Arrests in Orenburg Did Not Intimidate Believers

About 100 people were not afraid to come to the Orenburg Regional Court on June 6, 2018 to support fellow believers who were thrown into prison for their faith. With tears on their faces, they boldly looked into the eyes of the judges. Judges and prosecutors sent believers to jail with their heads down.

Three weeks earlier, when the Industrial District Court of Orenburg ordered the arrest of Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov, the hearing lasted from 11 a.m. until almost midnight. All this time, about 50 people were in the building and in the courtyard of the court. From the window of the courtroom it was clear that some were holding children in their arms. Someone on a bicycle brought hot food. People did not disperse to catch a glimpse of how those arrested one by one would be put into an escort car, and shout words of support to them: "Hold on!", "We are with you!", "We will support your girls!"

After brutal incursions into the homes of 19 families, as well as detentions, interrogations, threats and the use of physical force, the believers found the courage to come to court and were ready to look into the eyes of their offenders - the employee of the Center for Counteracting Extremism Beloshenko, employees of the FSB, the Investigative Committee and the prosecutor's office.

With the permission of Alexander Suvorov, a letter written to him in the pre-trial detention center by his wife and daughter was read out in court. "Daddy, I love you very much and I want you to come back as soon as possible. When you come back, we will tell you a lot of interesting things. Everyone supports us. I met a lot of people. We miss you very, very much. Mom promised that before you come back, we'll buy a dog, a Jack Russell," written in a child's hand, and circled with a felt-tip pen: "You're the best dad in the world." "Sasha," writes Natalia Suvorova, "please don't worry about us at all. There is a sea of love and support around us!"

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Russia approved the liquidation and prohibition of all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations registered in Russia, but the constitutional right of citizens to freely practice their religion, both individually and in community with others, was not abolished. Nevertheless, Vladimir Kochnev and Aleksandr Suvorov are accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, since law enforcement officers mistakenly mistake the joint religion of citizens for participation in an extremist organization. Vladimir Kochnev and Alexander Suvorov are in the PKU pre-trial detention center No. 3 of the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Orenburg Region.