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, at least 8 addresses of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Moscow and Lyubertsy near Moscow. The day before, the Moscow Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Oksana Ivanova, Larisa Kislaya, Liliana Korol, Darya Petrochenko and Zaur Murtuzov. The reason was the conversations of believers about the Bible with Olga Grigoriyeva, who imitated an interest in this book. Five Jehovah’s Witnesses were accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization and involving other persons in it. Later, Murtuzov, Korol and Petrochenko were sent to a pre-trial detention center, and Kislaya and Ivanova were placed under house arrest. In May 2025, Tatyana Levitskaya’s house was searched as part of the case. She was detained and placed under house arrest. In October, Liliana Korol was transferred to house arrest. The case of six believers went to court in December. In August 2026, the verdict was announced — 5 years in a penal colony for Murtuzov and Petrochenko; 4 years of compulsory labor for Ivanova, Kislaya, and Korol; and 3 years and 8 months of compulsory labor for Levitskaya.
