Severinchik Arthur

Name: Severinchik Arthur Vasilyevich
Date of Birth: October 27, 1968
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 26 day in a pre-trial detention
Current restrictions: suspended sentence
Sentence: Punishment in the form of 6 years 3 months of imprisonment, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public organizations for a period of 3 years, with restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year, punishment in the form of imprisonment shall be considered conditional with a probationary period of 3 years 6 months

Biography

On February 15, 2019, one of the most massive actions of intimidation of believers at that time took place in Surgut. Security forces broke into the homes of local residents throughout the city, some were tortured, and criminal cases were initiated against 19 people. One of them is Artur Severinchik. What is known about him?

Artur was born in 1968 in Vladivostok. He is a crane operator by profession, he is fond of fishing and amateur radio. As a child, he often fished with his father on a boat. Recently, he has been taking care of the garden and vegetable garden, repairing television equipment and other equipment.

Since 1990, Artur has been married to Irina, a preschool teacher and easel painter and graphic artist. A few years after the wedding, the couple made a conscious decision to live according to the precepts of Christ. According to Arthur, he always had faith in God, but he had no knowledge. Bible study helped both spouses strengthen their faith and see God's support in their lives. The family has four adult children, and at times they get together to go out into nature or go fishing together.

For the whole family, Arthur's imprisonment was a great shock. They were hurt by the cruelty and humiliation that believers face today. Many of Arthur's relatives and colleagues, who do not share his religious views, cannot understand what the authorities saw as extremist in his religion.

Case History

In February 2019, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal case against 18 men and 1 woman from Surgut (among them was a person mistaken for one of Jehovah’s Witnesses). Their homes were searched. During the interrogations, 7 believers were subjected to violence. Artur Severinchik was sent to a pretrial detention center for 29 days, while Yevgeniy Fedin and Sergey Loginov — for 56 days. Timofey Zhukov was unlawfully placed in a psychiatric hospital for 14 days. The believers filed complaints about the use of torture with the Investigative Committee, the ECHR and the Human Rights Ombudsman; a press conference was held with the participation of human rights activists, but none of the law enforcement officers was brought to justice. In October 2021, the case materials went to court. Two years later, the court gave all of the believers suspended sentences ranging from 4 to 7 years. In February 2025, the court of appeal upheld this decision.
Timeline
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