Name: Stefanidin Yevgeniy Sergeyevich
Date of Birth: July 28, 1989
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Current restrictions: recognizance agreement
Sentence: imprisonment for a term of 6 years, imprisonment shall be considered suspended with a probationary period of 3 years

Biography

The Stefanidin family was subjected to searches twice, in 2021 and 2022, because of their religion as Jehovah's Witnesses. The stress experienced unexpectedly undermined the health of the young head of the family, resulting in a disability.

Yevgeniy Stefanidin was born in July 1989 in the city of Izhevsk (Udmurtia). From childhood he was fond of active sports; he played football and hockey. Yevgeniy loves fishing and football to this day. After school, Stefanidin qualified as a tiler. At first he worked in construction, and later moved into commercial real estate.

From childhood, Yevgeniy showed an interest in reading the Bible. When he became acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, he was impressed by the accuracy of the fulfillment of Bible prophecies. At the age of 17, Yevgeniy was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

In 2011, Yevgeniy married Marina. His wife is a tailor-cutter by profession, and in her spare time she knits and draws. In 2013, the couple had a daughter. She loves to draw, make cards and other handcrafts.

In April 2021, law enforcement officers searched Yevgeniy’s home. The incident greatly frightened the couple's daughter. To this day, the Stefanidins react anxiously to every knock on the door. The stress he experienced caused the believer to have problems sleeping, and two months later, Yevgeniy began to have difficulty breathing. During an examination, doctors discovered a tumor in his chest. His state of health continued to deteriorate, and in the fall of 2022, Yevgeniy was categorized as disabled. According to doctors, the malignant tumor that has rapidly grown since the summer of 2021 could be the result of an emotional shock.

The believer was on sick leave until mid-December 2022. One morning, when he was about to go to work, the law enforcement officers again came to him, conducted a search and took him for interrogation. His employer appreciates Yevgeniy for his honesty and conscientious work. Despite the criminal prosecution, the believer did not lose his job.

Relatives and friends are very worried about the health of Yevgeniy. His father, although he does not share his religious beliefs, does not understand how the authorities can prosecute an innocent and at the same time seriously ill person just because he does not want to give up his faith in God.

Case History

In December 2022, searches were carried out in Izhevsk at the homes of local believers. Two men were detained. Aleksandr Votyakov was placed under house arrest, which lasted about 6 months, and Yevgeniy Stefanidin, father of a minor daughter, was placed under a recognizance agreement. The stress he experienced back in April 2021 due to the first search adversely affected his health and he was diagnosed with a disability. The Investigative Committee interpreted reading and discussing the Bible with friends as continuing the activity of a liquidated extremist organization. In August 2023, the believers’ case went to court. In October 2024, the court gave Aleksandr Votyakov a 6.5-year suspended sentence and Yevgeniy Stefanidin a 6-year suspended sentence.
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