New Raids in Teykovo: Security Forces Put Young and Old Witnesses at Mortal Risk in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic

On April 15, 2020, 4 days after the first wave of raids on the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the town of Teikovo, at least 3 more families reported that interrogators had invaded them for interrogation. For example, 79-year-old Galina Nosach was asked what her translation of the Bible was and whether her fellow believers visited her.

In the meantime, dramatic details of Saturday's searches in the city have come to light.

On April 11, 2020, at 6:00 a.m., 64-year-old Vladimir Spivak and his wife heard a strong knock on the door. The house was entered by 10 security officials, almost all in civilian clothes, the head of the group with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Everyone, without exception, walked around the apartment in dirty shoes (which, in the conditions of the pandemic and the special regime, put innocent believers in great danger), the apartment was crowded with people, and 2 more people were on the street, watching the windows. During the search, the security forces turned everything upside down, looked into the exhaust well and the drain tank, and examined all the items of underwear. The search lasted more than 3 hours, a computer, a printer, a telephone, and two Bibles in the Synodal translation were seized. The believers were not allowed to call the children, and were also denied a copy of the search warrant and the search protocol. The spouses are experiencing a severe emotional shock.

On the same day at 6:30 a.m., 50-year-old Alexander Vasichkin and his wife were awakened by a persistent knock on the window. The house was entered by people in special uniforms, wearing masks and with weapons, as well as people in civilian clothes - a total of 12 people. During the search, electronic devices, hard drives, diaries, sheet music of Bach music and even sewing and knitting magazines were seized. The search lasted 7 hours, all 5 family members were guarded and even the toilet was visited accompanied by a police officer and sometimes with the door open. They were required to provide passwords for phones, threatening: "If you do not tell the password, then we will take your father away and you will not see him again!" Due to the actions of law enforcement officers, the whole family is experiencing a depressed state.

At 6:30 a.m., 52-year-old Sergey Galyamin, his wife and minor daughter were awakened by persistent doorbells. Six, including 4 police officers headed by Major Astafyev and 2 witnesses, entered the apartment and searched it. Police officers were wearing rubber gloves. The head of the family was asked to provide the password for electronic devices, otherwise they threatened to take away the devices of all family members. As a result, all devices were seized, including her daughter's tablet, as a result of which she lost the opportunity to study - due to quarantine associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the girl is undergoing distance learning.

At 6:30 a.m., six law enforcement officers, some wearing helmets, carrying weapons and SOBR patches, led by investigator D.O. Batalov, invaded the apartment of 56-year-old Anatoly Lyamo. Another 2 security officers watched the windows. During the first 3 hours, the investigator did not allow the head of the family to use the toilet, stating that he had to show him a doctor's certificate confirming the need to use the toilet urgently. When one of the family members tried to record what was happening on a mobile phone camera, law enforcement officer Pavel Norovkov ordered the Sobrov officer to forcibly take away the phone. Witnesses Ignatenko and Oleynikov were sitting in the kitchen with smartphones during the search, so the security forces were free in their actions. Computers, telephones, personal diaries, works of ancient historians, the Bible in German and the Bible in the Synodal translation were seized from the believer.

The search warrant for Anatoly Lyamo was issued by Ekaterina Savina, judge of the Frunzensky District Court of Ivanovo. In total, about 40 law enforcement officers and witnesses participated in the raids at the same time.