Kuzyanin Denis

Updated: May 2, 2024
Name: Kuzyanin Denis Yuriyevich
Date of Birth: September 25, 1984
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 1 day in a temporary detention facility, 460 day in a pre-trial detention
Current restrictions: Detention center
Sentence: punishment in the form of 7 years of imprisonment with serving a sentence in a penal colony of general regime, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of a public religious organization for a period of 4 years, with restriction of liberty for 1 year 6 months
Currently held in: Detention Center No. 1 in Samara Region
Address for correspondence: Kuzyanin Denis Yuriyevich, born 1984, SIZO No. 1 in Samara Region, pr. Sadoviy, Samara, Russia, 443022

Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the «zonatelecom».

Note: discussing topics related to criminal prosecution is not allowed in letters; languages other than Russian will not pass.

Biography

Since Denis Kuzyanin unexpectedly ended up behind bars, his wife has been forced to take care of her little daughter alone. A believer faces a long prison term just because he believes in Jehovah God.

Denis was born in September 1984 in the north of Russia, in the city of Norilsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory). He has an elder sister.

As a child, Denis was fond of sports and cars. After graduating from a vocational technical school, he worked as a signalman, and recently was an individual entrepreneur.

Denis's elder sister was the first in the family to become interested in the Bible, followed by her mother and Denis himself. He was especially impressed by the accuracy of the fulfillment of the prophecies recorded in this book. In 2001, Denis embarked on the Christian path.

Driven by his peaceful convictions, Denis took advantage of the right to replace military service with an alternative civilian one. He served three years in Khabarovsk.

At the invitation of a friend, Denis moved to Samara, where he met his future wife, Elena. They got married in 2012. Elena shares her husband's religious views. She works as a salesperson and loves to sew in her free time. Denis likes to travel and play sports. The couple are raising a daughter.

Forced separation is not easy for the Kuzyanins. Relatives and friends of the family are perplexed why they are persecuting a peaceful and kind believer who has not committed any crime.

Case History

In December 2021, at least 10 homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Samara. In one of the apartments, the security forces tortured and beat believers. Three men were arrested and taken into custody. An investigator of the FSB of Russia opened a criminal case against Sergey Polosenko, Denis Kuzyanin, Nikolay Vasiliyev and Aram Danielyan, who was detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center three weeks later, on charges of continuing the activities of the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” in the Samara region. After about 300 days of imprisonment, the believers were released from custody under a ban on certain actions. In April 2023, the case went to court. In January 2024, the prosecutor requested that the believers be sentenced to 9 years in prison. At the same hearing, the court sent them to jail for 7 years.
Timeline