Case of Gumenyuk in Korsakov

Case History

Roman Gumenyuk was searched and interrogated in August 2023. A month earlier, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against him under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organization. This is how the investigation interprets conducting conversations on biblical topics via video conferencing. In May 2024, the believer was prosecuted under another article, accused of involvement in the activities of an extremist organization.

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    July 19, 2023 Case initiated

    Major of Justice E. V. Maksimov, Deputy Head of the Korsakov Interdistrict Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region, initiates a criminal case against Roman Gumenyuk. The investigation considers discussing the Bible with friends at "regular meetings" to be participation in the activities of an extremist organization.

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    July 31, 2023 Case initiated

    The case is referred to senior investigator S. B. Nevidimov.

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    August 2, 2023 Search

    Judge of the Korsakov City Court of the Sakhalin Region V. G. Kelbakha authorizes a search in the apartment of Roman Gumenyuk.

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    August 22, 2023 Search Interrogation Case initiated Art. 282.2 (2) Health risk
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    May 14, 2024 Art. 282.2 (1.1)

    The investigator for especially important cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Sakhalin Region, Y. E. Che, is prosecuting Roman Gumenyuk as a defendant under another article - Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, the man "conducted preaching activities and spread the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses among the residents of the Sakhalin region in order to find and consistently persuade new persons to participate in the activities of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses ... by conducting conversations on religious topics."