Biography
In 2019, several residents of Saransk, including Denis Antonov, were prosecuted for their faith. Law enforcers considered the conversations about the Bible to be participation in the activities of an extremist organization. According to the court's decision, Denis had to spend almost 2 years behind bars.
Denis was born in 1976 in Syktyvkar (Komi Republic). The family moved frequently, as his father worked as an agronomist and helped on collective farms in the north. Denis had a brother who is no longer alive.
After school, Denis entered a technical school in Vorkuta, where he received a degree in mining electromechanics. For about five years he worked in a mine as an underground electrician, then as a janitor, a building maintenance worker, and before his arrest as a home foreman. His father instilled in Denis a love for photography, macro photography and to this day his hobby along with playing chess.
From his youth, Denis wondered about God, tried to read religious literature and the Bible, but did not understand much of it. While serving in the army, he corresponded with a friend who told him about Bible teachings. The consistency of the Bible and the fact that God has a name touched Denis's heart, and he decided to embark on the Christian path. Years later, at a court hearing in his case, Denis said: "For more than half of my life I have been one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and I have always tried to develop love for God and for people."
In 2015, Denis married Olga, whom he had known since 1996. She worked as a cook in a coal factory and in a kindergarten. The couple moved from Vorkuta to Saransk to take care of Olga's elderly mother, who was left alone after her husband's death. During the search, the authorities took away their employment record books and other documents, which forced Denis to close his business. Up until his arrest, the couple were forced to do odd jobs.
In June 2024, Denis was released from the penal colony and happily reunited with his family and friends. He is very grateful to them for supporting him throughout the criminal prosecution.