In the Rostov region, a criminal case against six Jehovah's Witnesses was dropped

On December 14, 2016, criminal prosecution of six Jehovah's Witnesses from Taganrog was terminated in the Rostov Region under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of activities of an extremist organization or participation in it). According to the Information and Analytical Center "Sova" with reference to the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, this became known in January of this year.

A criminal case against the believers was opened in October 2013, the defendants were under house arrest. According to the investigation, the six Jehovah's Witnesses continued to take part in the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses "Taganrog" banned for extremism.

Currently, the criminal case against the believers has been closed due to the lack of corpus delicti. Jehovah's Witnesses hope that the investigation will return their personal belongings and Bibles seized in 2011. Two former defendants, 67-year-old Vladimir and Svetlana Chesnokov, are going to get their bank accounts unblocked.

In 2013, court hearings began in a criminal case against another group of 16 Jehovah's Witnesses. In 2014, the court found seven believers guilty under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of the activities of an extremist organization and participation in an extremist organization), acquitted nine more, but then the verdict was overturned by a higher authority. In November 2015, all 16 believers were sentenced to suspended sentences and fines for continuing the activities of the banned organization.