Acts of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Modern Times

Russia

The story of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia is one of faith and courage, a story of unflinching loyalty to God in the face of harsh and relentless opposition. Exile, imprisonment, forced labor​—nothing could silence the Witnesses or break their spirit.

The history is not a somber one. Those who put their faith in Jehovah expected persecution. They did not pity themselves but saw in adversity the opportunity to prove their loyalty to God. “When our sentences were read,” said one brother, “none of my Bible students panicked. I was so happy about that! All four of them were sentenced to 25 years in the camps. I was given a harsher sentence . . . We stopped to thank Jehovah for supporting us. The guards were astonished, wondering what we were happy about.”

Read about the girl who discovered the truth in letters tied to stones thrown over a prison fence. Learn how imprisoned ones kept themselves spiritually strong. See what happened when Witness parents were falsely accused of tearing off their daughter’s ear.

The decades of ban are only part of the story. In the past 20 years, the number of Witnesses has increased dramatically throughout this vast land. See how the brothers faced and overcame the new challenges associated with phenomenal growth. For the first time since the year 1975, we are pleased to devote the entire historical section of the Yearbook to just one country​—Russia.