The Case of Fedorov in Petrozavodsk

Case History

Sergey Fedorov and his wife first came to the attention of the security forces in the summer of 2019 when their home was searched. About five years later, the FSB raided them again: under the pretext of inspecting their home, they actually searched their apartment in Tolyatti, handcuffed Sergey, hit him on the head and planted banned literature. The believer was taken 2,000 kilometers away to Petrozavodsk to "give explanations." In June 2024, a criminal case was initiated against Fedorov for organizing the activity of an extremist organization. His home was searched for the third time, and he was placed in a pretrial detention center.
Timeline

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    July 31, 2019 Search

    Sergey Fedorov's apartment in the village of Murino, Leningrad Region, is being searched as part of a criminal case against Maksim Amosov and other believers from Petrozavodsk.

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    March 7, 2024 Inspection of residence Violence by law enforcement officers Plant evidence Federal List of Extremist Materials

    A group of security officials came to the house of Sergey Fedorov, who at that time lived in Togliatti, to inspect the premises. The event is led by the senior operative of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Karelia, Major A. S. Romanov.

    The inspection is carried out with gross violations: in fact, the law enforcement officers search the premises, Sergey is handcuffed and hit on the head. Objects that do not belong to him are planted on the believer, including publications entered into the FSEM.

    Then Sergey Fedorov is taken 2,000 km away to Petrozavodsk to "give explanations as part of a pre-investigation check on the material."

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    March 8, 2024 Interrogation

    The interrogation is conducted by the deputy head of the Investigative Department of the FSB in the Republic of Karelia, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice M. V. Golubenko. He wondered if Fyodorov knew believers from different regions of Russia who had been prosecuted for their beliefs.

    After giving explanations, around midnight, Fedorov is released from the FSB building in Petrozavodsk. By this time, the believer has spent two days under arrest.

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    April 2024 – June 2024 Tapping and hidden surveillance

    The Fedorovs, temporarily residing in Petrozavodsk, notice surveillance, and find a listening device in the apartment.

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    April 8, 2024

    Investigator Golubenko issues a decision to refuse to initiate a criminal case against Sergey Fedorov. The reason is "the lack of full results of the study of objects and documents seized from the believer."

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    June 6, 2024 Case initiated Art. 282.2 (1)

    Investigator Golubenko initiates a criminal case against Sergey Fedorov. The believer is accused of organizing the activity of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, in the period from July 2018 to March 2024, he performed "organizational, informational and control functions" in several regions of the country.

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    June 20, 2024 Search

    The Fedorovs in Petrozavodsk are under another search with the participation of the same representatives of the local FSB. The spouses are taken to the department, where Sergey is detained.

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    June 21, 2024 Violence by law enforcement officers Case initiated Art. 282.2 (1) Detention center Interrogation Search Plant evidence Inspection of residence

    Judge of the Petrozavodsk City Court Natalia Zalevskaya sends Fedorov to the pre-trial detention center until August 05, 2024.

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    July 14, 2024 Transfer of a prisoner

    Sergey Fedorov is transferred from the pre-trial detention center in Petrozavodsk to pre-trial detention center-2 in the city of Segezha.