In the Moscow region, law enforcers searched the apartment of a 70-year-old woman after her grandson told the military committee about his faith

On July 7, 2020, in the town of Likino-Dulevo, Moscow Region, security forces invaded the apartment of 20-year-old Kirill Leonov and his grandmother. After the search, Kirill was interrogated for 2 hours at the police department about his faith. It turned out that the military registration and enlistment office had given the CPE information that the believer had asked for alternative service.

Contrary to the assurances of the Russian authorities that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited, and to Article 28 of the Constitution on the freedom to profess one's faith personally or jointly with others, the military committee staff reported information about Leonov to the Counter-Extremism Center (CEC).

Shortly after Leonov's visit to the military committee, Major of Police Galina Udinova, CEC officer Artem Mitrokhin and two other security officers came to Kirill's apartment. The inspection of the premises - in fact the search - began at 8:30 am. Law enforcers opened wardrobes and personal bags of believers. They seized electronic equipment and data carriers, including a disc with the Leonov’s sister wedding video. Despite the fact that the documents of the inspection exclusively include Kirill Leonov, law enforcers asked his 70-year-old grandmother about religion.

After the investigative measures, Kirill Leonov was taken for interrogation to the police department of the Interior Ministry Likino-Dulevo, from where he was released two hours later. At the police station he was interrogated about the attitude to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, meetings with believers. Whether a criminal case has been initiated against a believer is still unknown.