Authorities in northern Russia have opened a criminal case against a 78-year-old woman for being a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the religious organization has said.
Russia labeled the Jehovah’s Witnesses an “extremist” group in 2017, exposing Russia’s estimated 175,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses to mass raids and forcing at least 5,000 to flee the country. The Memorial human rights organization said in May that 154 members of the religious group have been persecuted under Russia’s criminal law since then.
The Arkhangelsk region Investigative Committee opened a case against Kaleria Mamykina on May 9 for "continuing the illegal activities of a banned religious organization,” the Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses said in a statement on Tuesday.
Law enforcement monitored Mamykina for more than a year to collect evidence of her participation in local Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings, the organization said.
“Investigators have equated reading the Bible and talking about faith to acting with criminal intent,” the Jehovah’s Witnesses said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
