Homes of Jehovah's Witnesses Searched on Border with Kazakhstan. Case Initiated on Suspicion of Extremism

On February 22, 2025, the homes of two families of Jehovah's Witnesses were searched in the cities of Slavgorod and Yarovoye (Altai Territory). The believers were interrogated and then released.

Investigative measures were carried out as part of a criminal case initiated on December 25, 2024 under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an extremist organization). The searches were led by Margarita Chupina, investigator of the Investigative Committee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Altai Territory. FSB and police searched for digital media, mobile devices, computers and religious literature.

The first search began early in the morning in the house of Alik Yeliseyev, 33, and his wife and lasted about 5 hours. Entering the house, the security forces knocked the man down. Not finding what they were looking for, law enforcement officers began to threaten the believers that they would tear off the floors and break the wall. As a result, computers, phones, flash cards, a hard drive and Bibles were seized from the spouses.

The house of Sergey Barsukov, 52, and his wife was searched in the afternoon. At the request of law enforcement officers, the couple handed over electronic devices and two Bibles. The security forces also confiscated their personal records and letters.

This is the eighth criminal case against Jehovah's Witnesses in the Altai Territory. Three men were sentenced to real terms of imprisonment from 3 to 6 years.