Several Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the Chelyabinsk region

In the city of Asha, Chelyabinsk region, searches and interrogations of several Jehovah's Witnesses took place. This was reported by the portal “Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia”.

Presumably, the security forces came to two married couples. A disabled man was also detained. After the searches, the believers were interrogated and then released. Their names and what specific case the arrest is related to are still unknown.

June 16 16:00 Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia clarified the information on the searches that took place among believers in the Chelyabinsk region on June 11.

Investigative actions took place in the homes of five families in the cities of Ash and Minyar in a criminal case of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code).

The search included 49-year-old Andrei Perminov, who has a disability of the first group and uses a wheelchair. Electronic devices, bank cards, storage media and personal records were confiscated from the man and his wife. Only at the end of the search did the security forces allow Perminov to get dressed and sit in a wheelchair; until that moment, the believer was forced to stay in bed. Jehovah's Witness was interrogated on the spot, and his wife was taken to continue the investigative actions to the Investigative Committee.

Law enforcement officers also searched the home of 28-year-old religious supporter Andrei Fedorov. When the man left the house early in the morning to go to his car, awakened by the sound of the alarm, the security forces attacked him from behind and laid him face down on the asphalt. While reading out the search warrant, law enforcement officers forced Fedorov, his wife and sister to stand facing the wall. In their house, like Perminov’s, electronic devices, personal records, storage media and a bank card were confiscated.

Then a search was carried out in the neighboring house where Andrei Fedorov’s father, Vadim Fedorov, lived. Andrei's minor children were present during the search. Vadim Fedorov was not at home as he was at work. His son was threatened to hand over the children to the guardianship authorities if the believer did not tell where his father was.

When Vadim Fedorov returned home, he was detained and taken along with other family members for questioning to the Investigative Committee. The investigator threatened Fedorov Sr. “to ruin the lives of him and the children” if he refused to cooperate with the investigation.

• On April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court recognized the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” as an extremist organization, liquidated it and banned its activities in Russia. Later, all organizations 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.