Jehovah's Witness from Sevastopol, Vladimir Sakada, Served his Sentence: "I'm no Longer Confined by Walls"

On August 3, 2026, Vladimir Sakada, 55, left penal colony No. 5 in the Kaluga Region. He was the last of three Jehovah's Witnesses from Sevastopol, convicted in the same case ,to be released.

"I'm so happy to meet my friends. I'm no longer confined by walls, now I'm free," Vladimir said.

Behind bars, Sakada faced difficulties in receiving medical care. "I developed an illness while in custody. The penal colony lacked the conditions for adequate medical care, there was insufficient staff, and no means of taking me out for treatment," Vladimir explained. He tried to be seen by a doctor for several months and his illness worsened. Only 2 months after he finally underwent the long-awaited surgery, he was placed in a punishment cell for 15 days.

Prison life was not without difficulties, but Vladimir tried to find solutions: his cellmates agreed to smoke only in designated areas, he went outdoors more often, added spices to his food, and did not eat the poor-quality bread served in the cafeteria.

Every 3 months, Vladimir's wife, Svetlana, traveled about 2,000 kilometers to visit him. The couple made an agreement to pray at the same time every day. "God is the main cord connecting us, since we both trust Him and love Him very much," Svetlana explained.

The criminal case against Vladimir Sakada, Yevgeniy Zhukov, and Vladimir Maladyka was initiated in the fall of 2020. The men were charged with organizing the activity of an extremist organization. Each was given 6 years' imprisonment.