Updated: May 3, 2024
Name: Skudaev Sergey Vladimirovich
Date of Birth: June 8, 1978
Current status: Defendant
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility, 127 day in a pre-trial detention
Current restrictions: Prohibition of certain actions
Currently held in: Detention Centre No. 1 in Kurgan Region

Biography

In mid-July 2021, searches were carried out in Sergey Skudaev’s apartment and country house, after which he was detained and placed in a pre-trial detention center. A criminal case was opened against a peaceful believer for believing in Jehovah God.

Sergey was born in 1978 in Kurgan. His father worked as an installer for a construction company, and his mother worked as a rabbit breeder at a local enterprise. He has an elder sister.

During his school years, Sergey was engaged in sambo. After school he graduated from the Kurgan College, where he received the profession of an electric and gas welder. Later, he completed a training course as a commodity expert at the Kurgan Trade College. He worked as an electric welder, driver and sales manager. Before the arrest, he held the position of head of the sales department.

Since school years, Sergey was eager to learn more about God. He prayed to him as best he could. Sergey was able to get to know the Bible better thanks to his grandmother, who in the 90s studied this book with Jehovah's Witnesses. Believers impressed Sergey with their behavior and appearance. Growing up, he tracked down these people, and eventually became a Christian too.

Sergey has been married to Irina since March 2007. Irina is a master of construction and installation works, as well as a leading engineer for labor protection and industrial safety. Has not been working since 2011. She, like her husband, loves God and values the Bible. Her favorite hobby is growing indoor flowers and flowers in the country house. Sergey has an adult daughter from his first marriage. The couple love a bathhouse and also skiing in winter. In the summer, Sergey enjoys cycling.

After the search and arrest, Irina does not leave the feeling of anxiety and fear from any knock on the door of the apartment. You have to take medications to maintain your health. The relatives of the spouses do not understand: "What does faith in God and prison have to do with it?" They respect Sergey's beliefs, but are disappointed at the unfair treatment of the believer by law enforcement agencies. Sergey's employer was sympathetic to what was happening and did not fire him.

Case History

In July 2021, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Sergey Skudaev from Kurgan, he was accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization. According to the investigation, the believer’s guilt is that he conducted worship services using video conferencing. The security forces searched the apartment, garage and dacha of the Skudaevs. Wedding cards and personal records were seized from them. The believer was detained and placed in a temporary detention facility, and then in a pre-trial detention center. There he had covid without receiving proper treatment. After 4 months, Sergey was released home under a ban on certain actions. In June 2023, the case went to court.