A criminal case has been initiated against two Jehovah's Witnesses in Yugorsk

In Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra another criminal case under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code.

On August 19, 2020, it became known that a criminal case under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (organization of the activities of an extremist organizations) against two residents of Yugorsk, aged 42 and 48. Later it became known that we are talking about Andrei Zhukov and Ivan Sorokin.

They are suspected of that between September 6, 2017 and August 18, 2020 they continued organize the activities of the banned community of Jehovah's Witnesses in Yugorsk, holding meetings, distributing creeds and religious literature, and engaging to the community of new members. The suspects were detained and brought in for questioning; SC stated that it intends to seek their arrest, but later the department reported that the two suspects were released on bail.

As part of the investigation, nine searches were carried out. in Yugorsk and Sovetsky; Jehovah's Witnesses reported that they were interrogated delivered 15 people. Earlier, 23 Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and several believers in Surgut were subjected to torture.

Jehovah's Witnesses throughout Russia is accused of involvement in the activities of an extremist organization in due to the fact that in April 2017 the Supreme Court decided to recognize Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and 395 local religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses extremist. We believe that this is the solution entailed mass persecution of believers under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code, did not have legal grounds, and regard it as a manifestation of religious discrimination.

Sources

• The activity of an extremist organization was suppressed in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra // SU IC RF for the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra. 2020. August 19.
• The security forces are again searching the houses of believers in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Operations are taking place in the cities of Yugorsk and Sovetsky. Message from Jehovah's Witnesses. 2020. August 19.
• In Ugra, two followers of Jehovah's Witnesses were released on bail // TASS. 2020. August 21.
• The security forces are again searching the houses of believers in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Operations are taking place in the cities of Yugorsk and Sovetsky. Message from Jehovah's Witnesses. 2020. August 20.