Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Five Bibles and two New Testaments were seized from residents of Achinsk

Krasnoyarsk Territory

The details of what happened in Achinsk on November 14, 2019 have been clarified. In total, searches were conducted in at least 7 apartments of believers, and 8 people were interrogated. Law enforcement officers seized various editions of the Holy Scriptures from several believers that were not included in the list of extremist literature.

Most of the books were seized from 62-year-old Viktor Sagin: the Bible in the Orthodox Synodal translation, two Bibles of the Orthodox Archimandrite Macarius and two editions of the New Testament. The Bible of Archimandrite Macarius, the Bible in Modern Translation and the Bible Symphony, as well as a smartphone and tablet were seized from 52-year-old Alexander Borkunov.

It is also known about searches and inspections of the premises of Yuri Sotnikov, Natalia Nikitina, Vladimir Chernik, Arkady Osipok and Alexander and Tatyana Pozdnyakov. All the believers mentioned were asked about their religious views.

The residents of Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory) subjected to searches and interrogations are peaceful, law-abiding citizens whom law enforcement officers decided to equate with extremists only because they suspected them of professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, the massive confiscation of Bibles from Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country confirms Vladimir Putin's words that in fact the fight is not against extremists, but against Christians.

Case of Sagin in Achinsk

Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Krasnoyarsk Territory
Locality:
Achinsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he "organized the activities of members of a banned organization on the territory of the city of Achinsk and supervised their activities during weekly religious meetings, dissemination of religious and ideological attitudes of the banned organization."
Court case number:
12002040016000002
Initiated:
January 9, 2020
Current case stage:
preliminary investigation
Investigating:
Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Case History
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