Biography
Yevgeny Yelin is one of five believers from Sakhalin who were put on trial on charges of extremism solely because of their belief in Jehovah God.
Yevgeny was born in 1974 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. As a child, he was very fond of drawing, especially watercolors, attended art school. He was also fond of bard song and sports - he jumped with a parachute. After graduating from school, he immediately began to work. He worked as a janitor, was engaged in the repair of apartments, worked as an artist-designer of residential premises. Later, he independently mastered the specialties of a tiler, finisher, and acquired construction skills.
Now Evgeny has his own business in the field of apartment renovation. In addition, he performs work on the design and manufacture of furniture. Eugene is engaged in creativity. Admiring the nature of Sakhalin and Kamchatka, he is fond of photography. He loves sports, goes hiking, has experience of rafting on one of the rivers of Kamchatka. He also enjoys spending time with his family and friends playing board games. Yevgeniy has an older sister and a 78-year-old mother.
There were no believers in Yevgeny's family. Nevertheless, even at school, he began to think about the origin of life. In high school, Yevgeniy began to study the Bible. What he learned exhaustively answered his questions about the origin of life, about the reasons for the existence of evil and injustice. Yevgeniy has always been a benevolent and peaceful person, so he really liked the fact that the Bible teaches kindness and compassion for others. When he met Jehovah's Witnesses, he was very impressed that they applied Bible principles in their lives. When in the 90s Yevgeny faced the question of military duty, he followed his convictions and refused to serve in the army. For this, he was sentenced to 2 years in prison (with a deferral of execution of the sentence for 2 years and subsequent amnesty).
Yevgeniy had to visit different cities of the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, where he made many friends. Eventually, he returned to live in his hometown. In Kamchatka, Yevgeny met his future wife Anastasia. They have been married since 2017. Anastasia graduated from medical college. She worked as an ambulance paramedic for nine years. Closely in contact with medicine, I was amazed at how amazingly created man himself, his harmonious and complex DNA system.
Surveillance, search and initiation of a criminal case against Yevgeniy caused unrest and stress for the spouses and their loved ones. Anastasia is in great tension, knowing that at any moment she can be separated from her husband. In addition, she is concerned that what is happening denigrates the good name of their family. Anastasia's sister and her husband do not understand how a criminal case on extremism can be initiated against such a peaceful and exemplary citizen.
The criminal prosecution of her son worried Yevgeny's mother. His father-in-law and mother-in-law were also deeply disturbed that decent and honest people were put on trial just because they believed in God.