Served Sentences

"The Most Precious Thing Cannot Be Taken Away by People" — Four Jehovah's Witnesses Released from Penal Colonies in Several Regions of Russia

Udmurtia,   Irkutsk Region,   Adygea,   Chuvashia,   Buryatia,   Altai Territory,   Leningrad Region

On September 22, 2026, Maksim Derendyaev, Denis Sarazhakov, Igor Popov, and Nikolay Saparov — Jehovah's Witnesses convicted under Article 282.2(1) of the RF CrC — were released from penal colonies in Chuvashia, Buryatia, Altai Territory, and Leningrad Region. For practicing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, they spent from 2.5 to almost 5 years in custody.

Igor Popov

“I feel as if these 5 years never happened. When I saw my loved ones — my beloved wife, my friends — all former difficulties paled into insignificance… First of all, I want to spend time with my beloved wife, that is the most important thing. And also — to go to the banya, I dreamed about that too.”

Igor, a 39-year-old Jehovah's Witness from Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo Region. In November 2021, he was arrested and transferred to Irkutsk — 1,500 kilometers from home. When the verdict — 6 years and 4 months' imprisonment — entered into force, Igor was transferred to penal colony No. 5 for the Altai Territory.

"He was treated differently in prison," recalls Mangira, Igor’s wife. "There were those who did not accept him because he is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses; then Igor won them over by his example. One of them observed how honestly Igor worked, and when he was released, he hugged him and apologized for the way he treated him." Igor was able to keep his determination thanks to his relationship with God, physical exercise, and the support of his fellow believers.

Denis Sarazhakov

“It felt like I had ended up in the last century — everything was old, there was constant cold, no cleanliness. And the environment… Staying true to God’s principles in such conditions is very difficult, but Jehovah led me by the hand every day.”

Denis, a 38-year-old Jehovah’s Witness from Khakassia, was prosecuted in the same criminal case as Popov. Denis served his sentence in penal colony No. 1 for the Republic of Buryatia. There, he worked first in the joinery workshop and then in the souvenir workshop. The administration gave Denis two awards: for making toys for an orphanage and for winning a prize in a table tennis tournament.

Denis regularly received letters from family and friends. They supported him not only emotionally but also practically: the mattresses in the colony are thin, so Denis used their letters as extra bedding.

Maksim Derendyaev

“Letters, especially from abroad, really kept me going — of course, it is more difficult to reply to them, but that is exactly what made it so helpful. There were people on the outside who provided support. Friends helped make gifts for my wife, so she felt that I was close.”

Maksim, a 40-year-old resident of Izhevsk, spent just over 2.5 years behind bars. The verdict against him — 3 years in a penal colony — was handed down in May 2024. Since February 2025, Maksim was held in penal colony No. 1 for the Chuvash Republic. While in custody, Maksim took part in a contest on Bible knowledge held in that region and took first place.

"When you lose everything, you realize that in reality, a person does not need much to live — a bowl and a spoon. My attitude toward many material things has changed. The most precious thing cannot be taken away by people — that is prayer and friendship with God," Maksim and his wife Tatyana concluded.

Nikolay Saparov

“Separation from my wife — that was the hardest. Natasha came to see me. I even kept a log of how many kilometers she travelled for visits and parcels: 25,640 kilometers.”

Nikolay, a 44-year-old resident of Maykop; married to Natalya, the couple have a daughter. Nikolay had been in custody since March 2022. Upon his arrest, force was used against him to coerce him into confessing to extremism. The court sentenced Nikolay to 6 years in a penal colony. In his last year, he was held in penal colony No. 5 for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. "Kolia enjoyed a very good reputation wherever he was — among both inmates and the administration. Some even tried to get transferred to his cell on purpose. Prisoners told him that there was a 'tender' for him," Natalya said.

As of September 22, 2026, almost 170 Jehovah's Witnesses remain behind bars.

The Case of Saparov in Maykop

Case History
In March 2022, Nikolay Saparov, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Maykop, was detained while at the Mineralnye Vody airport with his wife and underage daughter. Physical force was used against the believer — an electric shock device was applied. That same day, a search of the Saparovs’ apartment was conducted. Nikolay spent 2 days in a temporary detention facility, after which he was placed in a pretrial detention center, where he spent 3 years. He was added to the Rosfinmonitoring list and charged with organizing the activity of a banned organization. The investigation qualified peaceful meetings for worship, which were not prohibited by a court, as criminal acts. In May 2022, the case went to court. In January 2024, the court sentenced the believer to 6 years in a general regime penal colony. Nikolay served this sentence and was released in September 2026.
Timeline

Persons in case

Saparov
Nikolay

Criminal case

Region:
Adygea
Locality:
Maykop
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, he "commits actions of an organizational nature... expressed in meetings using the Internet... coordinating talks and meetings for worship."
Court case number:
12202790002000038
Initiated:
March 22, 2022
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Department for the City of Maykop of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Adygea
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-14/2024 (1-43/2023; 1-421/2022)
Court:
Maykop City Court of the Republic of Adygea
Judge:
Zaubriy Birzhev
Case History

The Case of Martynov and Others in Irkutsk

Case History
In October 2021, a series of searches took place in Irkutsk and the region, accompanied by raids and brutal beatings of peaceful believers. Jehovah’s Witnesses Yaroslav Kalin, Sergey Kosteyev, Nikolay Martynov, Mikhail Moysha, Aleksey Solnechnyy, Andrey Tolmachev, and Sergey Vasilyev were charged with extremism solely for their faith. After the searches and interrogations, 6 of them were detained and sent to a pretrial detention center, while one was placed under house arrest. Two months later, law enforcement officers conducted 2 more searches: in the village of Askiz (Republic of Khakassia) at the home of Denis Sarazhakov and in the town of Mezhdurechensk (Kemerovo Region) at the home of Igor Popov. Both were arrested, taken over 1,500 km to Irkutsk, and also placed in custody. In December 2022, the case went to court. In March 2024, the court sentenced them to between 3 and 7 years’ imprisonment in a general regime penal colony. Higher courts upheld the verdict. In September 2026, Popov and Sarazhakov were released.
Timeline

Persons in case

Kalin
Yaroslav
Kosteyev
Sergey
Martynov
Nikolay
Moysh
Mikhail
Popov
Igor
Sarazhakov
Denis
Solnechny
Aleksey
Tolmachev
Andrey
Vasiliyev
Sergey

Criminal case

Region:
Irkutsk Region
Locality:
Irkutsk
Suspected of:
being "adherents of the religious association 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia', organized collective religious meetings for worship, consisting of singing songs and praying to Jehovah God, and studying articles" (from the decision to charge)
Court case number:
12102250040000051
Initiated:
October 4, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Second Investigative Department of the Third Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Irkutsk Region
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)
Court case number:
1-6/2024 (1-105/2023; 1-857/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Oktyabrskiy District Court of the city of Irkutsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Andrey Slavinskiy
Case History

The Case of Derendyaev and Others in Izhevsk

Case History
In the spring of 2021, a criminal case was initiated against 3 believers from Izhevsk for organizing the activity of an extremist organization. The next day, FSB and Investigative Committee officers conducted mass searches in the city and interrogated 14 people. Maksim Derendyaev and Aleksandr Kutin were detained and placed in a pretrial detention center; a ban on certain actions was imposed on Sergey Ashikhmin. Later, the preventive measure for Kutin and Derendyaev was softened. In February 2022, the case against the 3 men went to court. It was based in part on the testimony of secret witnesses. In May 2024, the court sentenced each believer to 3 years in a general regime penal colony. The court of appeal agreed with the sentence imposed. In September 2026, Maksim Derendyaev was released.
Timeline

Persons in case

Ashikhmin
Sergey
Derendyaev
Maksim
Kutin
Aleksandr

Criminal case

Region:
Udmurtia
Locality:
Izhevsk
Suspected of:
According to the investigation, the believers agreed actions and coordinated their efforts to organize the preaching work and spreading the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses in Izhevsk
Court case number:
12102940001001701
Initiated:
April 13, 2021
Current case stage:
the verdict entered into force
Investigating:
Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Udmurt Republic
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation:
282.2 (1)
Court case number:
1-7/2024 (1-18/2023; 1-233/2022)
Court of First Instance:
Pervomayskiy District Court of the City of Izhevsk
Judge of the Court of First Instance:
Marina Khokhryakova
Case History
Back to top