Photo: Raid on believers (Orenburg, May 16, 2018)

Photo: Raid on believers (Orenburg, May 16, 2018)

Photo: Raid on believers (Orenburg, May 16, 2018)

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

Details of the raid on believers in the Orenburg region

Orenburg Region

On May 16, 2018, 18 searches were carried out in the homes of citizens believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses in 4 settlements of the Orenburg Region. 15 believers were detained, three were sent to a temporary detention facility (IVS). 11 people were found guilty in the criminal case.

  • G. Buzuluk. Searches in 5 houses. A written undertaking not to leave was taken from one of the citizens.
  • Orenburg. Searches were carried out at 9 addresses, where a total of 25 people live, including small children. 8 people were found guilty in the criminal case. A written undertaking not to leave was taken from 6 people. Three were sent to a temporary detention center, namely 25-year-old Vladislav Kolbanov, 38-year-old Aleksandr Suvorov and 38-year-old Vladimir Kochnev.
  • P. Perevolotsky. Searches were carried out in 3 families at 2 addresses, including 25-year-old Boris Andreev, who lives with his wife and 2-year-old child. Andreev was found guilty in the criminal case.
  • Sol-Iletsk. There were 2 searches. 44-year-old Anatoly Vichkitov was found accused.

The criminal case was initiated under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization and participation in the activities of an extremist organization). Earlier, the Supreme Court of Russia approved the liquidation and prohibition of all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations registered in Russia, but the constitutional right of citizens to freely practice their religion, both individually and in community with others, was not abolished. Law enforcers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization.

The Case of Kochnev and Others in Orenburg

Case History
In May 2018, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal case against Vladimir Kochnev, Vladislav Kolbanov, Pavel Lekontsev, Sergey Logunov and Nikolay Zhugin. The believers from Orenburg were accused of organizing and financing the activity of an extremist organization and participating in it. This was because of meetings with friends in a café. After their homes were searched, three men were released under recognizance agreements, and two were detained. Kochnev spent 76 days in pretrial detention and 72 days under house arrest, while Kolbanov spent 149 days under house arrest. In December 2019, the case went to court, but a month later it was returned to the prosecutor’s office due to the vague nature of the charges. The retrial of the case by another judge began in February 2021. The charge is based on the testimony of the undercover agent V. Yudin. In August 2023, the judge gave the believers suspended sentences: Logunov and Zhugin — 2.5 years, Kochnev — 2 years and 8 months, Lekontsev — 3 years, and Kolbanov — 3.5 years. The court of appeal upheld the verdict.
Timeline

Persons in case

Kochnev
Vladimir
Kolbanov
Vladislav
Lekontsev
Pavel
Logunov
Sergey
Zhugin
Nikolay

Criminal case

Region:
Orenburg Region
Locality:
Orenburg
Suspected of:
according to the investigation, together with others he conducted religious services, which is interpreted as “organising and participating in the activity of an extremist organisation” (with reference to the decision of the Russian Supreme Court on the liquidation of all 396 registered organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Court case number:
11802530021000017
Initiated:
May 14, 2018
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-1/2023 (1-2/2022; 1-139/2021; 1-62/2020; 1-501/2019)
Court:
Promyshlenniy District Court of the City of Orenburg
Judge:
Diana Sudorgina
Case History
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