Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Lonchakov Igor Vladimirovich
Date of Birth: December 26, 1977
Current status: Defendant
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Current restrictions: Recognizance agreement

Biography

In July 2020, Igor Lonchakov from Vladivostok became another victim of law enforcement. He is one of more than 30 Jehovah's Witnesses, who are persecuted by the Primorsky Krai authorities only because of their beliefs. Threats of law enforcement officers turned for 42-year-old peaceful believer exacerbation of chronic disease and two months of hospitalization. Immediately after discharge from hospital, he was taken under escort to the Investigative Committee and charged with extremism.

Igor was born in December 1977 in Saratov, and 5 years later moved with his parents to Vladivostok. He grew up as an active child: he liked playing soccer and hockey. After graduation, he entered law school. During this period his mother started studying the Bible, but her son joined it only after 12 years.

In 2006, Igor faced serious problems and began to seek God's help. Seeing the answers to his prayers, he wanted to learn more about the Creator, got rid of bad habits and broke with bad company. In 2008, Igor became a Christian. "I realized that life has meaning, and our Creator tells us about it," Igor shares. - Now I live happily, in harmony with God's advice.

After college, having obtained the specialty of lawyer-jurist, Igor for some time worked as a district police inspector in IAB. Now he works as a 1st class telecom operator at "Russian Post". In his spare time, he likes to explore the world around him, spend time in nature, and communicate with friends. Igor is not married. There are two children. The youngest minor daughter is his dependant.

When law enforcement officers in masks and with automatic rifles broke in early in the morning, Igor experienced severe stress. The believer is still waiting for the upcoming interrogations and trial, remembering how in summer he was threatened with trouble for his family. However, according to Igor, knowledge from the Bible helps him cope with his worries. His elderly parents also try to support his son.

Case History

In the early morning of July 2018, a group of masked armed security forces invaded the apartment of 90-year-old grandmother Yelena Barmakina, after which Dmitriy wife Yelena was imprisoned in a pre-trial detention center for 447 days. Later, Yelena herself was accused of extremism because of her religion and the family’s bank accounts were blocked. The believer’s case was considered by the Pervorechensky District Court of Vladivostok. In September 2020, the court returned the case to the prosecutor. In August 2021, investigator Tarasenko opened a criminal case against a peaceful believer Yuriy Redozubov and merged Barmakina’s case into one proceeding with the cases against Redozubov, Lonchakov, Katanaeva, Astvatsaturova, Tregub, Tsorn and the Verigin spouses. In June 2022, the case went to court.