A follower of Jehovah's Witnesses was detained in Sevastopol

FSB officers in Sevastopol detained a follower of Jehovah's Witnesses. This was reported on the Kryminform website with reference to the department’s press service.

According to security forces, the detained man was the leader of the Jehovah's Witnesses community in Sevastopol and “held meetings, carried out propaganda of the ideas of this religious sect, and also recruited new adherents into its ranks.” A criminal case has been initiated against him under Part 1 of Article 282.2 (organizing the activities of an extremist organization).

It is reported that the suspect was detained on June 4, and searches took place at his home and in the homes of people whom the security forces considered members of Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the FSB, during the searches, officers allegedly seized copies of the religious community's literature, reports on fundraising and sermons, forms for refusing blood transfusions, instructions for communicating with law enforcement agencies and electronic media.

19:20 The man was released home, reports Crimea. Realities." 52-year-old Viktor Stashevsky was on the management team of a registered legal entity.

“The documents contain personal information. Obviously, this served as such a “connection”, why attention was focused on him. It is interesting that, although a criminal case was opened for organizing extremist activities, the next day he was released home and now he is at home under a written undertaking not to leave the place,” Ivan Riger, a representative of the Ukrainian “Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses” for public relations, told the publication.

In addition, Rieger added that on June 4, at least nine premises of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched.

• In April 2017, the Supreme Court recognized the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia as an extremist organization and banned its activities throughout the country. In August of the same year, all communities of Jehovah's Witnesses were added to the list of prohibited ones.
• After this, a stream of criminal cases against representatives of the confession began. In February, the court handed down its first sentence with real imprisonment - Danish citizen Dennis Christensen was sentenced to six years in prison.