In Astrakhan Region, Jehovah's Witness claims threats from FSB

In the city of Akhtubinsk (Astrakhan Region), investigators accuse Elena Grigorieva, 43, a member of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, of "inciting hatred or enmity." The believer herself denies the charges and complains about "threats and blackmail" from an FSB agent.

Elena Grigorieva was one of the five Jehovah's Witnesses, whose homes were searched on February 8, 2011, in Akhtubinsk by operative agents. On the following day, a criminal case was initiated against Grigorieva for "inciting hatred or enmity, and humiliation of human dignity."

According to Elena Grigorieva, on February 11, certain officials came to the place of her work and forced her to retire on her own will. On February 17, 2011, she saw an official accusation on the fact that she had disseminated among the residents of the Akhtubinsk District, Astrakhan Region, "printed editions containing extremist publications included into the federal list of extremist materials."

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt from Gulnara Akmambetova, the head of the Akhtubinsk Inter-District Investigatory Division of the Investigatory Department for the Astrakhan Region of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), that the search of Grigorieva's home was conducted on the basis of a court authorization.

Elena Grigorieva has filed six complaints against the court order to conduct searches. However, the Astrakhan Regional Court found her arguments unconvincing, and on March 31 dismissed all her complaints.

On December 20, 2011, the Akhtubinsk investigator A. Gluschenko presented Grigorieva with an updated indictment of "inciting hatred or enmity, and humiliation of human dignity," reports the official website of the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

The pressure exerted by power agents has been confirmed by Gulfira Zakaryaeva, who is Grigorieva's advocate. "Some of my relatives work in the Bar. FSB agents have reached them through certain persons, whom I prefer not to name for my personal safety, and asked to warn me that I'd better withdraw from this case as an advocate, or better to resign from the Bar on my own will, to avoid possible troubles," the above Administrative Centre quotes the lawyer Zakaryaeva as saying.

"I have to state with regret that investigators didn't even seek to establish the truth in the case. They just tried to blame my client in any way, because she is a Jehovah's Witness," said Zakaryaeva.