NOVEMBER 8, 2022 | UPDATED: JANUARY 22, 2024
RUSSIA

UPDATE—BROTHER IMPRISONED | Prayer and Bible Reading Strengthen Endurance

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On January 17, 2024, the Maykop City Court of the Republic of Adygeya convicted Brother Nikolay Saparov and sentenced him to six years in prison. He has been in pretrial detention since March 2022 and will remain in custody.

Time Line

March 22, 2022

Criminal case was initiated
March 23, 2022

Nikolay was arrested while at the airport with his wife and daughter. After questioning, authorities charged him with organizing the activities of an extremist organization. He was then sent to a temporary detention center. A search was later conducted at his home
March 24, 2022

Nikolay was transferred to a pretrial detention center
May 19, 2022

Criminal trial began

Profile

Nikolay Saparov

Born: 1981 (Saint Petersburg, Leningrad Region)

Biography: Worked as a supervisor for a trading company

Baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1997. Married Nataliya in 2004. They have one daughter

Personal Comments from Nikolay’s wife, Nataliya a

What helps Nikolay to cope while in pretrial detention?

Over the course of three months, Nikolay managed to read through the entire Bible twice. His mood is very upbeat. He is praying a lot and says that he has developed a much closer relationship with Jehovah. Although Nikolay has not received our letters, we do regularly receive his. He expresses so much love and care for us! And he shares the things he has been meditating on and how Jehovah is supporting him.

What is helping you to endure?

We have only been allowed one visitation since he was detained. Being separated is very challenging. I wake up each morning with tears in my eyes, knowing that I have to spend yet another day without my beloved husband. So the first thing I do is pray until I start to feel better. Then I set aside at least one hour for my personal Bible reading. Because of this, I have a special sense of how near Jehovah is to me.

The example of the Saparov family reminds us that Jehovah will always hear when his faithful servants “cry for help.”—Psalm 119:147.

a During the preparation of this article, Brother Saparov was in pretrial detention and it was not possible to obtain his personal comments.

Jehovah’s Witnesses

UPDATE—BROTHER IMPRISONED | Prayer and Bible Reading Strengthen Endurance

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