New Searches and Criminal Case in Crimea. It is the Largest Raid Against Believers of the Year Yet

On August 27, 2025, Crimean law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of local Jehovah's Witnesses. A criminal case has been opened against one of them, Vladimir Chertov, 52. He is accused of "organizing the activities of an extremist organization." The man was detained.

A total of 11 searches took place. The raid affected at least 19 believers from Alushta, the villages of Partenit and Lazurnoye. Some of them were led by employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Andrey Kirov, who initiated the criminal prosecution, and Adel Abzalilov. During the searches, electronic devices, communication equipment, books, notebooks and personal records were seized.

This is not the first case of pressure on believers in Alushta - searches were already carried out here a year ago. In total, 32 of Jehovah's Witnesses have become victims of persecution in Crimea over the past seven years.