A Wave of Searches in 4 Cities of the Murmansk Region. Roman Markin Convicted of Faith Is Among Its Victims

On July 21 and 22, 2021, about 10 searches were carried out in four cities of the Murmansk region. The security forces broke into the homes of local Jehovah's Witnesses mostly at night, interrogated them for many hours, and confiscated personal belongings. Criminal cases have been initiated against four believers.

Events in Snezhnogorsk

In Snezhnogorsk, searches were carried out at five addresses at least. Operational search measures were carried out at night "in connection with the urgency of investigative actions." The operations were led by FSB Captain S. V. Polishchuk, Lieutenant Commander I. A. Meshchirikov and Major of Justice S. B. Mikheev. The following were confiscated from the believers: electronic equipment, personal records, information carriers, an album for drawing, bank card details. In one case, literature was planted, including a book not published by Jehovah's Witnesses and not on the federal list of extremist materials. Also, a search took place at 38-year-old Alexey Yeliseyev. After his arrest, he was placed in a temporary detention facility and then a recognizance agreement was taken from him, with some restrictions imposed. Presumably, a criminal case was initiated under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Yunona Iliasova, 36, a mother of three young children, was interrogated and placed in a temporary detention facility for a day. Investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the IC Leshkov A. N. accused her of committing a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activity) and demanded that the believer be placed under house arrest. Viktoriya Loginova, judge of the Polyarny District Court of the Murmansk Region, placed Yunona Iliasova under recognizance agreement. The believer was released from custody in the courtroom.

Searches in Polyarny and Murmansk

A night search in the city of Polyarny was carried out at the home of 47-year-old Roman Markin, who, together with fellow believer Viktor Trofimov, had already been convicted and fined a large sum for his faith in Jehovah God. All electronic equipment, a system unit, information carriers, a passbook, personal records and printed publications, including the Bible, were seized from Roman, his wife and daughter.

Another victim of unreasonable raids was a married couple, who, according to preliminary information, were witnesses in the case of Roman Markin and Viktor Trofimov. The law enforcement officers searched the apartment for 9 hours, starting on the evening of June 21. They confiscated equipment, postcards and the Bible in the Synodal translation from the believers.

Raid in Apatity

On the other end of the Kola Peninsula, in the city of Apatity, security officials conducted searches and interrogated at least four people. In the apartment of 45-year-old Denis Merkulov and his wife, law enforcement officers broke down the iron front door and knocked out the double-glazed window. The security forces seized electronic devices, bank cards, personal records, photographs and the Bible in Modern Translation. On July 24, the judge of the Apatity City Court Vladimir Dyomin chose a measure of restraint for the believer in the form of house arrest until September 18, 2021. Denis Merkulov was charged under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of extremist activities).

The security forces came to one of the residents of the city with a search during her communication with friends via videoconference. The woman, unsuspecting, opened the door, and a group of operatives broke into the apartment. One of them recorded conversations of believers about the Bible. The following items were seized: a laptop, religious literature, 2 telephones, audio cassettes, and a Bible. During the night interrogation, one of the operatives threatened the woman with a 10-year prison term. He claimed that because of her refusal to take the blame for extremism and incriminate fellow believers, she "will have problems." Another believer became ill during a late interrogation and was unable to answer questions.

Jehovah's Witnesses are already being prosecuted in 68 regions of Russia. The Russian and international community emphasizes that the oppression of believers violates the norms of Russian and international law and fundamental human freedoms.