Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Law enforcers once again search the homes of believers in the Yugra region. After being detailed for two days, two men were released on a condition that they sign a recognizance agreement

Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area

In the morning of August 19, 2020, law enforcers invaded at least four dwellings of Jehovah's Witnesses in the towns of Ugorsk and the neighboring Sovetskiy. No information about the detainees had been received so far. As new information becomes available, this news item will be updated.

Update. According to updated data, on August 19, searches were carried out at 9 addresses - 8 in the city of Yugorsk and 1 in the city of Sovetsky. 16 people were taken away for questioning. After the interrogations, two believers — 48-year-old Ugra resident Andrey Zhukov and 42-year-old Soviet resident Ivan Sorokin — were sent to a temporary detention center for 48 hours. During this time, the court had to decide on the choice of a preventive measure against them. However, late in the evening of August 20, the believers were unexpectedly allowed to go home on their own recognizance. A criminal case was initiated against Zhukov and Sorokin under Part 1 of Article 282.2. It is being investigated by the investigator of the Control and Investigation Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation N. Y. Tatarnikov. (Header updated to reflect information received on August 21.)

This is not the first time that raids against believers have taken place in the region. In Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District 23 believers have already been prosecuted, 5 of them went through detention, several people were tortured by law enforcers, and one — Timofei Zhukov — was illegally placed in a psychiatric hospital.

The case of Sorokin and Zhukov in Yugorsk

Case History
In August 2020, in the cities of Yugorsk and Sovetsky, searches were carried out at 9 addresses of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 16 people were taken away for interrogation. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Andrey Zhukov and Ivan Sorokin for organizing the activities of an extremist organization because of conversations about the Bible with friends. The believers were placed in a temporary detention facility, and the next day they were released on their own recognizance. A few months later, their accounts were blocked, which became a serious difficulty for the Zhukov family in connection with the birth of their second child. In August 2021, Zhukov and Sorokin were also charged with involvement in the activities of an extremist organization. The case went to court in October of the same year. The prosecution witnesses invited to the hearing stated that the defendants were peace-loving people, and they had not heard any calls for illegal actions from believers. In August 2023, the court fully acquitted Zhukov and Sorokin. After 3 months, the appeal overturned the verdict and sent the case back for a new trial.
Timeline

Persons in case

Sorokin
Ivan
Zhukov
Andrey

Criminal case

Region:
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area
Locality:
Yugorsk
Suspected of:
"We developed the basic plans of the local religious organization ... conducted conspiratorial gatherings of members of an extremist organization for the purpose of conducting religious rites and sermons" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12002711023058534
Initiated:
August 17, 2020
Current case stage:
trial in Court of First Instance
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-2/2023 (1-14/2022; 1-149/2021)
Court:
Югорский районный суд ХМАО-Югры
Judge:
Юрий Клюпа
Case History