Three believers arrested in Tatarstan after mass raids

On May 27, 2018, in Naberezhnye Chelny (Tatarstan), law enforcement officers raided 10 apartments of local residents who are suspected of practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Ilham Karimov, 37, Vladimir Myakushin, 30, and Konstantin Matrashov, 29, were arrested.

Searches and interrogations in the homes of peaceful believers began on Sunday evening and continued until late at night. Law enforcement officers introduced themselves as employees of the Investigative Committee and the FSB. All electronic devices, mobile phones, and passports were seized from the believers, including 4 men, 10 women (including the elderly) and a child.

In the coming days, the issue of the measure of restraint for the detainees should be resolved. It became known that the criminal case was initiated under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Russian law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization. This criminal prosecution is a direct consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia, which on April 20, 2017, liquidated and recognized as "extremist" 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country.