Case of Makhalichev in Uray

Case History

In January 2019, the Investigative Committee for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area opened a case against Nikolay Makhalichev. He was accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The Prosecutor General’s Office put him on the wanted list. In February 2020, Makhalichev was detained in Belarus, the first time that a Jehovah’s Witness persecuted in Russia for his faith was arrested in that country. The Russian authorities sent a request for extradition, but in April the Belarusian side refused to extradite. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations called for Makhalichev not to be handed over, stressing the religious nature of the persecution.
Timeline

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    Case initiated Art. 282.2 (1) CC RF Art. 282.2 (2) CC RF

    The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra initiates a criminal case for faith under Articles 282.2 (1), 282.2 (2); religious affiliation is interpreted as "organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization" (with reference to the court decision to liquidate the local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses). Innocent victims of law enforcement officers are: Andrey Sazonov (born in 1980) and Nikolai Makhalichev (born in 1984). Previously, believers noticed spying on themselves from cars with tinted windows, so they even had to file a complaint with the police on the helpline.

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    Search Detention center

    In the city of Urai (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area), searches are being conducted in 8 homes of citizens who are suspected of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Andrey Sazonov, 38, was arrested.

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    Temporary detention facility

    In Belarus, law enforcement officers detained 36-year-old Russian Nikolai Makhalichev. He was informed that Russia had put him on the interstate wanted list as part of a case initiated in Urai.

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    Detention center

    Deputy Prosecutor of the Gorodok District, Junior Counselor of Justice Zaikin A.N. sends Nikolai Makhalichev into custody with serving in SIZO-2 of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. In his ruling, the Belarusian prosecutor, referring to the Russian court, claims that Makhalichev acted "deliberately, motivated by religious intolerance, from extremist motives, expressed in the propaganda of the advantage of followers of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses over other persons ...", and was also engaged in "confession and dissemination of ideology and faith."

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    Temporary detention facility Detention center International organizations United Nations
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    The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia sends a request to Belarus for the extradition of Nikolai Makhalichev.

    International and Belarusian human rights activists issue a statement that the extradition of Nikolai Makhalichev to Russia and even his detention in a pre-trial detention center simply because of his religious beliefs violate Belarusian legislation. "Nikolay Makhalichev has not committed any internationally recognized criminal offence or other offence that is classified as a crime under Belarusian law," Amnesty International said in an urgent statement. "He is being persecuted only because of his exercise of his right to freedom of religion and must be immediately and unconditionally released from detention."

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    Detention center Human rights defenders International organizations
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    The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus decides to refuse to extradite Nikolai Makhalichev to Russia. He is released from custody on the same day, a few hours before the start of the Lord's Supper, the only celebration among Jehovah's Witnesses that in 2020 was celebrated on April 7 after sunset.

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    Detention center Analytics
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