Avanesov Vilen

Name: Avanesov Vilen Shagenovich
Date of Birth: October 22, 1952
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 4 day in a temporary detention facility, 925 day in a pre-trial detention, 796 day in prison
Current restrictions: restriction of freedom
Sentence: punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 6 years in a correctional colony of general regime, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to participation in public organizations for a period of 5 years and with restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year

Biography

In July 2021, the court sentenced Vilen Avanesov to 6 years in prison for believing in Jehovah God, and his son Arsen to 6.5 years in prison. The believers were found guilty of extremism because they read and discussed the Bible with friends.

Vilen was born in 1952 in Baku (Azerbaijan). He worked as an electrician and builder, now retired. Since childhood, Vilen is fond of cooking, loves to bake homemade bread. Another of Vilen's hobbies is reading. One of his favorite books from a young age was the Bible.

In 1980, Vilen married Stella, they had a son, Arsen, and a daughter, Elina. Due to the conflict in Nagorny Karabakh in 1988, the family was forced to leave their home and move to Armenia as refugees. But the earthquake in Yerevan in the same year and the deteriorating financial situation forced the family to move again. This time, the place of residence was the Russian Rostov-on-Don. Vilen had to start everything from scratch, because he lost his home first in Baku and then in Yerevan.

The whole big family of Vilen is worried about the fact that they and Arsen were convicted. Vilen is in poor health. “Vilen and prison are incomparable things,— says his wife.— Vilen is the kindest person. This is how all his family and friends know him."

Case History

Searches, arrests, humiliation and intimidation — in May 2019, Aleksandr Parkov, Vilen and Arsen Avanesov from Rostov-on-Don were detained by officers of the Investigative Committee for allegedly continuing the activity of the banned organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They were placed in a pretrial detention center, where they spent 925 days. The charges against the believers were based on falsifications and the testimony of a provocateur recruited by the FSB. In July 2021, the court sentenced Vilen to 6 years in a penal colony, and Aleksandr and Arsen to 6.5 years. The courts of appeal and cassation upheld this decision. Arsen was also charged under another article — financing the activity of an extremist organization, and his sentence was increased to 7 years. In February 2024, Vilen Avanesov was released, having served his term in full. In August 2024, Aleksandr Parkov, and in October Arsen Avanesov were also released from the penal colony.
Timeline
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