Mass Searches in Kemerovo; One Believer Placed in a Pretrial Detention Center

On May 20, 2026, searches and interrogations took place in Kemerovo, affecting 17 believers. Kirill Tarasov, 27, was detained and sent to a pretrial detention center. Law enforcement officers entered his apartment by smashing a window with a hammer.

A criminal case against Tarasov was opened on May 14. Senior investigator of the Investigative Committee for the Central District of Kemerovo, E. V. Yakovtseva, suspects him of organizing the activities of an extremist organization (Part 1, Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

At about 6:15 a.m., Kirill's wife, Anastasiya, woke up to the sound of breaking glass. At that moment Kirill was in the bathroom. When he came out, the officers ordered him to lie on the floor. The believer cut himself on the shards; they immediately helped him up and bandaged the wound. Otherwise, the search proceeded calmly, and the officers behaved politely.

That same day, officers also came to Kirill's mother, Galina Tarasova. The stress caused her blood pressure to spike. Galina and Anastasiya were interrogated at the Investigative Committee. The latter is listed as a witness in the case against her husband, so she was not allowed to attend the hearing on his pretrial restraint.

Women aged 79, 78, and 74 were also searched. One of them had her blood pressure rise to 200/107 due to stress, yet she was still taken for questioning—like the others—though she was allowed to measure her blood pressure and take her medication.

Among those affected were families with minor children. In one case, law enforcement officers took the phone and computer of a girl who is homeschooled. In another, the officers' actions frightened a child. According to the parents, throughout the search the boy was afraid to get out of bed and hid under a blanket. The child has a heart condition and frequent headaches.

The Bondarchuk couple were also searched and interrogated. Aleksandr has previously been convicted for his faith.

During the searches, officers seized electronic devices, Bibles in various translations, personal notes, greeting cards, and photographs.

Earlier, 20 Jehovah's Witnesses in the Kemerovo Region faced criminal prosecution for their faith.