Photo: while Roman Makhnev was behind bars, his mother's house burned down

Photo: while Roman Makhnev was behind bars, his mother's house burned down

Photo: while Roman Makhnev was behind bars, his mother's house burned down

Activities of Believers

In Kaluga, friends support believers who find themselves in trouble due to criminal prosecution

Kaluga Region

On December 25, 2019, Roman Makhnev, a believer from Kaluga, left the pre-trial detention center, where he spent 182 days. During this time, his father died, and his widowed mother's house burned down. About 30 of Roman's fellow believers came to the aid of the elderly woman.

Friends of the Makhnevs reacted quickly. There were so many people who wanted to help that some had to refuse. As a result, about 30 people dismantled tons of burnt furniture, metal structures, roofs and household appliances in 2 days. They also cleared the walls of burning, installed a frame for a new roof and connected temporary wiring.

What was happening aroused great interest among the villagers, many specially came to see how the work was progressing. As far as they could, neighbors began to help: they provided volunteers with parking spaces, allowed them to use the toilet, borrowed kettles, and the like. Impressed by the support of her friends, the elderly woman repeated: "Everyone would like sons like my Roman!"

Update. In Kaluga, friends of the prisoner of conscience Roman Makhnev installed roof rafters on his mother's house.

Case of Makhnev and Kuzin in Kaluga

Case History
In June 2019, several homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Kaluga, including the families of Roman Makhnev and Dmitriy Kuzin. The men were detained and soon sent to a pre-trial detention center. Both spent six months behind bars, and then another two months under house arrest. The FSB opened a criminal case against them, as well as another believer, on extremism. In November 2020, the investigation was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. The investigation resumed in March 2024.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Kaluga Region
Locality:
Kaluga
Suspected of:
"took active organizational actions, expressed in the unification of the followers of the world organization of Jehovah's Witnesses living in the city of Kaluga and the Kaluga region, under a single leadership; convening meetings in residential quarters... organization of religious speeches and services at these meetings; carrying out the preaching activity" (from the decision to bring as an accused)
Court case number:
11907290001000019
Initiated:
June 26, 2019
Current case stage:
review of case materials by the accused
Investigating:
Investigation Department of FSSD of Russia for Kaluga Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Case History
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