On November 30, 2022, Brother Sergey Polyakov was released from prison after satisfying his three-year sentence. Since his arrest on July 4, 2018, he has endured various forms of detention, including five months in solitary confinement.

Sergey spent the last 16 months of imprisonment in a penal colony in the city of Valday, some 3,000 kilometers (1,800 mi) from his home. He was known as a prisoner with great faith and gained the respect of the staff members and inmates. During his incarceration, Sergey was encouraged by the many letters he received from friends and relatives. He would often receive more letters in a day than the entire colony of around 250 people.

Upon his release, Sergey was reunited with his wife, Anastasia. Anastasia was also subjected to five months in solitary confinement. She was subsequently convicted and given a suspended prison sentence for practicing her faith. The Polyakovs were the first married couple jailed following the 2017 Supreme Court ruling criminalizing the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Over 100 brothers and sisters remain in prison in Russia and Crimea. We are confident that Jehovah will continue to support those who ‘endure hardship and suffer unjustly because of conscience toward God.’—1 Peter 2:19.