An "extremist" case of an Jehovah's Witness in Astrakhan region referred to court

Investigation of a criminal case against Elena Grigorieva aged 44, resident of the town of Akhtubinsk working at a municipal institution of social services has been accomplished. The Jehovah's Witness accused of fomentation of religious hatred and animosity does not acknowledge herself guilty and in her turn, accuses secret services of "threats and blackmail".

"From 2009 till February, 2011, Grigorieva being a representative of the religious organization "Jehovah's Witnesses" publicly spread views and concepts aimed at derogation of a group of persons based on their attitude towards religion propagandizing exceptionality and superiority of "Jehovah's Witnesses" over other confessions among residents of Akhtubinsk district", representatives of Committee of Inquiry of Russia (CIR) reported.

Grigorieva distributed "printed matter containing publications of extremist nature included into the Federal list of extremist materials". The criminal case with a sanctioned indictment was referred to court for consideration on the merits, web-site of CIR reports.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that Elena Grigorieva was one of the five Jehovah's Witnesses in whose houses in Akhtubinsk operative agents carried out searches on February, 8, 2011. The next day a criminal case was initiated against Grigorieva according to clause "fomentation of hatred or animosity" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to Elena Grigorieva, on February, 11, some officials came to her place of employment and made her give up her job of her own free will.

Grigorieva filed six appeals against the judgment sanctioning the searches but all of them were dismissed by the court. On December, 20, 2011, an updated charge of "fomentation of hatred or animosity and abasement of human dignity" was brought against Grigorieva, official web-site of Managing center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports.

"I completely disagree with the charges brought against me", Elena Grigorieva commented on the events adding that she was experiencing pressure from Federal Security Service for her dissent. Earlier, Grigorieva's attorney Gulfira Zakaryaeva also spoke about pressure from members of the top brass. Astrakhan Department of Federal Security Service found no infringement in their personnel's actions.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that according to this religious organization, 397 cases of oppression of Jehovah's Witnesses took place in the Russian Federation in 2011.