Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

A Cherkessk resident is suspected of extremism for talking about the Bible. Her daughter's drawings were seized as evidence from the believer

Karachay-Cherkessia

In the morning of November 12, 2020, a group of law enforcement officers led by an investigator of the FSB for Karachay-Cherkessia V. Drakin repeated the search of Yelena Menchikova. Dracinom repeated the search of Elena Menchikova. A 56-year-old resident of Cherkessk had her daughter seized her drawings. The woman was asked to sign a not to leave the city.

The reason for the actions of law enforcement officers was a new criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code, which investigator Drakin initiated against the believer on November 3, 2020. The FSB blames Menchikova for friendly meetings and peaceful conversations about the Bible, interpreting them as "incitement to religious discord," "recruiting conversations" and "exams to join the ranks of a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The first search of Yelena was conducted earlier in the criminal case against a local believer, Albert Batchaev, who was charged under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code. According to the indictment, he is guilty of "singing songs from a special collection of religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and praying to the God of Jehovah. The case of the believer is heard in the Cherkessk City Court.

The Case of Menchikova in Cherkessk

Case History
Yelena Menchikova, an architect from Cherkessk, came to the attention of law enforcement agencies in December 2019, when her house was searched for the first time. The criminal case was initiated in November 2020. The FSB accused the believer of participating in the activity of an extremist organization, and then also of involving others in it. According to the investigation, Yelena “developed a criminal plan” to discuss the Bible with others. In April 2021, the case went to court. Although Yelena has a disability, the prosecutor demanded that she be sent to prison for 5 years. In December 2021, the court gave Menchikova a 5-year suspended sentence and ordered her to pay all legal costs. The court of appeal released Yelena from these payments but left the sentence unchanged. In December 2022, the court of cassation returned the case to the court for a new trial. In January 2024, the court handed down a second guilty verdict – 4.5-year suspended sentence.
Timeline

Persons in case

Menchikova
Yelena

Criminal case

Region:
Karachay-Cherkessia
Locality:
Cherkessk
Suspected of:
"acting deliberately, voluntarily performed the duties assigned to her in order to continue the activities of the banned LRO SI in the city of Cherkessk... Namely, she was under the strict subordination of the leader... provided A.S. Batchaev with a dwelling belonging to her on the right of ownership... carried out recruiting conversations... personally took part in the meetings" (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12007910001000026
Initiated:
November 3, 2020
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of Russia for the Karachayevo-Circassian Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)
Court case number:
1-20/2024 (1-279/2023; 1-489/2021)
Court:
Cherkessk City Court of the Karachayevo-Circassian Republic
Judge:
Nauruz Shukurov
Case History
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