JW Russia: Open Letter from Roman Makhnev to Governor of Kaluga Region

[Guest Indiana]

The text of an open letter from Roman Makhnev, who has been kept in a pre-trial detention center for months because of his religion, to the governor of the Kaluga region Anatoliy Artamonov, is published below. The believer draws attention to the violations of his rights and asks for a fair hearing.

https://jw-russia.org/en/news/19101116-1235.html

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

The following was translated by DEEPL Translator, as it was too many characters for Google Translate.

" Open letter
The governor of the Kaluga region
Artamonov Anatoly Dmitrievich
From a remand prisoner in remand centre No. 1 in Kaluga province
Makhnev Roman Sergeevich, born 04.02.1976.

Dear Anatoly Dmitrievich!

Since 1990th years I confess views of Jehovah's Witnesses. In 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation made an unprecedented decision to liquidate the legal entities Jehovah's Witnesses Management Center in Russia and a large number of local religious organizations, including the Jehovah's Witnesses WRO in Kaluga. I have never been a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses WITSEC in Kaluga. I worshiped the God of Jehovah both before and after the appearance of these legal entities, and after their liquidation, on the basis of Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation as the fundamental law of the country.

My quiet life as a law-abiding resident of Kaluga ended on June 26, 2019, when a criminal case № 1190729000100000019 according to part 1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was brought against me. In the house where I live with my wife and minor daughter, the FSB of Russia conducted a search of the Kaluga region. As I stated in the search report, several publications "found" in my house do not belong to me and were planted during the search. I demanded to conduct "flow-fat studies" of these things in order to establish the involvement of me or my relatives in their presence in my house. However, this was not done by the investigation. During the search, which lasted until half past midnight, I was constantly handcuffed like a dangerous criminal. After that, I was taken to the FSB building, where they left me chained to a radiator until morning and did not feed me for almost two days.

On 28 June, the Kaluga District Court remanded me in custody for two months. The court considered that I was caught up in a crime. What really happened? When the search started, I was repairing the washing machine.

On 26 August the District Court extended my detention for another 2 months, although the investigator did not present any additional facts other than a positive reference from the pre-trial detention facility. According to the incriminated article I face up to 10 years of imprisonment as a dangerous criminal! For what? For praying to God and reading the Bible in a different way than someone else? At the same time, I can avoid punishment if I voluntarily stop believing in God. This is like the inquisition of the Middle Ages.

Law enforcers confuse the ban imposed by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on April 17, 2017 on legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses with the possibility to freely express their faith, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. I have not created or resumed any activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses IRO in Kaluga.

Dear Anatoly Dmitrievich, I am not asking you to interfere in the course of the investigation and trial. But I see the following picture. The criminal case was initiated in a hurry (in 20 minutes). Court hearings are held in closed session as soon as they are stopped. Human rights activists are not allowed to attend them. The court of two instances of search ignored numerous violations by the investigation. These actions do not testify to the impartiality of the judicial system and the objectivity of the investigation. Residents of the region, including people of different faiths, including Jehovah's Witnesses, cannot calmly observe such facts. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation clearly indicated that its decision would not affect the ordinary practice of believers. In fact, everything turns out differently. And this happens despite repeated calls from human rights activists to change the situation. Even the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin spoke out in defense of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I ask you to pay attention to what is happening in our region and to encourage law enforcement agencies to be objective in investigating this case.

Makhnev R.S.
28.08.2019"

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

APPARENTLY, FROM HIS OWN WORDS, HE DISAVOWS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ORGANIZATION, AND DOES NOT ENGAGE IN "FIELD SERVICE".

 

 

 

[derek1956]

This letter was not too many for google to translate I get all my info on the Witnesses from jw blogspot, witnesses website