Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

One of Jehovah's Witnesses from Izhevsk Placed in Pretrial Detention Center After Searches

Udmurtia

In the early morning of June 4, 2024, security forces invaded the homes of at least three families of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk. One man was sent to pretrial detention, two were banned from certain actions.

A criminal case against the believers – the fourth in the region – was initiated by the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic a day earlier. The case proceedings are being conducted by investigator Artur Selin.

The search at the home of Aleksandr Stefanidin, 32, and his wife began at about 7 a.m. and lasted 2 hours. Electronic devices and flash drives were seized from the family. After that, Aleksandr was taken for interrogation. On June 5, the judge of the Industrialniy District Court of Izhevsk, Aleksandr Shishkin, sent Stefanidin to the detention center.

Another of those against whom the case was initiated, is pensioner Indus Talipov, 73.

The Case of Knyazev and Talipov in Izhevsk

Case History
In June 2024, an investigator of the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against three Jehovah’s Witnesses from Izhevsk. A day later, searches were carried out in the apartments of believers. After interrogations, they were charged with organizing the activities of an extremist organization. The investigation considered it a crime to hold peaceful meetings for worship and read the Holy Scriptures via the Internet. The accounts and property of the believers were seized. The court imposed a ban on certain actions on Valeriy Knyazev and Indus Talipov. Aleksandr Stefanidin was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 5 months, then transferred to house arrest, and later to a ban on certain actions. The materials against him were later separated into other proceedings. In December 2024, the case went to court. After 11 months, two pensioners were sentenced to 3 years in a penal colony. They became the oldest Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to a real term of imprisonment.
Timeline

Persons in case

Knyazev
Valeriy
Stefanidin
Aleksandr
Talipov
Indus

Criminal case

Region:
Udmurtia
Locality:
Izhevsk
Suspected of:
"organized video conferences... Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk using the Internet", where the Bible was studied (from the decision to initiate a criminal case)
Court case number:
12402940001002801
Initiated:
June 3, 2024
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
First Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Udmurt Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-109/2025 (1-606/2024)
Court of First Instance:
Pervomayskiy District Court of the City of Izhevsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Rustam Tagirov
Case History
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