Andrey Stupnikov Released From Prison — His Persecution for Faith Lasted Seven and a Half Years

"December is now my favorite month," said Andrey Stupnikov, anticipating his release. The long-awaited day came on December 15, 2025. His first moments of freedom were shared with his wife Olga and their friends, who last saw each other outside prison about 4.5 years ago.

Andrey served his sentence in Penal Colony No. 5 in Kirovo-Chepetsk. During his imprisonment, Stupnikov was hospitalized twice. The believer described that period as one of the most difficult: "Everything seemed to coincide," he said, "the most serious health problems and the greatest pressure from the facility's staff. For two months they recorded all sorts of [artificially created] violations, issued reprimands, and conducted additional searches in the cell." Some of the fabricated penalties even made Andrey and those around him smile: "Later, many joked that I was probably the only person who had never smoked but was written up for 'smoking in a prohibited area.' We understood it was completely unfair, but we had to learn to react calmly."

Stupnikov worked in the sewing workshop six days a week. To restore his emotional strength, read the Bible, and pray in peace, Andrey would wake up at 4--5 a.m. Also, because he was convicted under a serious article, the administration placed him on a preventive register as "prone to escape." For him, this meant checks every two hours, including at night.

Bible education and a sense of humor helped Andrey endure the hardships of imprisonment. He noted that it was important for him to behave confidently, "like a victor, not a victim." Over time, his conduct earned him respect from the administration and other inmates, who addressed him by his full name and patronymic. One of them described Stupnikov as "a man with a capital M." The head of the colony repeatedly told Andrey: "If Jehovah's Witnesses are working, you don't have to worry about the quality of the work."

Andrey's persecution also affected his wife. "We've been married for 32 years. During that time, we became like one person and never parted for long. Because of the separation, half of me seemed to stop existing. I was afraid I would give up. During the day, I tried to keep busy with various tasks, but the evening and night were a torture by loneliness," Olga Stupnikova said about that period of her life. The pain of separation was worsened by the thought that all correspondence with her imprisoned husband was censored. "Extended visits every three months were a great support for us," Olga recalls. "Only there could we talk about what was dear and important to us."

In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a total of 36 Jehovah's Witnesses have faced criminal prosecution; at present, six men remain behind bars, including elderly ones.