Name: Mamedov Salekh Yaser Ogly
Date of Birth: June 19, 1994
Current status: suspect
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)

Biography

Criminal prosecution for faith changed the usual way of life of Salekh Mamedov and his wife. Because of his faith, in June 2023, a criminal case was initiated against the man under an extremist article.

Salekh was born in June 1994 in Simferopol. He has two brothers and a sister. His father works as a civil engineer, and his mother teaches English and French.

As a child, Salekh was fond of cars—he drew them and read magazines about them. He was also involved in athletics, loved to ride a bicycle with friends, listen to music. After school he learned to be a car mechanic.

Salekh worked mainly in the field of trade, for the last 4 years he was engaged in repairing watches, making keys and laser engraving.

Salekh's mother instilled in him a love of God from childhood. When he grew up, he became convinced that everything written in the Bible is relevant for a modern person, and the advice from this book is practical. "They helped me avoid a lot of mistakes," Salekh recalls. In 2010, he made the decision to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Salekh had known his future wife since his youth. They got married in 2020. Diana works as a hairdresser. She shares her husband's views on life. As a teenager, she was impressed by the fact that the Bible could answer any question.

The couple enjoys learning new recipes, spending time with friends and cooking over a campfire. They love to take walks, listen to music, go to the sea with an overnight stay.

Salekh's relatives, including those who do not share his religious views, as well as neighbors, his employer and acquaintances, wonder why a peaceful and decent person is persecuted for believing in God.

Case History

In October 2023, the Investigative Committee separated the case against Viktor Mani and other believers into separate criminal proceedings. The men were accused of organizing the activities of an extremist organization, as well as financing it. A year earlier, security forces conducted mass searches in the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses from several cities in Crimea.