Consequences of the search. Surgut, July 2020

Consequences of the search. Surgut, July 2020

Consequences of the search. Surgut, July 2020

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Law enforcement forces from Surgut searched the home of Igor Petrov for the second time after his refusal to collect the items seized 1.5 years ago

Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area

On July 23, 2020, a second search was conducted in the apartment of Igor Petrov, who has been under investigation since February 2019, in Surgut. A year and a half ago, during a large-scale raid , law enforcement officers seized things from a believer. After the search was declared illegal, the security forces persistently tried to return them to him. Igor refuses, fearing possible falsifications.

Earlier, on July 2, law enforcement officers arrived in 2 minibuses at the workplace of Igor's wife, Larisa. They rudely and persistently tried to give her a black bag of things. Larisa refused, arguing that she could not identify them. Igor himself also repeatedly filed a statement of refusal to accept things. The investigator for especially important cases, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Guselnikov, decided to conduct a second search in his home.

The decision was issued on June 26, 2020 by the judge of the Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg, Tatyana Chashchina. Guselnikov arrived at the Petrovs' apartment accompanied by a second investigator, Alexander Monin, 2 armed riot policemen, witnesses, operatives (Senior Lieutenant Igor Antonov and Lieutenant Alexander Todorov) and a technical specialist. Law enforcement officers put pressure on believers because of their refusal to provide passwords for electronic devices. The search in the presence of a minor child lasted 4 hours. Electronic devices, postcards and personal records were seized from the family.

What happens to Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut after the infamous torture raid in February 2019 is being closely watched by Russian human rights activists.

Case of Loginov and Others in Surgut

Case History
In February 2019, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against 18 men and 1 woman from Surgut (among them was a man mistaken for a Jehovah’s Witness). Their homes were searched. During the interrogations, 7 believers were subjected to violence. Artur Severinchik was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 29 days, and Yevgeny Fedin and Sergey Loginov - for 56. Timofey Zhukov was illegally placed in a psychiatric hospital for 14 days. Believers complained about the use of torture to the Investigative Committee, the ECHR and the Commissioner for Human Rights, a press conference was held with the participation of human rights defenders, but none of the security forces was ever brought to justice. In October 2021, the case materials were submitted to the court. The prosecutor requested imprisonment for the defendants for a term of 3 years and 3 months to 8.5 years in prison, and for Loginov - 9.5 years, which was the most severe request for punishment for believing in Jehovah God in modern Russia.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area
Locality:
Surgut
Suspected of:
delivering speeches, engaging in the Witnesses' public preaching activity with local members, meeting with Bible education volunteers and appointed congregation assistants, and having as one objective the organizing of appointed men in the Vzlyotnove Congregation
Court case number:
42002007709000023
Initiated:
February 11, 2019
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the city of Surgut of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
№ 1-27/2023 (1-130/2022; 1-1348/2021)
Court:
Surgut City Court
Judge:
Dmitriy Lyupin
Case History
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