Biography
After a series of searches in Irkutsk in October 2021, 63-year-old Nikolay Martynov was detained for his faith. For 20 years he practiced a religion that the authorities recognized as peaceful and legal, but later declared "extremist."
Nikolay was born in 1958 into a large family: he has six brothers and sisters. The family lived in the village of Bandarka (Irkutsk region). As a child, Nikolay often went fishing with his father. After school, he studied at a vocational school as a combine operator and driver, which he worked for all his life.
In 1982, Nikolay married Irina. She is a cook by profession and worked in a kindergarten. Now Irina is retired and loves to bake homemade bread. In 1997, she met believers and began reading the Bible. New knowledge prompted Irina to leave the position in which she was forced to act dishonestly. Soon his husband also showed interest in the Bible: the fulfilling Bible prophecies convinced Nikolay that this book can be trusted. The couple later became Christians together.
Nikolay and Irina have two adult children, whom they raised in accordance with the principles from the Holy Scriptures. The son is an individual entrepreneur. In his leisure time, he enjoys snowboarding. The daughter works as a laboratory assistant at the university. The family enjoys spending time in nature. Nikolay still loves fishing, and also pleases loved ones by playing the accordion.
The life of a friendly family, whose members are used to doing everything together, has changed a lot after Nikolay's detention. His health deteriorated, a chronic illness worsened, which made it difficult for him to speak. Relatives who do not share Nikolay's convictions are concerned about his unfair persecution.