Biography
Igor Popov is one of the believers from Irkutsk who ended up in a pretrial detention center in October 2021. After the searches, he learned that he was charged with a serious crime only for talking about the Bible. The court sentenced Popov to imprisonment in a penal colony. The believer was released in the fall of 2026, having spent more than 4.5 years behind bars.
Igor was born in September 1987 in the village of Uzun-Agach (Kazakhstan) in a large family. His father died in 1998, and his mother had to raise 8 children on her own.
During his school years, Igor was fond of skiing and volleyball, participated in competitions. Later, he took up running, strength training, and playing the harmonica.
After school, Igor moved to Omsk, where he immediately got a job. He worked as a janitor, plumber, and was engaged in finishing work.
When Igor's parents became interested in the Bible and began to study this book in the early 1990s, they were happy to share new knowledge with their children: they talked about Bible teachings about the resurrection of the dead and a wonderful future. At the age of 18, Igor himself took up seriously studying the Bible and a year later embarked on the Christian path.
In the Omsk region, Igor met his future wife, Mangira. They got married in 2013. Igor's wife is a hairdresser. She is fond of drawing and sewing.
The persecution Igor faced was a blow to his entire family. Relatives, including those who do not share his beliefs, do not understand how such a meek and kind person was equated with criminals.