Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Illustrative photo

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Jehovah's Witnesses Were Searched Again in Chelyabinsk

Chelyabinsk Region

On October 22, 2021, Chelyabinsk security forces searched at two addresses: at 53-year-old Vadim Gizatulin and 52-year-old Irina Mikhailenko. The home of 59-year-old Olga Zhelavskaya was not searched, as she was in the hospital after COVID-19 and a stroke. All three of them are suspected of extremism for their faith.

Electronic devices and old telephone books were confiscated from believers. After the searches, Vadim Gizatulin and his wife, as well as Irina Mikhailenko with her husband and son, were taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation.

Operational measures for Chelyabinsk residents were repeated, they were sanctioned by the Traktorozavodsky District Court on the basis of a criminal case initiated by investigator Aleksandr Chepenko, who organized the criminal prosecution of an elderly couple Vladimir Suvorov and his wife Valentina. They were subsequently sentenced to 6 and 2 years suspended sentence. Gizatulin and Mikhailenko were witnesses in that case. Chepenko also conducted an investigation into the case of three other Jehovah's Witnesses in the Chelyabinsk Region, including Dmitriy Vinogradov, who was sentenced to a 2-year suspended sentence.

As before, investigator Chepenko accuses believers of "extremist activity" — the peaceful and de jure not prohibited in Russia worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case of Gizatulin in Chelyabinsk

Case History
Vadim Gizatulin faced persecution for his faith in 2019: his house was searched as part of the Vladimir Suvorov case. Hidden audio and video filming was carried out behind the believers. A certain Ruzayeva, under the guise of a person interested in the Bible, collected information for the Center “E”. In 2021, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Vadim Gizatulin, an electrician from Chelyabinsk. His house was searched again. The investigation considered it illegal actions that he participated in worship services, singing songs and saying prayers. In August 2022, Gizatulin’s case went to court. In December of the same year, the court sentenced the believer to 2 years of probation, and in February 2023, the court of appeal upheld this decision.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Suspected of:
participated in worship services of Jehovah's Witnesses, sang religious songs and prayed to Jehovah God
Court case number:
12202750030000019
Initiated:
August 31, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Third Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-494/2022
Court of First Instance:
Metallurgicheskiy District Court of the City of Chelyabinsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Vitaliy Sirotin
Case History

The case of Mikhailenko in Chelyabinsk

Case History
Searches of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Chelyabinsk in 2019 changed the lives of dozens of believers. Among them is Irina Mikhailenko, director of a law firm. The believer was a witness in the case of Valentina Suvorova, but in 2021 she herself became a suspect of participating in extremist activities. Mikhailenko’s house was searched again. The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region accused the believer of “directly participating in and personally speaking in … religious meetings”, singing songs and saying prayers. Mikhailenko was also accused of attending an international convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea. In July 2022, the trial began. In April 2023, the court sentenced the believer to a fine of 120,000 rubles. The appellate court upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Chelyabinsk Region
Locality:
Chelyabinsk
Suspected of:
«... directly participated and personally spoke in religious meetings convened and organized by V. N. Suvorov" (from the decision to bring as an accused)
Court case number:
12102750030000024
Initiated:
August 31, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Third Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Chelyabinsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-16/2023
Court of First Instance:
Metallurgicheskiy District Court of the City of Chelyabinsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Ludmila Blagodir
Case History
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