Sunday operation against believers in Murmansk. The forces of the Investigative Committee were thrown into the investigation of the Bible readings

On December 29, 2019, law enforcement officers, including employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region, simultaneously invaded at least 4 apartments where Jehovah's Witnesses live. Searches and interrogations were conducted. A criminal case has been initiated.

It is known that criminal case No. 11902470002000277 has been initiated. It is being investigated by the Investigative Department for the city of Murmansk of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk Region. It is not yet clear, however, under what article and against whom this case was initiated.

Investigators I.O. Shash and N.I. Glebov were involved in the operation, among others.

Earlier, on April 18, 2018, in the city of Polyarny (Murmansk region), searches were conducted in the homes of local residents. 44-year-old Roman Markin and 61-year-old Viktor Trofimov were sent to a pre-trial detention center on suspicion of "organizing the activities of an extremist organization" (age indicated at the time of arrest). On May 24, 2019, they were served with an indictment, a final document in which investigators had to justify their attacks on peaceful law-abiding believers.

Update. According to updated information, on December 29, 5 searches took place in Murmansk, after which 13 people were taken to the building of the local Investigative Committee for interrogation. Only one of the detainees was provided with a copy of the interrogation protocol. At the place of search, the security forces seized literature and electronic media. A copy of the search protocol was also not provided to everyone. According to a press release from the Investigative Committee for the Murmansk Region, a new criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of activities of an extremist organization). The number and names of the defendants in the criminal case are still unknown.