Updated: March 19, 2024
Name: Rysikov Leonid Nikitievich
Date of Birth: January 2, 1950
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)
Current restrictions: Recognizance agreement
Sentence: punishment in the form of 6 years 9 months of imprisonment, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public organizations for a period of 3 years, with restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year, punishment in the form of imprisonment shall be considered conditional with a probationary period of 4 years

Biography

On February 15, 2019, one of the most massive and inhuman operations against believers took place in Surgut and several other cities of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Seven people were tortured, three were sent to a pre-trial detention center (two of them spent 56 days behind bars), and the total number of defendants in criminal cases exceeded 20. One of them is Leonid Rysikov. What do we know about him?

Leonid was born in 1950 in the village of Sredniye Mangareki (Krasnoyarsk Territory). He grew up in a large family. He has three brothers and four sisters, and one brother died when he was a child. His mother was a milkmaid, his father was a grain grower and blacksmith. As a child, he was fond of athletics.

Leonid graduated from the Krasnoyarsk vocational school with a degree in electrician. He worked as an electrician and mechanic. Due to the difficult economic situation, he was forced to move to work in Surgut with his sister. He has been retired since 2005. He likes to fish, walk in the woods and play chess.

Leonid met his future wife Evgenia on a business trip to an oil and gas field. They got married in 1982. Evgenia is a very cheerful person, loves songs and dances. The couple raised two sons, already have granddaughters.

In the early 1990s, Evgenia became acquainted with Bible teachings, determined to act and live in harmony with what she learned. A few years later, Leonid joined her. Both of them were convinced by the truthfulness and consistency of the Bible, as well as God's assurances of a wonderful future.

Relatives have a negative attitude towards the criminal prosecution of Leonid. Almost every day they call, support his family and really hope that the authorities will come to their senses and finally stop the persecution for their faith.

Case History

In February 2019, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against 18 men and 1 woman from Surgut (among them was a man mistaken for a Jehovah’s Witness). Their homes were searched. During the interrogations, 7 believers were subjected to violence. Artur Severinchik was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 29 days, and Yevgeny Fedin and Sergey Loginov - for 56. Timofey Zhukov was illegally placed in a psychiatric hospital for 14 days. Believers complained about the use of torture to the Investigative Committee, the ECHR and the Commissioner for Human Rights, a press conference was held with the participation of human rights defenders, but none of the security forces was ever brought to justice. In October 2021, the case materials were submitted to the court. The prosecutor requested imprisonment for the defendants for a term of 3 years and 3 months to 8.5 years in prison, and for Loginov - 9.5 years, which was the most severe request for punishment for believing in Jehovah God in modern Russia.