In Sochi, the court extended the term of detention of a Jehovah's Witness in a pre-trial detention center. She contracted Covid in the isolation ward

The Khostinsky District Court of Sochi extended the period of detention of Jehovah's Witness Tatyana Velizhanina. She is accused of involvement in the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code). Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported this.

The believer clarified that in August, while in custody, she contracted Covid. Due to her health condition, the woman was unable to participate in the court hearing at which the issue of extending the preventive measure was considered.

In April, for the next meeting, Velizhanina was transported from Armavir pre-trial detention center No. 2 to Sochi. For some time, the prisoner was kept in a temporary detention facility, which is why she could not receive letters.

• On March 25, in Sochi, representatives of the Investigative Committee detained and sent four Jehovah’s Witnesses to a temporary detention center. Two of them, Yuri Loginsky and Yuri Moskalev, were given a preventive measure in the form of house arrest. The rest - Vladimir Deshko and Tatyana Velizhanina - were sent to a pre-trial detention center. According to the security forces, the believers were engaged in “involvement in the activities of an extremist organization,” as they talked with local residents on religious topics.
• In 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.