Name: Knyazev Valeriy Anatoliyevich
Date of Birth: March 7, 1951
Current status: accused
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility
Current restrictions: prohibition of certain actions

Biography

Valeriy Knyazev, a labor veteran who was awarded three medals for impeccable service and was awarded a prize by the Izhevsk administration for 50 years of marriage with his wife, faced persecution for his faith.

Valeriy was born in 1951 in the village of Tum, Yarsky District, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He has a sister. After school, Valeriy entered the Ivanovo Fire Technical School, from which he graduated in 1972. In parallel with his studies, he did military service.

After school, Valeriy was assigned to the city of Izhevsk, where he now lives. In 1986, he graduated from the Faculty of History of the Udmurt State University. The man worked in the fire department for 29 years, before retiring he was an assistant to the head of the detachment.

In 1973, Valeriy married Galina, with whom they raised a daughter and a son. The Knyazevs' family hobby is gardening. In winter, Valeriy enjoys skiing and skating.

Studying the Bible, Valeriy learned about God and his love for people. He became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2007. A year earlier, his wife had made the same decision.

The criminal prosecution of Valeriy affected the health of the spouses. Galina is a pensioner, she has a group III disability. They survived three searches. Valeriy was detained and spent a day in a temporary detention center.

Relatives were sympathetic to the difficulties caused by the criminal prosecution of Valeriy and provide support to the spouses.

Case History

In June 2024, an investigator of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against three of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Izhevsk, including 73-year-old pensioner Indus Talipov. A day later, searches were conducted in the apartments of the believers. After interrogation, they were charged with organizing extremist activities. The investigation considered it a crime to hold peaceful worship services and read the Holy Scriptures via the Internet. The court sent Aleksandr Stefanidin to a pre-trial detention center, and banned Valeriy Knyazev and Indus Talipov from certain actions.