Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

New Searches Carried Out at Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Barnaul. One Believer Placed Under House Arrest

Altai Territory

On July 29, 2023, the family home of 37-year-old Valeriy Klokov was searched in Barnaul. Law enforcement officers detained the believer for 48 hours, after which the Oktyabrskiy District Court placed him under house arrest. On August 2, raids took place at two more addresses.

Law enforcement officers arrived at the Klokovs at lunchtime. Communication equipment, a laptop, flash drives, passports for travel abroad, personal notes and cards were seized. The search lasted approximately 2 hours. Then Valeriy was taken for interrogation to the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory.

Yevgeniy Kozyuchenko, senior investigator for investigating especially important cases, who had previously initiated the criminal prosecution of Pavel Kazadaev, charged Valeriy Klokov with a crime under Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC (participating in the activity of an extremist organization). The investigation believes that since 2021, Klokov and other unidentified persons “carried out actions to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses Barnaul, including by holding conversations in order to promote the activity of this organization and participating in events held by representatives of the organization". This is how law enforcement agencies interpret conversations on Bible topics between fellow believers.

So far,six Jehovah's Witnesses in the Altai Territory have been repressed by the authorities for their peaceful beliefs. Two of them - Andrey Danielyan and Pavel Kazadaev - have been sentenced.

The Case of Klokov in Barnaul

Case History
In the summer of 2023, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Valeriy Klokov and Vitaliy Manuylov in Barnaul. A search was conducted in Klokov’s house. After interrogation and 2 days in a temporary detention facility, Klokov was placed under house arrest. They were accused of participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In April 2024, the charge against Klokov was reclassified to organizing the activity of an extremist organization. Two months later, the criminal case against Manuylov was made into a separate proceeding. In early July 2024, Klokov’s case went to court.
Timeline

Persons in case

Klokov
Valeriy

Criminal case

Region:
Altai Territory
Locality:
Barnaul
Suspected of:
"carried out actions to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses Barnaul, including by holding conversations in order to promote the activity of this organization and participating in events held by representatives of the organization"
Court case number:
12302010022000019
Initiated:
July 10, 2023
Current case stage:
trial in court of first instance
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Altai Territory
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-579/2024
Court of First Instance:
Industrialniy District Court of the City of Barnaul of the Altai Territory
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Dmitriy Malikov
Case History
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