One of the detention centers in Primorye Territory

One of the detention centers in Primorye Territory

One of the detention centers in Primorye Territory

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Jehovah's Witness Anton Virich Arrested in Krasnoyarsk Territory. He Was Taken to a Detention Center 5,000 Kilometers From Where He Was Arrested

Primorye Territory,   Krasnoyarsk Territory

On July 11, 2023, believer Anton Virich, 43, was detained in Uzhur (Krasnoyarsk Territory). For 9 days, his whereabouts remained unknown. Friends found him in the Spassk-Dalniy detention center. He was charged with organizing the activity of an extremist organization.

The car, in which Anton and his wife were traveling, was stopped by the traffic police. He was taken to the police station. There, Virich was told that since February 11, 2022, he had been under a recognizance agreement, about which he knew nothing and had not received any notifications at his address. Moreover, the copy of the document shown to him did not indicate which particular location he could not leave. In the evening of the same day, Anton was taken to the Sharypovo police department, where he was searched and fingerprinted. Then the believer was placed in a special unit for detainees for 48 hours.

Later, the FSB officers informed Anton that he was charged with a crime under Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC; they forced him into a car and drove him away in an unknown direction. As it turned out later, he was taken to Krasnoyarsk, then by plane to Khabarovsk, and after that — to Luchegorsk. Here, on July 14, the investigator drew up a protocol on detention and charged Virich, and the Pozharsky District Court of Primorye Territory ruled to detain him for 30 days. On July 24, he was transferred to detention centre No. 4 in Spassk-Dalniy.

Anton Virich is one of the defendants in the case against Yuriy Ponomarenko and other believers from Luchegorsk. In total, 22 criminal cases have been initiated in Primorye Territory against 58 believers, 10 of which are in penal colonies and detention centers.

The Case of Ponomarenko and Others in Luchegorsk

Case History
In July 2021, a search was conducted at the home of Yuriy Ponomarenko in Luchegorsk. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against him on suspicion of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. In November of the same year, as part of Ponomarenko’s case, another search took place — this time at the residence of Oleg Sergeyev. He was charged under the same article. In March 2022, Nikolay Dikhtyar became a defendant in the case: he was accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. In June 2022, the criminal case against the believers was submitted to the court. Almost two years later, in May 2024, the believers were given suspended sentences ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 years. Later, at the prosecutor’s request, the appellate court reduced each believer’s sentence by one month.
Timeline

Persons in case

Dikhtyar
Nikolay
Ponomarenko
Yuriy
Sergeyev
Oleg

Criminal case

Region:
Primorye Territory
Locality:
Luchegorsk
Suspected of:
"Organized... weekly meetings. [...] Collectively studied the texts from the 'Holy Scriptures' and discussed them with other participants" (from the indictment)
Court case number:
12102050012000058
Initiated:
July 16, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the town of Dalnerechensk of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Primorye Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2), 282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-6/2024 (1-22/2023; 1-197/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Pozharskiy District Court of the Primorye Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Mikhail Atroshko
Case History
Back to top