Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Gordeev Mikhail Genrikhovich
Date of Birth: November 21, 1959
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Sentence: penalty in the form of a fine in the amount of 450,000 rubles

Biography

Mikhail Gordeev became another victim of criminal prosecution for his faith in Petrozavodsk when FSB officers detained him right at his workplace on September 5, 2019. Instead of work, the believer was interrogated for 4 hours, after which he was placed under recognizance not to leave. What is known about this man?

Mikhail was born in Petrozavodsk (Karelia) in 1959, he has a brother Alexander. Mikhail's parents worked all their lives at the Onega Tractor Plant, his father was a turner, and his mother was an engineer. Mikhail grew up as an ordinary boy, loved sports, especially swimming, was fond of music and technology. After graduating from the motor transport technical school, he received the specialty of a road builder. After working for some time as a road foreman, he retrained as a driver, which he still does.

When Mikhail was introduced to the Bible in the mid-1990s, he was amazed at what he learned. Positive changes in his personality over time prompted his family to take a more interest in this book. In 1999, Mikhail started a family with Elizaveta, a livestock breeder by profession. The couple is raising two daughters. Both parents and children are very fond of pets.

The unfair criminal prosecution for the faith affected Mikhail's entire family, adversely affecting the physical and mental health of its members, especially the eldest daughter, who is very worried about her father. At work, colleagues and management deeply sympathize with Mikhail, try in every possible way to support. Relatives and friends of the family are of great help.

However, the unjust persecution did not come as a complete surprise to Michael and Elizabeth, as they are convinced that this is how Bible prophecy is fulfilled. Mikhail and his wife hope to withstand the difficulties with dignity.

Case History

In July 2019, the FSB carried out mass searches in homes and workplaces of believers in Petrozavodsk. Several more searches took place in the neighboring city, Kondopoga. The couple, Maksim and Maria Amosov, were detained right on the street and Maria’s coat was torn. A criminal case was initiated against Maksim, in which 3 more defendants appeared later: Nikolay Leshchenko, Mikhail Gordeev and Dmitriy Ravnushkin. Gordeev and Ravnushkin were detained at their workplaces; after being interrogated by the FSB, the latter was fired from the post of chief power engineer. The believers were accused of organizing the activity of an extremist organization and they were placed under a recognizance agreement. In October 2021, the case went to court. Some documents, dated 1990-2000, had nothing to do with the case. And the testimonies of witnesses for the prosecution were favorable toward the defendants. Despite this, in July 2023, the court fined the four believers: Maksim Amosov, Nikolay Leshchenko, and Dmitriy Ravnushkin, each the amount of 500,000 rubles, and Mikhail Gordeev, 450,000 rubles.