Biography
In February 2026, spouses Ruslan and Roza Tazýrov were placed in pretrial detention because of their faith in Jehovah God. What happened shocked not only their relatives: colleagues and acquaintances also openly express their bewilderment. "They are religious people, but you can't take away someone's freedom for that," one of their coworkers said.
Ruslan was born in December 1974 in the village of Usmanovo, Kunashakskiy District, Chelyabinsk Region. There were three sons in the family: Ruslan's younger brother is nine years younger than him, and the older brother has passed away. His mother worked her entire life as a construction worker at a state farm—a state-owned agricultural enterprise during the Soviet era. She is known for her hospitality. She is now retired. Ruslan's father was a highly regarded worker at the same state farm, where he worked as a combine operator and driver. Thanks to his parents' upbringing, Ruslan grew into a kind, cheerful, and hospitable person; he developed a love for working with machinery and wood.
As a child, Ruslan took care of animals and often went fishing with his dog. He was also interested in martial arts and hockey. In his teenage years, he gained a reputation as a troublemaker—he drank alcohol, smoked, and got into fights.
While studying in upper secondary school, Ruslan obtained certification as a tractor driver and machine operator. Immediately after graduation, he began working as a combine operator at the state farm, fulfilling his dream, since combine harvesters were his favorite type of machinery. Later, he worked as a tinsmith and a janitor.
In 1996, Ruslan married Roza. The couple have two adult children and a grandson. Roza works in the cleaning sector. She enjoys cooking homemade food, especially pancakes, dumplings, and meat pies. In the summer, the spouses go mushroom picking together and take camping trips to enjoy nature and go fishing. During these outings, Ruslan lights a charcoal-fired samovar.
Over the years of their life together, the family lived in various places: the city of Miass and the village of Uyskoye in the Chelyabinsk Region, as well as Kamensk-Uralsky in the Sverdlovsk Region and Ufa.
Roza was the first to begin studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. Later, Ruslan joined her in an effort to preserve their family. In 2003, they embarked on the Christian path together.
Relatives and friends are concerned not only about the unjust criminal prosecution of Ruslan and Roza, but also about their health. Against the backdrop of these events, Ruslan's hypertension has worsened, and he frequently suffers from severe headaches. Roza's sister and her family have also been subjected to searches and interrogations.