DECEMBER 6, 2023 | UPDATED: MARCH 7, 2025
RUSSIA

UPDATE—BROTHER IMPRISONED | “No Trial Can Break True Faith”

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On March 6, 2025, the Kaltanskiy District Court of the Kemerovo Region convicted Brother Aleksandr Tsikunov and sentenced him to six years in prison. He was taken into custody from the courtroom.

Profile

Aleksandr Tsikunov

Born: 1967 (Kaltan)

Biography: Worked as a civil engineer

Married Yelena in 1989

Was an atheist. Introduced to the Bible by a coworker who was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Aleksandr read the entire Bible in six months before accepting a study. Baptized in 1997. Shared the truth with his mother, his older sister, and his wife, who all became Jehovah’s Witnesses

Personal Comments

What Bible account has taken on greater significance for you during this challenging time?

I have been very encouraged by the example of the prophet Daniel. At Daniel 6:4, 5, it says: “At that time the high officials and the satraps were seeking to find some grounds for accusation against Daniel respecting matters of state, but they could find no grounds for accusation or anything corrupt, for he was trustworthy and no negligence or corruption could be found in him. These men then said: ‘We will find in this Daniel no grounds for accusation at all, unless we find it against him in the law of his God.’” They had no real case against Daniel, so they had to create one based on his loyalty and worship to God. They put him under surveillance, waiting to trap him. But he continued to worship Jehovah as he had always done. Daniel proved what has been true throughout all history: No trial can break true faith. This example has motivated me to stay as active as I can in my own worship of Jehovah.

How grateful we are for the many examples of loyalty that remind us that no one who rests his faith on Jehovah and his Son, Jesus Christ, will be disappointed.—Romans 10:11.

Time Line

April 27, 2021

Criminal case initiated
May 2, 2021

Home searched. Detained and sent to pretrial detention
May 4, 2021

Released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest
June 24, 2021

Released from house arrest and placed under travel restrictions
July 25, 2023

Criminal trial began

Jehovah’s Witnesses