One of Jehovah's Witnesses from Izhevsk Placed in Pretrial Detention Center After Searches

In the early morning of June 4, 2024, security forces invaded the homes of at least three families of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk. One man was sent to pretrial detention, two were banned from certain actions.

A criminal case against the believers – the fourth in the region – was initiated by the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic a day earlier. The case proceedings are being conducted by investigator Artur Selin.

The search at the home of Aleksandr Stefanidin, 32, and his wife began at about 7 a.m. and lasted 2 hours. Electronic devices and flash drives were seized from the family. After that, Aleksandr was taken for interrogation. On June 5, the judge of the Industrialniy District Court of Izhevsk, Aleksandr Shishkin, sent Stefanidin to the detention center.

Another of those against whom the case was initiated, is pensioner Indus Talipov, 73.