Marina Melikhova reported that security forces disrupted an interfaith conference.

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The public organization "Era Vodoley," led by Marina Melikhova, planned to hold an interfaith conference in Krasnodar. Over one hundred people from various regions of Russia had applied to participate, but security forces disrupted it, expelling everyone who arrived.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on February 7, 2025, activist Marina Melikhova complained in a video message about a government official's demand to evict her and her children from their home in the village of Yablonovsky. She called on everyone to come and help her protest the eviction. On February 10, about 20 people gathered outside Melikhova's house to support her protest against the eviction. The bailiff they were expecting never showed up. On February 10, Melikhova reported that the development center she opened in Krasnodar had been seized by security forces. The bailiffs claimed her house was being used as a hostel.

Marina Melikhova, head of the public organization "Era of Aquarius," filed a complaint with the Krasnodar Krai Prosecutor's Office on April 4, demanding an investigation into the actions of security forces who, she claims, broke into her home on March 21, where an interfaith conference was planned. Melikhova told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about this.

According to Melikhova, the house in question is at 12 Pirogov Street in Krasnodar, which she built over many years "precisely as a public space" for meetings and dialogue between people with different views. From March 21 to 27, representatives of "Era of Aquarius" invited participants to a conference entitled "Separating the Wheat from the Chaff." Its goal, according to the organizers, was to develop principles of respect for people of all faiths and to promote interreligious cooperation.

The organizers sent invitations to representatives of Russia's main religious denominations, as well as representatives of new religious movements and spiritual practices.

More than a hundred people from various regions of the country applied to participate in the conference, Igor Tkachenko, a member of the organization, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. He said the Russian Orthodox Church and the Jewish community of the Krasnodar Territory rejected their applications.

According to Tkachenko, security forces broke into Melikhova's home on March 21. "Everyone who arrived was thrown out, and people weren't allowed to take their things," he claims. After the incident, he said, "more than half of the participants left, frightened."

I tried to understand what was happening, but instead of an explanation, I received blows.

One ​​of the conference participants, Petr Kirpita, a representative of the Hare Krishna movement from St. Petersburg, said that force was used against him. According to him, security forces used a taser several times, demanding that he leave the premises. "I tried to understand what was happening, but instead of an explanation, I received blows," he said.

Kirpita claims that he lost consciousness, after which the participants called an ambulance. Paramedics, according to him, recorded a "mini-stroke."

He intends to file a complaint with the Investigative Committee regarding abuse of power. Kirpita also reported that he left Krasnodar out of fear for his safety.

Marina Melikhova linked the incident to pressure from the authorities. She recalled that she had previously encountered similar actions by security forces. Specifically, according to her, on December 19, 2023, armed law enforcement officers also stormed the Era Vodoleya center, detaining people who had gathered for classes at the center, and conducting a search throughout the day.

Furthermore, in 2023, Melikhova was convicted of discrediting the army and sentenced to one and a half years in prison. In June 2024, the appellate court upheld the verdict. The activist insisted that the criminal prosecution was related to her pacifist stance.

Meanwhile, a dispute continues over the building where the conference was to be held. By a ruling of the Prikubansky District Court of Krasnodar on September 16, 2020, the building was deemed an unauthorized construction. The court ruled that the structure was erected without the necessary permits on a plot of land designated for individual housing construction and was being used for purposes other than its intended use, including public events, classes, and the "Era of Aquarius" center. In this regard, the court ordered Melikhova to demolish the building, and in case of failure to comply, provided for the possibility of forced demolition with the collection of costs and penalties.

Lawyer Timur Filippov, commenting on the situation, noted that "formally, criminal prosecution and property disputes are not related, but in fact, it is possible that a person who has come to the attention of law enforcement agencies and who was convicted under the article for discrediting the Russian army is subject to a comprehensive investigation with special attention."

Melikhova insists that what is happening is pressure on her in connection with her public activities and an attempt to disrupt dialogue between representatives of various religions and public organizations.