Law Enforcement Officers Conducted Searches in the Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Petrozavodsk. One Believer Was Sent to a Detention Center

On April 2, 2024, searches were carried out in Petrozavodsk at seven addresses, including that of Aleksey Timofeyev, 30, and his wife. The believer was detained and placed in custody. A criminal case was initiated against him under Article 282.2(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing the activity of an extremist organization).

The search in the home of a second family of believers was conducted from 7:25 a.m. until 10 a.m. It took place in the presence of testifying witnesses and two FSB officers. The head of the family was forcibly laid on the floor and handcuffed. Electronic devices, flash drives, paper notes, bank cards, as well as books by religious scholars about Jehovah's Witnesses were seized from the couple. After that, the husband was taken for interrogation, first to the FSB Directorate, and then to the Investigative Committee.

On March 26, 2024, the criminal case against Aleksey Timofeyev was initiated by Viktor Petrov, an investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Department for the city of Petrozavodsk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Karelia. He also filed a motion with the court to detain Timofeyev. On April 3, Judge Yekaterina Kanayeva imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure on Aleksey for a period of one month and 24 days until May 25.

Earlier, five Jehovah's Witnesses from Petrozavodsk received heavy fines for their religion.