CRIME, POLICE + COURTS

Recent Russian news article on detained volunteers in Novorossiysk makes no reference to arrest

Mar 6, 2019, 1:27 PM | Updated: Dec 30, 2022, 11:28 am

Komsomolskaya Pravda...

An article on the website for Russian tabloid "Komsomolskaya Pravda", published after the arrest of two volunteers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, appears to make no reference to the boys' arrest. (Image: Komsomolskaya Pravda)

(Image: Komsomolskaya Pravda)

Four days after volunteers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were detained in Novorossiysk, Russia, on charges of teaching English without a license, a Russian media outlet released an article on the men describing them as English teachers, KSL has learned. The article makes no reference to their arrest.

The article, published by the Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda on Tuesday night at 11:11 p.m. (Moscow Time), bears the translated title, “Americans came to Novorossiysk to help the local people pass the exam.”

It appears to be a human interest piece on the two men. It does not mention their detention or their affiliation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, instead describing them as volunteers who moved to Novorossiysk with the specific intention of teaching free English courses.

A contradiction of American News

Deseret News on detained volunteers

An article on the detained missionaries published in the Deseret News yesterday, the same day the Russian article was published. (Image: Deseret News)

The detained volunteers were already in prison when the Russian article came out, according to what church spokesman Eric Hawkins told the Deseret News.

The men, Hawkins says, were arrested at their church meetinghouse on Friday night. If Hawkins’ timeline is accurate, they would already have been imprisoned for five days when the Komsomolskaya Pravda article was published.

According to one of the men’s fathers, who was able to speak to his son over the phone, the officials who detained the men accused them of teaching English without a license during the arrest. He has denied the charge that they taught English, saying that they were simply enjoying a regularly-scheduled game night at the meetinghouse when the arrest occurred.

The Komsomolskaya Pravda article released yesterday, however, presents the volunteers differently. It claims that the men came to “do good deeds” and “battle illiteracy” through free English classes.

Their article claims that the men set up an office in Novorossiysk to teach English classes. It quotes one of the men as saying that, as a routine, they visited local English tutors on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays to help them educate their students. The article also claims that they tutored students trying to pass English exams.

The men’s Friday night game night ritual is mentioned in the article; however, instead of presenting it as a pastime, the article describes it as a creative form of English instruction.

“Every Friday for two hours, we go with the residents of Novorossiysk to learn English in our office,” the article quotes one of the volunteers as saying. “We play ‘Crocodile’, where you need to guess a word in English and translate it into Russian, and other fun games.”

It is not clear when the Komsomolskaya Pravda began writing the article or whether they were aware of the men’s arrest when it was published.

The site has since released another article that describes the arrest, published last night. The new article claims that the men were arrested “at a meeting of a spoken English club” and that their visas had expired. It confirms, however, that the men were arrested on Friday.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Crime, Police + Courts

Exclusive video obtained by KSL NewsRadio shows Salt Lake hit-and-run in the Avenues neighborhood. ...

Eric Cabrera

WATCH: Exclusive video shows woman survives Salt Lake City hit and run

KSL NewsRadio has exclusively obtained footage of a Salt Lake City hit-and-run, where a woman was struck while out for a run in the Avenues.

8 hours ago

Defense attorney John Prior questions David Warwick during Chad Daybell's preliminary hearing in Fr...

Emma Keddington

Judge orders gag order for upcoming Chad Daybell case

Judge Steven Boyce has issued a gag order in the Chad Daybell case, after Daybell's attorney spoke with a media outlet.

9 hours ago

12 year old driver shown driving erratically on freeway...

Sam Herrera

WATCH: Police release dash cam footage of 12-year-old driver

The Utah Highway Patrol said the 12-year-old driver stole her mom's car. The girl was briefly arrested before being released to her parents.

11 hours ago

(Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio)...

Simone Seikaly

Possible carjacking in West Valley City leads to car fire, ramp closure

The UHP said a car was following another car eastbound on the 201 and moved onto the ramp toward NB I-15 when one car rolled and caught fire.

12 hours ago

(Loren Richardson via KSL.com)...

Simone Seikaly

Brighton resident charged with aggravated assault for confronting snowboarder

According to court documents, and based on witness accounts, Brighton resident Keith Robert Stebbings threatened a snowboarder with a shotgun.

12 hours ago

IRS texts are bogus. Picture shows a sign saying "warning, scam alert" on a keyboard...

Britt Johnson

Millions to be paid for Utah’s largest real estate scheme settlement

Over $10 million in refunds will go to victims of a Utah-based real estate scheme following the settlement of a lawsuit.

21 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Recent Russian news article on detained volunteers in Novorossiysk makes no reference to arrest