Updated: May 2, 2024
Name: Gizatulin Vadim Rafailovich
Date of Birth: October 16, 1968
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Current restrictions: Suspended sentence
Sentence: punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 2 years, the punishment shall be considered suspended with a probationary period of 2 years

Biography

In Chelyabinsk, a wave of repression on religious grounds began in February 2019, when the first criminal cases against Jehovah's Witnesses were initiated there. Among them are the cases of Vladimir and Valentina Suvorov, in which Vadim Gizatulin was a witness. Later, the case was initiated against him.

Vadim was born in October 1968 in the city of Zlatoust (Chelyabinsk region). He has a younger brother. Their father worked as a turner and their mother as a handyman.

In his youth, Vadim was fond of luge. After graduating from technical school, he chose the profession of an electrician. He has been working in this area all his life.

In 1990, Vadim met his future wife, Tatyana. Two years later they got married. Now Tatiana is a housewife. She is fond of knitting. Together, the couple raised a daughter. Due to health problems with his wife and mother-in-law, Vadim's family moved to Chelyabinsk to Tatyana's parents.

In the mid-2000s, the couple began to study the Bible in earnest. Tatiana was imbued with God's love for people. She was also surprised by the fulfillment of the prophecies recorded in the Bible. Vadim, thanks to reading the Holy Scriptures, found answers to those questions that interested him all his life. The couple decided to become Jehovah's Witnesses.

Due to unjustified criminal prosecution, Vadim was forced to resign. His wife's health deteriorated, which is why she was hospitalized. Relatives are worried about the future of the spouses.

Case History

Vadim Gizatulin faced persecution for his faith in 2019: his house was searched as part of the Vladimir Suvorov case. Hidden audio and video filming was carried out behind the believers. A certain Ruzayeva, under the guise of a person interested in the Bible, collected information for the Center “E”. In 2021, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Vadim Gizatulin, an electrician from Chelyabinsk. His house was searched again. The investigation considered it illegal actions that he participated in worship services, singing songs and saying prayers. In August 2022, Gizatulin’s case went to court. In December of the same year, the court sentenced the believer to 2 years of probation, and in February 2023, the court of appeal upheld this decision.