Operation North

The operation North (Russian Операция " Север " - Operazija Sewer ) was a secret operation of the People's Commissariat for State Security of the USSR, in which the families of the witnesses were deported to Siberia Jehovah on 1 and 2 April 1951.

Prehistory

Before the Baltic States, the western Ukraine, western Belarus, Bessarabia and Bukovina were incorporated into the Soviet Union, there were few Jehovah's Witnesses in the country. They lived mostly in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Deportation

Because of their conscientious objection Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted by the Soviet regime. The doctrine of the organization was seen as anti-Soviet. Its members were designated as potentially dangerous elements. In November 1950, Joseph Stalin put Viktor Abakumov a draft to deport Jehovah's Witnesses to Siberia. Stalin confirmed the plan.

In April 1951, " all members of the anti-Soviet illegal organization, leading an active subversive work", were deported to Siberia and northern Russia Rajons Uchta, Dudinka, Magadan, Irkutsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast. Overall, the 8,576 persons or 3,048 families.

Amnesty and rehabilitation

In 1965 all restrictions were lifted, according to the Decree of 30 September 1965.