A New Criminal Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses in Adygea. Nikolay Saparov, Father of a Minor Child, Was Arrested
AdygeaOn the night of March 23, 2022, a 40-year-old resident of the city of Maykop, Nikolai Saparov, was detained at the Mineralnye Vody airport. Later, the Maykop City Court of the Republic of Adygea chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of detention for a period of 2 months.
After Saparov was detained, his wife and underage daughter travelled home alone. The same night, Saparov's home was searched and he was taken there accompanied by investigator Murat Shnakhov. The law enforcers confiscated electronic devices from the family. After being detained, Saparov is now in the temporary detention facility on Proletarskaya Street in Maykop.
Another of Jehovah's Witnesses from Maykop found his name on the Rosfinmonitoring's list of extremists. This is 46-year-old Georgiy Godizov, who is outside Russia with his wife and two minor children. Georgiy Godizov is a prominent Adygeya scientist-archaeologist, head of the scientific department of one of the large museums, a specialist in the field of freedom of conscience.
About a year ago, mass searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Maykop, and a criminal case was opened against Inver Siyukhov. He is accused of organizing and continuing the activities of a banned religious organization. Since mid-April 2021, Inver Siyukhov has been in a pre-trial detention center.
