Votyakov Aleksandr

Name: Votyakov Aleksandr Vasiliyevich
Date of Birth: November 29, 1973
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility, 176 day Under house arrest, 17 day in prison
Current restrictions: detention center
Sentence: Imprisonment for a term of 6 years 6 months in a general regime penal colony, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to participation in the work of religious organizations for a period of 5 years, with restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year
Term of imprisonment: until April 2031
Currently held in: Detention Center No.1 for Udmurtian Republic
Address for correspondence: Votyakov Aleksandr Vasiliyevich, born 1973, Detention Center No.1 for Udmurtian Republic, Ul. Bazisnaya, 13, Izhevsk, Udmurtian Republic, 426034

Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the «zonatelecom».

Note: discussing topics related to criminal prosecution is not allowed in letters; languages other than Russian will not pass.

Biography

Aleksandr Votyakov, a builder from Izhevsk, to his surprise, found out in the winter of 2022 that he was accused of extremism. The believer was searched and placed under house arrest. The reason for the criminal prosecution was his love for the Bible and its prophecies.

Aleksandr was born in Izhevsk in November 1973. He has a younger brother, their mother is already retired. Both are far from religion.

As a child, Aleksandr was fond of checkers. After school, he decided to become a worker and entered a vocational school, where he received the profession of a modeler. He applies the acquired skills in construction. In his free time, Aleksandr loves to be in nature and spend time with his wife and friends.

In 2006, his wife helped him to embark on the Christian path, who was the first in the family to become interested in Bible teachings. Aleksandr was amazed by the prophecies written in the Holy Scriptures hundreds of years ago and being fulfilled before his eyes.

Criminal prosecution and house arrest deprived the believer of the opportunity to take care of loved ones and communicate with friends. The Court of Appeal later replaced the suspended sentence with a real term. Relatives are at a loss and cannot understand why this decent man was thrown behind bars.

Case History

In December 2022, searches were carried out at the homes of local believers in Izhevsk. Two men were detained. Aleksandr Votyakov was placed under house arrest, which lasted about 6 months, and Yevgeniy Stefanidin, the father of a young daughter, was placed under a recognizance agreement. The stress he experienced back in April 2021 due to the first search caused health problems, and Stefanidin was classed as having a disability. The Investigative Committee interpreted reading and discussing the Bible with friends and relatives as continuing the activity of a liquidated extremist organization. In August 2023, the believers’ case went to court. In October 2024, the court handed down a 6.5-year suspended sentence to Aleksandr Votyakov and a 6-year suspended sentence to Yevgeniy Stefanidin. The court of appeal replaced these terms with prison terms and sent the believers to a penal colony.
Timeline
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