Konstantin Sannikov, a 55-year-old father of four, was reunited with his family at the gates of his penal colony in Almetyevsk after five years of separation. On September 10, 2025, he served a sentence imposed by a court for his religious beliefs as one of Jehovah's Witness.
"In our letters, my wife, Ira, and I likened being in prison to such a long opaque glass," Konstantin recalls. "It was as if we saw only the outlines of each other and walked along it: she on one side, me on the other side. Saying to each other, "It will end someday." And finally, we met and hugged."
The first two years behind bars were spent in isolation from his family: the investigator did not give him any visits or phone calls. Konstantin's daughter, Margarita, recalls: "Dad was missing at dinner, his advice and hugs were missed." The only way to communicate was letters, which became a "breath of fresh air" for the Sannikovs. Not only Konstantin's his family wrote to him, but also hundreds of other caring people from different countries and territories did. They tried to deprive him of this joy - once the staff of the pre-trial detention center ordered the believer to refuse in writing to receive any correspondence, except from his relatives. Konstantin refused. After that, he was placed in a special cell, where loud music was played continuously for three days and nights. "I didn't know how long I would last before going crazy," the believer recalls.
According to the memoirs of Konstantin and his family, the first year of imprisonment was the hardest. The believer was kept in overcrowded cells of the pre-trial detention center, he had to sleep in turns — there were not enough beds. For six months Sannikov suffered from attacks of hypertension. "I couldn't even tilt my head to look at the letter," he recalls. Only thanks to the efforts of relatives, it was possible to get the necessary medicines.
The believer's wife said that during these years their friends were their support. They were interested in how things were going, helped financially, gave food, wrote cards, sent flowers to Irina. "It was a real concern. We are very grateful," says Irina.
Looking back, Sannikov noted that it was his faith that put him behind bars that helped him survive. "I can say for sure that I have never had such a strong relationship with Jehovah God."
Konstantin Sannikov was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in February 2023 on the basis of charges of extremism. Taking into account the time of imprisonment in the pre-trial detention center, his term of imprisonment is considered to have been served, but the additional punishment in the form of restriction of freedom for 1 year remains in force. Two more believers from Tatarstan remain in prison for their beliefs.
