Following an official pardon from the president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Brother Teymur Akhmedov was released from custody on April 4, 2018. He had been imprisoned for a total of 441 days. Authorities had arrested him merely for sharing his religious beliefs with others.

Shortly after Teymur was released from prison, the Office of Public Information (OPI) at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Warwick, New York, spoke with him and his wife, Mafiza, who have now returned to their home in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. This is a condensed transcript of the conversation that has been edited for clarity.

OPI: To begin with, we would like to learn more about you, Brother Akhmedov. When did you become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Teymur Akhmedov: I was baptized on October 9, 2005. Before I learned the truth, I was an atheist. For many years, I didn’t believe in anyone or anything. Later, when my wife started to study, I was curious about the discussions she was having with the Witnesses. I used to stand behind the door and eavesdrop on their conversations.

When I learned about what they were studying, I was intrigued because they talked only about kind and good things. Eventually, the Witnesses introduced me to Brother Veslav, who was originally from Poland but was serving in Kazakhstan. During our first discussion, I told him: ‘I am going to ask you only one question. If I’m satisfied with your answer, we’ll be friends and continue our discussions. If, on the other hand, I don’t like your answer, no hard feelings but I will not continue our discussions.’ I then asked Brother Veslav what happens to the dead. He opened the Bible to Ecclesiastes 9:5 and said, ‘Read this verse and you’ll know what happens.’ When I read the verse, I realized that this was the truth. I agreed to meet him again and study the Bible.

So, you studied the Bible and were eventually baptized in 2005.

Now let’s fast forward to the events that preceded your arrest. In May 2016, you met a group of men who claimed to be interested in the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Over the course of a few months, you met with them several times to discuss the Bible. Looking back on those conversations, was there anything they said or did that appeared suspicious?

TA: Yes, I mentioned that Bible studies like this are typically conducted with individuals rather than a group. I recommended that they each study separately, but every time I suggested it, they refused and said that they liked the group discussions. Also, on a number of occasions, they would invite others to join the study and ask me to repeat what we had already discussed on the previous visit.

Mafiza Akhmedov: Once, I also sat in on their Bible study. I noticed that they were discussing different religions, although they had been studying for quite some time. I also noticed that the apartment they lived in was more expensive than most students could afford. I commented that they lived a rather opulent life for students. My comments clearly made them uncomfortable. When we were leaving, they pulled Teymur aside and, while I was waiting outside, told him not to bring me to the study anymore.

When did you find out that the men you were studying with weren’t interested in Jehovah’s Witnesses but were actually working with Kazakhstan’s secret police, the National Security Committee (KNB)?

TA: I only learned that they were cooperating with the KNB during the court hearing.

What was your reaction when you were arrested and then later charged with “inciting religious discord” and advocating “[religious] superiority”?

TA: Honestly, when I was arrested, I thought that they would escort me, as they said, to the police station in order to clarify the matter and then I would be released. I was ready to defend myself and explain what I discussed with them.

I was quite surprised by the turn of events, but I was not afraid. The accusations of inciting religious hatred and extremism were a big surprise to me. Jehovah’s Witnesses are people who share their knowledge of Jehovah and have never been associated with hatred or discord. I was firmly convinced that I was innocent and that Jehovah would support me. It’s true that I was worried, but I remembered the advice from the Bible, “throw all your anxiety on him [Jehovah], because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7.

As things developed, on May 2, 2017, after being in pretrial detention for over three months, a district court in Astana sentenced you to a five-year prison term and added a three-year ban on your participation in Bible education activities. How did that verdict affect you?

TA: When the court announced its decision, I resigned myself to accept the fact that I will have to serve the full term if necessary. My attitude was: ‘If this is a test, then Jehovah is in control of the timetable and he knows when it will end.’ I was determined to wait as long as it took.

We understand, though, that at the time you were imprisoned, you were battling a serious health condition. Is that correct?

TA: Yes, I was sick and undergoing treatments before being imprisoned. When I was arrested, my treatments were terminated and my disease started to progress.

Mafiza, how did you feel during this time?

MA: I was terrified and deeply depressed. It was even difficult for me to make decisions after Teymur was imprisoned because for the 38 years that we had been married, we’d never been separated from each other. But Teymur comforted me, saying: ‘Don’t worry! Jehovah will replace these 5 years of separation with 25 more years – even in this system of things!’

What else helped you during the time your husband was imprisoned?

MA: The brothers and sisters really helped me. When Teymur was put into prison, I honestly thought that everyone would be afraid to visit me because of the circumstances surrounding Teymur’s arrest. The KNB were monitoring our house and activities.

Then one day, an elder and his wife came to visit, and it was a tremendous boost for me. When I asked them, ‘Aren’t you afraid to come here?’ They responded, ‘Why would we be afraid? Nowadays, the authorities can track us through our phones. So if they want to, they can easily find us.’

On a shepherding visit, the elders encouraged me to avoid being overcome by the test and be spiritually strong.

Teymur, what helped you to endure this particular test and remain positive?

TA: Prayer to Jehovah! Every day I prayed for guidance, understanding, and strength so that I could remain joyful, loyal, and faithful during my difficulty. His answers to my prayers were obvious. He supported me, and I did not feel that I was alone in prison.

Bible reading also assisted me. In one of the prisons, I had a Bible available to me at all times. In another facility, a Bible was kept in the prison library, and I could go and read it once a week.

I also remembered the words of the brother who studied the Bible with me. He used to say that we should not be afraid of the challenges we face. I remember asking him: ‘Why should I not be afraid? What if the challenge is difficult and terrifying?’ He said that Jehovah will not allow us to be tested beyond what we can bear and he will give us the strength to overcome any trial. (1 Corinthians 10:13) So while in prison, I never forgot that Scriptural thought.

How did it make you feel when you found out that the brotherhood was aware of your situation and that brothers and sisters around the world were praying for you?

TA: I definitely felt that it was Jehovah’s hand because the organization belongs to him. This assured me that I wouldn’t be abandoned and one day Jehovah would rescue me.

Interestingly, prison was actually the thing that I feared the most. I was terrified of prisons. When I would read about our brothers in prisons, I used to pray, ‘Jehovah, please, anything but prison!’ But at the same time, I had a very strong desire to visit people in jail and talk to them about the truth. When I asked about engaging in prison witnessing, the brothers explained that at this time, we do not have permission to visit prisons in Kazakhstan. So when I faced my trial, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was afraid. But at the same time, I felt like my dream of being able to preach to prisoners was going to come true.

So did you get a chance to witness to some while you were in prison?

TA: Yes. On one occasion, I was summoned by a law-enforcement officer who wanted to speak with me. When I came into his office, he said, ‘I know that you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, so don’t even think about preaching to me!’ To which I replied, ‘I have no such intention.’ Then he asked, ‘What is God’s name?’ I said, ‘God’s name is Jehovah.’ He continued, ‘Then, who is Jesus? Isn’t he God?’ I said, ‘No, he is God’s son.’ He then asked, ‘Why, then, do Orthodox Christians believe he is God?’ And I said, ‘You should ask them about that.’

On another occasion, I was able to speak to about 40 or more people at the same time. A psychologist had come to the prison to visit the inmates. We were discussing marriage when she asked what we thought about polygamy. Everyone had an opportunity to share their opinion.

When it came time for me to speak, I said that I don’t have a personal opinion on this, but I really like the opinion of another person on this topic, which I would like to share. Then I said: ‘That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh.’ (Genesis 2:24) The psychologist asked, ‘Whose opinion is that?’ To which I replied, ‘It is the opinion of Jehovah God, the one who created mankind. It mentions only two people; no more.’

She then asked, ‘Do you have any other reasons why you think that a man should have only one wife?’ I quoted Matthew 7:12, where it is written: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.” I said: ‘These are the words of Jesus. Please ask these gentlemen who are sitting in the hall if they would like to share their wife with somebody else. If men do not want their wives to have another husband, then certainly women do not want their husbands to have multiple wives.’ The psychologist said that out of all the responses she liked my answer the most.

How encouraging to know that despite your difficult circumstances, you found opportunities to preach to those around you!

After the courts rejected multiple appeals for your release, including an appeal to Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court, it appeared that from a legal standpoint, all options had been exhausted.

Yet, you did have an opportunity to be released if you signed a confession. Would you tell us about that opportunity and why you refused to sign?

TA: Well, they actually offered the proposal a few times. Although it appeared to be an act of kindness, it was actually a document that stated I was guilty of the charges brought against me and that I apologized for my actions. Later, I was offered the option of writing my own confession and requesting a pardon. The authorities instructed me to write that I made a mistake by speaking to others about my beliefs but that I was now sorry for my actions and was requesting to be released because of my health condition.

I refused all such confessions of guilt and told the authorities that I would rather sit in prison with a clear conscience than be released with a guilty one.

We certainly appreciate your example of faith and refusal to violate your conscience.

Eventually, though, there was an unexpected turn of events. Would you please tell us how you learned that you would be pardoned and released from prison?

TA: One day a guard came to my ward to inform me that I had a phone call. I remember thinking, ‘Who would call me?’ When I picked up the phone, a woman introduced herself and said that she would be coming to the prison to release me. I really didn’t know how to react to the phone call. So after she hung up, I decided to tell my son about it, since I didn’t want to shock my wife with the news or give her a false hope.

After I hung up the phone, the guard asked me, ‘What did they tell you on the phone?’ I told him that someone must be playing a joke on me, since the woman on the phone just told me that she is coming to the prison to release me.

The guard replied that she was not joking and that what she said was true.

Mafiza, how did you react to this exciting news?

MA: When my son relayed the news to me, I also thought it was a joke. We had been waiting for this news for so long!

We can only imagine how you both must have felt when you were reunited over a year after Teymur was arrested!

Now, looking back, what have you learned from this test of your faith?

MA: I remember how I used to cry about the situation of Brother Bahram [Hemdemov] and [Sister] Gulzira Hemdemov. [Brother Hemdemov was arrested in March 2015 by authorities in Turkmenistan. On May 19, 2015, he was sentenced to four years in prison on fabricated charges of “inciting religious hatred” and has yet to be released.] Even before Teymur’s arrest, I thought about how difficult it must be for Gulzira. Now, I would like to hug her and send her my warm love and support. Having been through this challenge with Teymur, I would like to tell her that I sympathize with her pain. I know that, like me, she depends on the support of Jehovah and the brothers.

I am very grateful to all of the brothers who supported us, the brothers in our congregation and in all the congregations around the world, the Governing Body, the lawyers, and our sons.

TA: I can say only one thing. Everyone has tests that they must face. Of course, not everyone will have a test of imprisonment. For some, the test may be persecution from an unbelieving family member. For others, maybe it is dealing with a brother or sister in the congregation who is difficult to get along with. Whatever our challenge or test, we each have a choice whether to stand by God’s principles or ignore them. If we stand by the principles, then we can get through the test successfully. The best thing to do is to accept our tests and remember that Jehovah will give us the strength to get through them.

I am very thankful to my family and my sons, who supported me. They used every opportunity to visit me, and it helped me to remain strong.

Additionally, I want to thank our brotherhood for all that they did. I appreciated their prayers, and their encouraging letters. I did not feel abandoned for one minute. What has happened to me has increased my love for the brotherhood and strengthened my relationship with Jehovah.