Handcuffs, Insults, and Intimidation. A Jehovah’s Witness Family in Kazan Was Searched

On October 11, 2024, a Jehovah's Witness family in Kazan was searched, after which the couple was being interrogated for two and a half hours. The authorities exerted psychological pressure on the adults and their three minor children.

Early in the morning, the family was awakened by a loud knock. Unknown individuals claimed that a fire would soon break out due to sparking wiring in the corridor. When the head of the family opened the door, three plainclothes officers, accompanied by two masked and armed law enforcement officers and two female witnesses, burst into the apartment. The man was thrown to the floor, handcuffed, and not allowed to dress for a long time. According to the believers, they were briefly shown a search warrant, which they could not thoroughly examine. The search lasted about three hours. The officers behaved rudely and often used profanity. They demanded that electronic devices be unlocked and access to contacts be provided. The family's smartphones were confiscated.

In Kazan, six Jehovah's Witnesses have already faced criminal prosecution, with four of them sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to six and a half years.