Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Bondarchuk Aleksandr Iosifovich
Date of Birth: July 13, 1974
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2), 282.3 (1)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 699 day Under house arrest
Current restrictions: Suspended sentence
Sentence: punishment in the form of 4 years of imprisonment with restriction of liberty for a term of 1 year; The main punishment in the form of imprisonment is considered suspended with a probationary period of 4 years

Biography

On July 18, 2019, in the Kemerovo region , a new criminal case was initiated against peaceful believers. One of them, Aleksandr Bondarchuk, was under house arrest. Because of this, he lost his job and did not see his children for almost 2 years. The court considered the criminal case for over a year, and in June 2021, Aleksandr was sentenced to 4 years of probation for his faith in Jehovah God.

Aleksandr was born in 1974 in the city of Topki (Kemerovo region), later moved to Kemerovo. He has a younger brother. Their father died in 1993. As a child, like all boys, Aleksandr loved to ride a bike, fish, ski. He was engaged in track and field athletics and sprinting.

After finishing 8 classes of school, Aleksandr entered the technical school, and a year later - at the school, where he received the profession of a tractor driver and driver of category C. Later, at a construction site, he learned carpentry skills. Before his house arrest, the believer worked as a refractory worker at a coke-chemical plant and repaired coke ovens. He was considered an indispensable employee. When the security forces began criminal prosecution, the management of the plant personally turned to the investigator with a request to release Aleksandr and give him the opportunity to return to work.

In 1992, Aleksandr married Yelena. The couple raised two sons. Helen interested Aleksandr in the Bible, and for many years he has successfully applied Bible advice in family life and raising children. Belief in God helped Aleksandr and Yelena to preserve their marriage, which was on the verge of collapse.

Spouses prefer active recreation. In summer, they like to spend time with the whole family and friends in nature, sitting by the fire and looking at the starry sky, and in winter they like to ski.

Aleksandr's mother was very worried about the criminal prosecution of her son. She did not leave the fear that at any moment he could be behind bars. While Aleksandr was under house arrest, his wife had to take care of the material needs of the family.

Speaking in court with the last word, Aleksandr Bondarchuk noted: “My conscience is clear, I have not caused any harm or harm to anyone, there are no victims in my case, therefore I do not deserve such a harsh punishment as imprisonment. Maybe for some it will seem strange, but I am glad that I am being judged not for some real evil deeds, but for my faith in God. "

Case History

In January 2018, mass searches were carried out in the homes of civilians in Kemerovo. A year and a half later, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Sergei Yavushkin and Alexander Bondarchuk. They were accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and financing it, the reason for which was the conversations of men with people about God and meetings with fellow believers. The believers were sent to a temporary detention facility for 2 days, and then under house arrest, where they spent 700 days each. As a result, Sergey and Alexander lost their jobs. Their property was seized. While in the temporary detention facility, Sergey was subjected to psychological pressure and ended up in the hospital with a stroke. In April 2020, the case went to court. The accusation was mainly based on the testimony of a witness who kept a secret record of worship. In June 2021, the court sentenced the believers to 4 years of probation. The appeal and cassation upheld the verdict. In September 2023, Sergey Yavushkin received parole.