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04 March 2021, 13:15Extremism case opened against 5 members of Jehovah's Witnesses in Syktyvkar
Moscow, March 4, Interfax - Investigators in Russia's internal republic of Komi have opened a criminal case on a count of extremism against five adherents of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, banned in Russia, and arrested one of them, the Russian Investigative Committee said.
"The Investigative Committee's branch for the republic of Komi has opened a criminal case based on the materials provided by the regional departments of the Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry against five residents of Syktyvkar who are suspected of organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization [Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code]," the committee said in a statement published on its website on Thursday.
In 2017-2020, "the suspects, following the extremist ideology of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, banned in Russia, and being aware of a court ruling to shut down this organization due to its extremist activities, took active organizational steps to continue these unlawful activities and to involve new participants in them," it said.
"For instance, acting in secrecy, they conducted overall supervision of the organization's operations, coordinated its unlawful work, arranged and held meetings of members of the outlawed organization, and raised money to finance the functioning of this banned extremist organization," the Investigative Committee said.
"One of the suspects has been remanded into custody as a measure of restraint, another two suspects have been placed under house arrest, and the remaining two are facing travel restrictions and an order for proper conduct as a restraining measure," it said.
"Searches have been conducted as part of the criminal case at the places of residence of the suspects and other possible members of this banned organization. More than ten people have been interrogated as witnesses," the Investigative Committee said. |
