Name: Kostyuk Aleksandr Nikolayevich
Date of Birth: October 11, 1972
Current status: defendant
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Current restrictions: recognizance agreement

Biography

Peaceful believer Aleksandr Kostyuk unexpectedly found himself involved in a criminal case for his faith—in July 2023, law enforcement officers came to him with a search.

Aleksandr was born in October 1972 in Potsdam (Germany). He has a younger sister. When the boy was 5, his family moved to Tver. Aleksandr's parents are pensioners. His father took part in the liquidation of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and is a disabled person of the II group.

As a child, Aleksandr was fond of wrestling and athletics, and also loved fishing. After school, he graduated from a technical school, where he received the specialty of a mechanic for the maintenance and repair of cars. For some time after graduation, he served under contract in the Navy in the Black Sea. Later, Aleksandr worked in the field of interior decoration, and for the last five years before the criminal prosecution he worked as a disinfector.

Aleksandr met Jehovah's Witnesses while serving in the army and continued to study the Bible when he returned home. He was impressed by the fact that believers live according to biblical principles and show love for others. In April 1994, he became a Christian, and later his sister joined him.

Aleksandr met his wife Alevtina in the same year, and three years later they got married. Alevtina has been familiar with biblical teachings since childhood, and she, like Aleksandr, decided to become a Christian in 1994. She especially liked God's purpose for the earth. Alevtina works as a freelance employee in a construction company. She loves to knit, grow flowers and garden. Spouses like to go out into nature together with an overnight stay and sit by the fire.

Alexander and Alevtina have three adult children. The elder sons work as masters of finishing works, and the younger daughter is a groomer. The sons already have their own families.

Criminal prosecution has created additional difficulties for believers. Aleksandr's bank accounts and cards were blocked. His parents, who do not share the religious views of their son, are outraged that law enforcement officers accused a peaceful person of extremism. Relatives and friends of Alexandr worry about him and support him in every possible way.

Case History

In the summer of 2023, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Jehovah’s Witnesses from Tver: Aleksandr Kostyuk, Maksim Barbazyuk, and pensioner Valeriy Tolmazov. Their homes were searched, after that the men were interrogated until late in the evening. The believers were accused of holding joint discussions of the Bible, which the investigation equated to extremist activity. In July 2024, the case went to court.