Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the Jewish Autonomous Region

New cases have been initiated under Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code.

On February 7, 2024, it became known that searches of Jehovah's Witnesses were carried out in the Jewish Autonomous Region (JAO). As believers later clarified, the searches took place on February 6 in Birobidzhan and the village of Amurzet - and, according to preliminary information, as part of two different criminal cases.

The suspect in the case initiated by the regional FSB Directorate under Part 1.1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization), became Anatoly Artamonov. According to investigators, he involved a resident of the village of Amurzet in the activities of the liquidated organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case, for which searches took place in Birobidzhan, was initiated by the investigative department of the Investigative Committee for the Khabarovsk Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region. Investigative actions took place, in particular, with Oleg and Agnessa Postnikov, who in October 2023 were sentenced to suspended prison terms under the CC. 1.1 and 2 art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization and participation in it). What their procedural status is has not yet been clarified.

Sources

• A new wave of searches of Jehovah's Witnesses took place in Birobidzhan. Among them are the Postnikovs, who are serving a suspended sentence for their faith. Message from Jehovah's Witnesses. 2024. February 9.
• Mass detentions of sectarians in the Jewish Autonomous Region // SHOT. Telegram. 2024. February 8.