Photo: Invasion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Surgut (from the archives, 2018)

Photo: Invasion of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Surgut (from the archives, 2018)

Photo: Invasion of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Surgut (from the archives, 2018)

Actions of Law Enforcement Officers

During Mass Searches in the Town of Pechora, 14 Witnesses Were Detained, including Women and the Elderly. Four Were Not Released Even After a Day

Komi

On January 28, 2020, at least ten addresses of believers were searched in Pechora (Komi). Of 14 people detained, four remain in custody: 68-year-old Pavel Ogorodov, who suffered a stroke; 60-year-old Gennadiy Polyakevich, Gennadiy Skutelets, 43, and Maksim Terentyev, 28.

The storming of the apartment of 43-year-old Gennadiy Skutelets began at 6:20 am. The search lasted six hours. Gennady's elderly mother was in the apartment. At this time, his acquaintance, 28-year-old Maxim Terentyev, came to Gennady to take a meat grinder. He, as well as Gennadiy, together with his mother, were taken for interrogation to the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The woman was released after interrogation, and Skutelets and Terentyev were sent to the temporary detention facility.

Before his arrest, Pavel Ogorodov, despite suffering a stroke, took care of his wife and daughter, both of whom have disabilities.

Update. On January 30, 2020, a court hearing was held on the measure of restraint in relation to two detainees during police raids on believers. The court left Gennadiy Polyakevich in a pre-trial detention center for two months, and Gennadiy Skutelets was released under house arrest. According to updated information, Pavel Ogorodov and Maksim Terentyev were released by the security forces on the day of detention.

Case of Polyakevich and Others in Pechora

Case History
In January 2020, security forces searched 12 houses in Pechora. Several people were detained. Among them are Gennadiy Polyakevich and Gennadiy Skutelets. On the same day, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on extremism against them. The court sent Polyakevich to a pre-trial detention center, where he spent 301 days, and placed Skutelets under house arrest for 364 days. In November 2020, another investigator of the Investigative Committee opened a new criminal case against Nikolay Anufriyev, Eduard Merinkov, Viktor Shchannikov, Aleksandr Vorontsov, and Aleksandr Prilepskiy. They were put on recognizance not to leave. The case went to court in May 2021, and eight months later it was returned to the prosecutor. In December 2022, at the age of 58, Aleksandr Prilepskiy died from the effects of COVID-19. In April 2023, the case went to court again. A year and two months later, the court issued a verdict - fines from 200 to 600 thousand rubles. Aleksandr Prilepskiy was found guilty posthumously.
Timeline

Persons in case

Anufriyev
Nikolay
Merinkov
Eduard
Polyakevich
Gennadiy
Prilepskiy
Aleksandr
Shchannikov
Viktor
Skutelets
Gennadiy
Vorontsov
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Komi
Locality:
Pechora
Suspected of:
According to investigators, he "organized and conducted meetings ... supervised the process of speeches, recitations of religious poems, speeches... raised funds... gave instructions for the implementation of the field ministry"
Court case number:
12002870035000003
Initiated:
January 28, 2020
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Komi Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-7/2024 (1-174/2023; 1-6/2022; 1-205/2021)
Court:
Pechora City Court of the Komi Republic
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Aleksey Korovenko
Case History
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