to a pretrial detention center for one and a half months, interrupting his vital chemotherapy. After a request from the ECHR and human rights activists to the Russian authorities, the court released Isakov under a ban on certain actions. Minsafin was cleared of charges in March 2023. In June 2023, the case of Anatoliy Isakov went to court. It is based, among other things, on the testimony of a secret witness. In July 2024, the prosecutor requested a 6.5-year suspended sentence for the believer. In August 2024, the court imposed a fine of 400,000 rubles on him. The appeal later upheld the decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Isakov
Anatoliy
Minsafin
Valeriy

Criminal case

Region:
Kurgan Region
Locality:
Kurgan
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, "he carried out ... religious meetings... including through video conferencing using the Zoom platform."
Court case number:
12102370012000107
Initiated:
July 13, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
First Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Kurgan Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-44/2024 (1-1069/2023)
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Sergey Lytkin
Court of First Instance:
Kurgan City Court of the Kurgan Region
Case History
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