Five Jehovah's Witnesses Complete Prison Sentences in Russia

Five Jehovah's Witnesses were released from prison in Russia during September 2026 after completing sentences that included pretrial detention and house arrest periods, according to jw.org. The releases involved Maksim Derendyaev, Igor Popov, Nikolay Saparov, Denis Sarazhakov, and Igor Shmidt.

Maksim Derendyaev was released on September 22, 2026, after more than seven months in pretrial detention and two months under house arrest. According to jw.org, he was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison on May 13, 2024.

Derendyaev and his wife, Tatyana, said they focused on positive experiences during the legal process.

"Jehovah always balances the negatives with positives. In our case, we saw Jehovah’s hand in action many times, felt him near us, and experienced his comfort in difficult situations. Looking back, we would not trade away those difficult experiences, because we would also lose the blessings that came with them. Experiencing all of that personally is worth everything," said Tatyana.

Igor Popov was also released on September 22, 2026, after more than three years in detention. He was convicted and sentenced to six years and four months in prison on March 5, 2024, according to jw.org.

Popov spent almost two and a half years in solitary confinement while awaiting trial and described that period as his most difficult experience.

"That was the hardest stretch of my time in prison," said Igor Popov.

Popov later explained that support from a letter about other imprisoned brothers and sisters helped him regain strength.

"I hit a very low point emotionally and started feeling useless—like I was just sitting there doing nothing. Then a letter arrived describing teenagers in another country who had faced serious threats because of their neutrality. When asked what helped them to endure, they pointed to the example of brothers and sisters imprisoned in Russia.

That really touched my heart and gave me exactly the boost I needed. I saw that as a powerful answer to my prayers. That is one of many times I felt as if Jehovah took me in his arms and embraced me.

He has truly become my Father," said Igor Popov.

Nikolay Saparov was released on September 22, 2026, after three years in detention. He received a six-year sentence on January 17, 2024, and said separation from his wife and daughter was the hardest part of imprisonment.

Saparov described the effort his wife made to visit him throughout his detention.

"I kept track of the distance Nataliya traveled back and forth to visit me. It added up to 25,640 kilometers (15,932 mi). That is nearly two thirds of the way around the world!" said Nikolay Saparov.

Nataliya said her husband tried to maintain his religious principles while imprisoned and gained respect from other prisoners and officials.

"Nikolay said that no matter the situation, the most important thing for him was to be a Christian. He wanted it to be obvious to everyone. His reputation in prison was remarkable.

Other prisoners even competed to get assigned to the same cell as him. And when I would visit, the officials made things easier for me because of their respect for Nikolay," said Nataliya.

She added that she viewed his conduct during imprisonment as meaningful.

"It is a precious privilege to bring glory to Jehovah in this way," said Nataliya.

Denis Sarazhakov was released on September 22, 2026, after more than three years in detention. He was sentenced to six years and four months in prison on March 5, 2024, according to jw.org.

Sarazhakov said the prison environment created daily challenges and that he relied on his faith during his sentence.

"It was like landing in a previous century," said Denis Sarazhakov.

He also described the difficulty of living among people with different values while maintaining his own beliefs.

"But more than that, being surrounded, day after day, by people who live by their own rules was very hard. I had no intention of fitting in with them. It was not easy to continue letting Bible principles guide me.

I know that without Jehovah’s support, I would not have endured. I am convinced he was leading me by the hand every day," said Denis Sarazhakov.

Igor Shmidt was released on September 7, 2026, after more than eight months in pretrial detention and seven months under house arrest. He was sentenced to six years in prison on October 22, 2021.

Shmidt said focusing on daily challenges helped him manage fears about the future.

"I often found myself painting a frightening picture in my mind before anything had even happened. But Jesus taught that each day has enough of its own anxieties. So rather than trying to plan too far ahead, I learned to live each day with dignity.

Maintaining a prayerful disposition was vital. When I pictured something good, things immediately felt easier. In the end, everything worked out fine," said Igor Shmidt.