Name: Vasilenko Roman Mikhailovich
Date of Birth: December 11, 1979
Current status: accused
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Current restrictions: recognizance agreement

Biography

Roman Vasilenko was concerned about why people lack respect for each other and what is the cause of suffering. Over time, he found convincing answers.

Roman is a resident of Chita. Roman's mother is now retired; he has a younger sister. He repaired TVs and at different times worked as a firefighter and a driver. Roman is divorced and has an adult daughter.

At a particular time, Roman began looking in different confessions for answers to the following questions: What is the reason for problems and difficulties? Why are people so thoughtless towards each other, especially in families? He found logical answers when he began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. In 2009, Roman Vasilenko was baptized.

In 2026, prosecution for his faith began. During the interrogation after the search, he faced pressure; the law enforcement officers used force against him. It took Roman some time to cope with the shock.

Case History

In March 2026, the FSB opened a criminal case against ten residents of Chita. The believers were suspected of organizing and participating in extremist activities merely for reading the Bible together with friends. The oldest among them, Anatoliy Pozdnyakov, was 67 years old at the time, while Svetlana Arefyeva and Anna Guseva were just 21. After the searches, eight of the defendants were placed under travel restrictions, Pozdnyakov was sent to house arrest, and Aleksey Karpov and Bakhtiyor Raupov were taken into custody.
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