Prisoners of conscience - Russia

[BenJepthah]

3 hours ago, campanula said:

Sorry, but this post is about two months old. 

 

News are here https://jw-russia.org/en/news/20010216-1514.html

 

 

If this became broadly known in Russia ( I assume it isn’t) I imagine it would garner support from most of us the people for our Brothers and Sisters. But who knows. People are so apathetic these days.

[sunshine]

It's outrageous!  These could be our mothers or grandmothers.... We wait on the kingdom to settle accounts 

 

EXODUS 22:22-24

You must not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict him at all, so that he cries out to me, I will unfailingly hear his outcry; and my anger will blaze, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.

Edited January 28, 2020 by sunshine

[Sheep]

Does anyone know what happened to our appeal to the European Court of Human Rights? I was under the impression that the case was to be heard on top priority. But that was back in 2017 when the organization there was banned. It's been quite some time already.

[Omoyeme]

I have been visiting ECHR's website on a continuous basis since the latter part of 2017 but have not seen any updates either.  I'll keep checking.

[Sheep]

According to some research I've been doing, the ECHR is very busy handling other cases... many of them of Russian origin!

 

Russia’s Share of European Human Rights Cases Hits 7-Year High

 

For example, here's one of the cases:

 

Russia Ordered to Pay $1M to Police Brutality Victims

 

The King of the North is on the move... but not for much longer.

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Sheep

[Dages]

In Chita, Vadim Kutsenko Reports That During Interrogation He Was Beaten Using Electric Shock to his stomach and leg

https://jw-russia.org/en/news/2020/02/46.html

 

That's infuriating... poor brother...

[Thesauron]

BREAKING NEWS | Prison Guards Beat Five Brothers in Orenburg, Russia

On February 6, 2020, in a penal colony in Orenburg, Russia, prison guards severely beat with clubs five of our brothers, Aleksey Budenchuk, Gennadiy German, Roman Gridasov, Feliks Makhammadiyev, and Aleksey Miretskiy. Brother Makhammadiyev was hospitalized after experiencing a broken rib, a punctured lung, as well as damage to his kidney. Brothers Budenchuk, German, Gridasov, and Miretskiy, were sent to a punishment cell on absurd, fabricated charges.

 

Late in the evening of February 10, 2020, law enforcement officers abducted Brother Vadim Kutsenko and tortured him in the forest, demanding that he give them information about other Jehovah’s Witnesses. The officers repeatedly beat and choked our brother and applied electric shocks to his stomach and leg. When the officers realized that Brother Kutsenko would not divulge any information, they took him to the investigator’s office for further interrogation. He remains in custody. On February 15, 2020, the Ingodskiy District Court will determine what, if any, restrictions they will impose on him.

 

Really, Putin? This is where you want to go? Such a shame to see Russia resort to torture to gain information about our peaceful brothers and sisters.

 

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/#newsAlerts

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Thesauron said:

Brother Makhammadiyev was hospitalized after experiencing a broken rib, a punctured lung, as well as damage to his kidney.

That's awful...

[Victoria]

9 hours ago, Thesauron said:

BREAKING NEWS | Prison Guards Beat Five Brothers in Orenburg, Russia

On February 6, 2020, in a penal colony in Orenburg, Russia, prison guards severely beat with clubs five of our brothers, Aleksey Budenchuk, Gennadiy German, Roman Gridasov, Feliks Makhammadiyev, and Aleksey Miretskiy. Brother Makhammadiyev was hospitalized after experiencing a broken rib, a punctured lung, as well as damage to his kidney. Brothers Budenchuk, German, Gridasov, and Miretskiy, were sent to a punishment cell on absurd, fabricated charges.

 

Late in the evening of February 10, 2020, law enforcement officers abducted Brother Vadim Kutsenko and tortured him in the forest, demanding that he give them information about other Jehovah’s Witnesses. The officers repeatedly beat and choked our brother and applied electric shocks to his stomach and leg. When the officers realized that Brother Kutsenko would not divulge any information, they took him to the investigator’s office for further interrogation. He remains in custody. On February 15, 2020, the Ingodskiy District Court will determine what, if any, restrictions they will impose on him.

Such terrible news! They shocked me. More than 20 of my friends are already accused in extremist activity and I'm really worried about them.

[hatcheckgirl]

40 minutes ago, Victoria said:

Such terrible news! They shocked me. More than 20 of my friends are already accused in extremist activity and I'm really worried about them.

We are all praying intensely for our dear brothers and sisters. Jehovah hears their pleas for help, he always does. Courage, sis. You are all such great examples for the rest of us. And what a big slap in the face for Satan!

[Victoria]

On 2/15/2020 at 12:28 PM, Thesauron said:

BREAKING NEWS | Prison Guards Beat Five Brothers in Orenburg, Russia

On February 6, 2020, in a penal colony in Orenburg, Russia, prison guards severely beat with clubs five of our brothers, Aleksey Budenchuk, Gennadiy German, Roman Gridasov, Feliks Makhammadiyev, and Aleksey Miretskiy. Brother Makhammadiyev was hospitalized after experiencing a broken rib, a punctured lung, as well as damage to his kidney. 

You could see brother Makhammadiyev and his wife in the video that brother Sanderson showed during the annual meeting. He looked happy. Such a good example of courage!

[rocket]

The brother giving the talk today was from the Russian group meeting in a nearby town. He told me an experience of a brother recently moved to the area from Russia. (short version)  For more than 6 months he had no spiritual association because he was being followed everywhere he went. Finally one day he received a call from his sister who coincidentally worked for the FSB and was told he had to get his passport and get out of the country now because they are coming to arrest him. He left immediately on vacation out of country and eventually made his way to the USA.  Now he enjoys the freedom to worship and associate with other Russian speaking brothers and to preach freely to a large Russian community in Oregon.

[Sheep]

9 hours ago, rocket said:

The brother giving the talk today was from the Russian group meeting in a nearby town. He told me an experience of a brother recently moved to the area from Russia. (short version)  For more than 6 months he had no spiritual association because he was being followed everywhere he went. Finally one day he received a call from his sister who coincidentally worked for the FSB and was told he had to get his passport and get out of the country now because they are coming to arrest him. He left immediately on vacation out of country and eventually made his way to the USA.  Now he enjoys the freedom to worship and associate with other Russian speaking brothers and to preach freely to a large Russian community in Oregon.

It look like he made it out just in time. I hope he can stay there so he can continue to worship freely.

 

I wonder if Russia is going to come look for him in the US...

[Margaret]

Can we write to our Brothers?

[humble bumble bee]

In the Primorye Territory, searches do not stop. The Siloviki came to a 77-year-old believer three times; once he was beaten

This happened on January 22, 2019 https://www.jw-russia.org/news/2020/03/2.html

 

(Paraphrased) Affected are: 77-year-old Vladimir Filippov, who had previously been beaten by the security forces for his faith.

In addition to Filippov’s home, security officials searched the homes of Valentina Chernoskutova and Ekaterina Goga. 

all three had their electronic devices confiscated .

 

Although no criminal proceedings have been instituted against Vladimir Filippov, a search of his house has been held for the third time. 

 

On July 19, 2018, FSB officers in masks and with assault rifles brutally burst into his apartment, where he was with his wife and daughter . Having struck the pensioner in the face, they threw him to the floor and twisted his arms. Bibles in various translations, personal publications, and electronic equipment were seized from the family.

 

On August 15, 2019, under the pretext of a “census”, senior investigator D.A. Shevchenko came to the Filippov’s apartment and conducted a second search, but without a court order. Due to the rough treatment of the authorities by the spouse of Vladimir, Love has already twice suffered a hypertensive crisis. I had to call an ambulance.

[humble bumble bee]

Krymchanin Sergey Filatov sentenced to 6 years in prison for domestic worship

https://www.jw-russia.org/news/2020/03/3.html

Brother Filatov from the Crimea has been mentioned in some topics before

 

First Jehovah’s Witness Charged in Crimea Awaits Verdict

this is from a few days ago on JW.org

[Victoria]

On 3/3/2020 at 7:09 AM, Margaret said:

Can we write to our Brothers?

That would be very encouraging for brothers and a good witness for prison guards!

If I am in prison I hope to get letters from you JWTalk  friends!

[humble bumble bee]

JW.Org

NEWS ALERT | Brother Sergey Filatov Convicted in Crimean Court and Given Six-Year Prison Sentence

On March 5, 2020, the Dzhankoysky District Court of the Republic of Crimea convicted Brother Sergey Filatov. He has been sentenced to six years in prison. Brother Filatov is the first Witness in Crimea to be charged under Russia’s Criminal Code. He will appeal the conviction.

NEWS ALERT | Brother Artem Gerasimov Convicted in Crimean Court and Fined

On March 3, 2020, the Yalta City Court of the Republic of Crimea convicted Brother Artem Gerasimov. Though he will not serve time in prison, the court fined him 400,000 rubles (approx. $6,000 U.S.). He will appeal the conviction.

[Sheep]

On 3/5/2020 at 7:38 AM, Victoria said:

If I am in prison I hope to get letters from you JWTalk  friends!

Count me in, Victoria. You are a very encouraging example to us more than you may know, since you mentioned to me in a PM that the authorities there know you are a Witness. Yet, you decide to stay there rather than move elsewhere so you can be an encouragement to others there who don't have a choice but to stay. Unfortunately, we don't know your last name, and so wouldn't know how to write to you. (You don't have to tell us now.) And we may not know what address to write to until something gets published on jw-russia.org. We hope you never see the inside of a prison so that we would need to write.

 

Please know we are thinking of you, just as we are for all our JW family in Russia!

[Tbs77]

#Russia imposes its repressive laws on occupied #Crimea. We condemn the sentencing of Crimean Jehovah’s Witness Serhiy Filatov to 6 years in prison for hosting a bible study. JWs pose no threat, Russia should end its shameful campaign against them. #CrimeaisUkraine

[Victoria]

12 hours ago, Sheep said:

Count me in, Victoria. You are a very encouraging example to us more than you may know, since you mentioned to me in a PM that the authorities there know you are a Witness. Yet, you decide to stay there rather than move elsewhere so you can be an encouragement to others there who don't have a choice but to stay. Unfortunately, we don't know your last name, and so wouldn't know how to write to you. (You don't have to tell us now.) And we may not know what address to write to until something gets published on jw-russia.org. We hope you never see the inside of a prison so that we would need to write.

 

Please know we are thinking of you, just as we are for all our JW family in Russia!

Thank you very much! 

I think moderators know my last name so if you see that some Victoria is in prison you can ask them.

[campanula]

One of our sisters is in a prison for more than 9 months.

 

 

https://jw-russia.org/en/prisoners/karpova.html

Edited March 11, 2020 by campanula

[Tortuga]

The European Union is still trying to get legal justice for our brothers. 

 

https://jw-russia.org/en/news/2020/03/6.html

[Loopy]

From JW.org:

 

NEWS ALERT | Brother Igor Ivashin Faces Seven Years of Imprisonment in Russia

The Lensky District Court of the Republic of Sakha will announce its verdict on March 31, 2020, concerning Brother Igor Ivashin. The prosecutor is seeking a seven-year prison term.

[Tortuga]

On 3/28/2020 at 11:57 AM, Loopy said:

From JW.org:

 

NEWS ALERT | Brother Igor Ivashin Faces Seven Years of Imprisonment in Russia

The Lensky District Court of the Republic of Sakha will announce its verdict on March 31, 2020, concerning Brother Igor Ivashin. The prosecutor is seeking a seven-year prison term.

In the Lensk District Court of Yakutia, the sentencing of Igor Ivashin was postponed to April 1. The prosecutor recommended that the believer be assigned seven years in prison

 

https://jw-russia.org/en/index.html