Name: Timoshkin Vladimir Valentinovich
Date of Birth: November 14, 1968
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility, 89 day Under house arrest
Sentence: penalty in the form of a fine in the amount of 512,000 rubles

Biography

Vladimir Timoshkin was born in Solikamsk, Perm region, in November 1968. As a child he loved active games, skiing and equipment. His last hobby grew into something more, and after graduating from technical school Vladimir got a job in the laboratory of technical diagnostics of equipment. He has been working there for over 30 years.

Vladimir began studying the Bible to prove his wife that Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong, and the only true faith is Orthodoxy. However, while carefully studying the Scriptures, he eventually became convinced that Jehovah's Witnesses explained the Bible correctly. This led to the fact that in 1997 Vladimir was consecrated to God and baptized as a Jehovah's Witness.

Recent events have dramatically changed the life of the believer. "Suddenly I, a peaceful citizen who never hid, did not change my place of work or even my phone number, became, in the opinion of authorities, an extremist," says Vladimir. He adds that at work he is still appreciated and even was granted leave for the three months which he spent under house arrest. Those who know him are surprised that such a thing is possible in our country.

"The criminal prosecution and the upcoming trial are very disturbing to my family... But I am sure that this will not always be the case. Injustice together with crime will become a matter of the past, long past years," Vladimir said.

Case History

In July 2020, the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Perm Territory opened a criminal case against Vladimir Poltoradnev, Alexander Sobyanin and Vladimir Timoshkin from Solikamsk. By that time, law enforcement officers had been spying on them for a long time. After searches and interrogations, three believers ended up in a temporary detention facility. Then Sobyanin was released under a ban on certain actions, and Poltoradnev and Timoshkin were placed under house arrest for 2 and 3 months, respectively. Later, the measure of restraint of the latter was also changed to a ban on certain actions. After the investigation was repeatedly suspended and resumed, the case went to court in April 2023. Already in August, the judge found the believers guilty and fined: Alexander Sobyanin for 494 thousand rubles, Vladimir Poltoradnev for 638 thousand rubles and Vladimir Timoshkin for 512 thousand rubles. An appeal in November 2023 upheld the main part of the sentence, slightly mitigating the additional punishment.
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