Search in Yoshkar-Ola. Father of Young Child Facing Criminal Prosecution

On October 21, 2025, Konstantin Khlybov, 34, one of Jehovah's Witnesses from Yoshkar-Ola, was detained. His home was searched. After several days in custody, the believer was placed under house arrest. The investigation charges him with organizing and participating in the activity of an extremist organization.

In the morning that day, Konstantin took the child to kindergarten. Law enforcement officers approached him on the street and took him to search his home. They kept him in handcuffs along the way. The law enforcement officers, led by A. S. Kasharin, senior investigator of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Mari El, seized all electronic devices from the Khlybov family.

After the interrogation, Konstantin was detained, and the following day the court sent him to a pretrial detention center. On October 31, the court of appeal mitigated the preventive measure for the believer to house arrest.

In the Republic of Mari El, 11 of Jehovah's Witnesses have already been convicted for their faith: 10 men were given heavy fines and 1 woman a suspended sentence.