Saparov Nikolay

Name: Saparov Nikolay Vladimirovich
Date of Birth: December 24, 1981
Current status: main sentence served
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 1091 day in a pre-trial detention, 551 day in prison
Current restrictions: restriction of freedom
Sentence: imprisonment for 6 years in a general regime penal colony, with deprivation of the right to engage in educational activities, as well as activities related to leadership and participation in religious public associations and organizations, for a period of 4 years, with restriction of liberty for a period of 1 year
Released: September 21, 2026

Biography

In March 2022, the close-knit Saparov family's life changed dramatically when its head, Nikolay, was arrested for his faith in Jehovah God. For nearly 4.5 years, the believer's wife was deprived of the support of her beloved husband and best friend, and their underage daughter lost “the best dad in the world.” In September 2026, Saparov was released.

Nikolay was born in December 1981 in St. Petersburg. He has two brothers. From a young age, Nikolay has been fond of various sports: hockey, tennis, basketball, football, and volleyball.

Nikolay graduated with honors from the St. Petersburg College of Economics and Technology with a degree in Economics and Accounting. After that, he studied at the St. Petersburg State University of Water Communications. Later, Nikolay moved to Nizhny Novgorod and then to Maykop. Most recently he worked as a supervisor in a trading company.

Nikolay's mother was the first in the family to study the Bible. Over time, in 1997, he made the decision to devote his life to serving God. In 2004, Nikolay married Natalya, whom he met through common religious values. At one time, she was touched by the biblical teaching about eternal life in paradise on earth. Natalya works as a hairdresser, is fond of cooking, sewing and knitting.

In 2005, the couple had a daughter. She studies at a gymnasium and an art school, and is engaged in athletics. Before Nikolay was arrested, the family often spent time together, and the daughter especially enjoyed playing volleyball with her father.

Violence by law enforcement officers

Case History

In March 2022, Nikolay Saparov, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Maykop, was detained while at the Mineralnye Vody airport with his wife and underage daughter. Physical force was used against the believer — an electric shock device was applied. That same day, a search of the Saparovs’ apartment was conducted. Nikolay spent 2 days in a temporary detention facility, after which he was placed in a pretrial detention center, where he spent 3 years. He was added to the Rosfinmonitoring list and charged with organizing the activity of a banned organization. The investigation qualified peaceful meetings for worship, which were not prohibited by a court, as criminal acts. In May 2022, the case went to court. In January 2024, the court sentenced the believer to 6 years in a general regime penal colony. Nikolay served this sentence and was released in September 2026.
Timeline
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