Criminal trial

A New Criminal Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses in Adygea. Nikolay Saparov, Father of a Minor Child, Was Arrested

Adygea

On the night of March 23, 2022, a 40-year-old resident of the city of Maykop, Nikolai Saparov, was detained at the Mineralnye Vody airport. Later, the Maykop City Court of the Republic of Adygea chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of detention for a period of 2 months.

After Saparov was detained, his wife and underage daughter travelled home alone. The same night, Saparov's home was searched and he was taken there accompanied by investigator Murat Shnakhov. The law enforcers confiscated electronic devices from the family. After being detained, Saparov is now in the temporary detention facility on Proletarskaya Street in Maykop.

Another of Jehovah's Witnesses from Maykop found his name on the Rosfinmonitoring's list of extremists. This is 46-year-old Georgiy Godizov, who is outside Russia with his wife and two minor children. Georgiy Godizov is a prominent Adygeya scientist-archaeologist, head of the scientific department of one of the large museums, a specialist in the field of freedom of conscience.

About a year ago, mass searches were carried out at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Maykop, and a criminal case was opened against Inver Siyukhov. He is accused of organizing and continuing the activities of a banned religious organization. Since mid-April 2021, Inver Siyukhov has been in a pre-trial detention center.

The Case of Saparov in Maykop

Case History
In March 2022, Nikolay Saparov, a Jehovah’s Witness from Maykop, was detained while he was at the airport in Mineralnye Vody with his wife and minor daughter. The believer was subjected to violence with the use of a stun gun. On the same day, a search was carried out in the Saparovs’ apartment, where the believer was taken by an investigator. Nikolay spent 48 hours in a temporary detention facility, after which he was placed in a pretrial detention center, where he has been kept for almost 2 years. He was included on the Rosfinmonitoring list and charged with organizing the activity of a banned organization. This is how the investigation interprets peaceful meetings for worship that are not prohibited by the court. In May 2022, the case went to court. In January 2024, the court sentenced the believer to 6 years in a penal colony with restriction of freedom for 1 year.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Adygea
Locality:
Maykop
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he "commits actions of an organizational nature ... expressed in meetings using the Internet ... coordination of speeches and worship services at these meetings."
Court case number:
12202790002000038
Initiated:
March 22, 2022
Current case stage:
verdict did not take effect
Investigating:
Investigation Department for the city of Maikop of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Adygea
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-14/2024 (1-43/2023; 1-421/2022)
Court:
Майкопский городской суд Республики Адыгея
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Биржев Заурбий
Case History

Godizov's case in Maykop

Case History
In February 2022, the head of the Department for the Protection of the Constitutional Order and the Fight against Terrorism of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Adygea sent a report, on the basis of which a month later the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Georgy Godizov. He was suspected of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. On March 18, his bank accounts were blocked, and on March 21, security forces arbitrarily entered his home and searched his workplace. In April, at least five other believers were searched and interrogated.
Timeline

Persons in case

Criminal case

Region:
Adygea
Locality:
Maykop
Court case number:
12102790010000015
Initiated:
March 4, 2022
Current case stage:
preliminary investigation
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Case History