On June 3, 2021, the Industrial District Court of Kursk convicted a married couple and three brothers. Brothers Andreyev and Ryshkov were sentenced to prison for four and a half years and three years respectively. Brother Bagratyan and his wife, Alevtina, were sentenced to prison for two and a half years and two years respectively. Brother Vospitanyuk, who was added to the case, was sentenced to two years of probation with additional restrictions.

Andrey Andreyev

• Born: 1976 (Kursk)

• Biography: Married Svetlana in 1999. Raised two daughters. Became interested in the Bible when he learned about the fulfillment of Bible prophecies. Baptized in 2002

Alevtina Bagratyan

• Born: 1977 (Kursk)

• Biography: Enjoyed art as a child. Began studying the Bible at an early age. Baptized in 1997. Married Artem in 2012. Has worked as a hairdresser while also caring for her mother

Artem Bagratyan

• Born: 1972 (Abovyan, Armenia)

• Biography: Emigrated from Armenia to Russia. Met Alevtina in Kursk. The couple share a love for creation. Baptized in 2000

Andrey Ryshkov

• Born: 1987 (Kursk)

• Biography: Father died when he was a boy. Spent much of his youth with his grandfather while his mother worked two jobs. Became interested in the Bible after finding answers to questions that troubled him for years. Baptized in 2011. Married Marina in 2016. Previously worked with apartment maintenance

Federal Security Service (FSB) agents conducted mass searches and interrogations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kursk on October 16, 2019. This resulted in the arrest of Brother Andrey Andreyev and the Bagratyans. Authorities then arrested Brother Ryshkov on January 21, 2020. Alevtina Bagratyan was released on December 17, 2020, after more than 13 months in the pretrial detention center. She is now under house arrest. The three brothers remain in the detention center.

Artem Bagratyan suffers from diabetes. Recalling the time when she and her husband were detained in separate cells, Alevtina says: “For a long time, I didn’t have the ability to find out how he was doing, if his health was worsening. I missed him immensely.”

Alevtina expresses that she remained confident that Jehovah would care for her and the brothers while they were detained. She explains: “[Jehovah] has always strengthened me. I know that he will continue to do so. I have no doubt in him.”

We are confident that Jehovah will continue to be a strong tower for our three brothers and sister as this trial continues.—Proverbs 18:10.