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, homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Moscow and Lyubertsy near Moscow. The day before, a criminal case was initiated against Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kislaya, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov. The reason was conversations about the Bible with Olga Grigoriyeva, who feigned an interest. The believers were charged with participating in the activity of an extremist organization and involving others in it. Later, Murtuzov, Korol and Petrochenko were sent to a pretrial detention center, and Kislaya and Ivanova were placed under house arrest. In May 2025, Tatyana Levitskaya’s house was searched. She was placed under house arrest. In October, Korol was also transferred to house arrest. The case went to court in December. In August 2026, the verdict was announced — 5 years in a penal colony and 2 years restriction of freedom for Murtuzov and Petrochenko; 4 years of forced labor and 2 years restriction of freedom for Ivanova, Kislaya, and Korol; and 3 years and 8 months of forced labor and 6 months restriction of freedom for Levitskaya.
