Large‑Scale Raid in Trans‑Baikal Territory — At Least 30 People Affected
Trans-Baikal TerritoryA raid targeting Jehovah's Witnesses from Chita and several other locations in the Trans‑Baikal Territory took place on March 19, 2026. At least 10 people were made defendants in a new criminal case.
The investigation is being conducted by senior investigator S. Urbazayev of the Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate of the Russian Federation for the Trans‑Baikal Territory. Five people are suspected of organizing the activity of an extremist organization (Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC), and another five are suspected of participating in it (Article 282.2(2) of the RF CrC).
According to available information, one believer — Anatoliy Pozdnyakov, 67, — has been placed under house arrest, while three others — Vitaliy Astakhov, Svetlana Arefyeva, and Olga Beznosenko — under a recognizance agreement.
Jehovah's Witnesses in Chita have been subjected to criminal prosecution for 6 years already. The first raid took place in February 2020 and resulted in prison terms for three people.
