Murtuzov Zaur

Name: Murtuzov Zaur Borisovich
Date of Birth: January 22, 1977
Current status: accused
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (2)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 17 day in a pre-trial detention
Current restrictions: detention center
Currently held in: Detention Center No.1 for Moscow
Address for correspondence: Murtuzov Zaur Borisovich, born 1977, Detention Center No.1 for Moscow, Ul. Matrosskaya Tishina, 18, Moscow, 107996

Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the «FSIN-letter system». To pay for service with the card of a foreign bank use Prisonmail.

Note: discussing topics related to criminal prosecution is not allowed in letters; languages other than Russian will not pass.

Biography

In December 2024, security forces conducted searches in eight homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow and the Moscow Region including Zaur Murtuzov. After the search, he was detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center because of his faith in Jehovah God.

Zaur was born in 1977 in Baku (Azerbaijan). His father worked as a builder and his mother as an engineer. As a child, Zaur was fond of photography, played chess, boxed in the "Dynamo" sports society.

Later, Zaur became interested in physics and mathematics, and after the 9th grade he went to study at the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum. Then he entered the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. While studying at the university, Zaur graduated from a music school as an external student, majoring in guitar. Before the criminal prosecution, he worked in the field of warehouse logistics, as well as remotely.

Zaur likes to devote his free time to his nephews, organize their leisure time while his parents are at work. He also loves to play the guitar and sing.

Case History

In December 2024, searches were carried out at least 8 addresses of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow and Lyubertsy near Moscow. The day before, the Moscow Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kislaya, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov. The reason for initiating the case was their conversations about the Bible with Olga Grigoryeva, who feigned interest in this book. Five of Jehovah’s Witnesses are accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving other persons in it. Later, Murtuzov, Korol and Petrochenko were sent to a pre-trial detention center, and Kislaya and Ivanova were placed under house arrest.
Timeline
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