Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Adestov Roman Aleksandrovich
Date of Birth: July 7, 1976
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility, 139 day in a pre-trial detention, 208 day Under house arrest
Sentence: punishment in the form of 1 year of imprisonment, with serving in a correctional colony of general regime, with restriction of liberty for a term of 11 months, release from punishment in the form of imprisonment in connection with the actual service

Biography

In the summer of 2021, the life of a peaceful family man Roman Adestov was divided into “before” and “after”: law enforcers came to his house with a search, then the believer was taken away for interrogation and placed in a pre-trial detention center.

Roman was born in July 1976 in Kovrov, Vladimir region. His mother is retired. His father died when Roman was 13 years old, and in 2016 his elder brother died.

As a child, Roman was fond of wood burning, playing hockey and football. Having learned to be a gas electric welder, he worked by profession for most of his life. In 2006, the administration of the city of Kovrov awarded Roman with a certificate of honor for many years of conscientious work and personal contribution to the development of housing and communal services. After his arrest, Roman lost his job, but he was assured that they were always ready to take him back after resolving the issue of criminal prosecution.

In 1998, Roman met Alina, a year later they got married. The couple have an adult daughter, Yekaterina.

Reading the Bible, Roman concluded that the prophecies recorded in it were being fulfilled. This prompted him to become a Christian in 2006. A year earlier, his wife had become a Jehovah's Witness.

In 2018, the Adestovs moved from Kovrov to the village of Ivanovo. They have long dreamed of a quiet rural life in their own home. After the move, Roman's main hobby was the improvement of the house and the plot. Alina says: “Everything is done by the hands of Roman with love, starting with all communications in the house and on the plot, finishing the house and ending with the construction of a bathhouse. The bathhouse is a hobby, a favorite time of rest after stressful everyday life.” She herself is engaged in planting flowers and growing vegetables. “I am getting used to new circumstances without a reliable friend and loving husband by my side,” Alina said after her husband was arrested.

According to relatives, Roman is a kind and peaceful person who did not deserve to be behind bars. The daughter does not share the religious views of her parents, but she is very worried about her dad. The elderly neighbor even burst into tears upon learning of what had happened.

Case History

In June 2021, a criminal case was initiated against Roman Adestov. The following month, security forces raided 7 homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in and around Kovrov. One of them was Roman Adestov. He was interrogated at the the FSB branch of the city of Vladimir, arrested and sent to a detention center. The investigation saw extremism in the fact that Roman “took part in religious meetings… spoke at them.” After 4.5 months, the believer was placed under house arrest, and after another 7 months - a ban on certain actions was imposed against him. In September 2022, the criminal case went to court. In June 2023, the court sentenced Roman Adestov to 1 year in a penal colony and 11 months of restricted freedom. After the verdict, the believer was not taken into custody, since he had already served the appointed term of imprisonment, being under pre-trial detention and house arrest.