Biography
Andrey Shurygin, a father of two children from Chelyabinsk, became a victim of criminal prosecution for his belief in Jehovah God. In May 2025, the court sentenced him to 5,5 years in a penal colony.
Andrey was born in February 1976 in the village of Ust-Karabolka, Chelyabinsk Region. He grew up in a single-parent family: his parents divorced when he went to school, and his mother raised him and his older sister alone. Andrey's childhood was not easy—he faced poverty and hard work at an early age. "Sometimes the only food for the day was what grows in the garden. For example, he picked carrots from the garden, washed them, ate them—and that's good," he recalls.
From a young age, Andrey was fond of sports—running and skiing, participated in competitions, loved nature and reflected on the meaning of life. After graduating from the technical school, he received the specialty of an electrician and worked in this area and also worked as an equipment adjuster and senior foreman for the operation of buildings.
Spiritual search led Andrey to Jehovah's Witnesses. He was struck by the consistency and practicality of the Bible, as well as the fulfillment of its prophecies. At the age of 22, he made a conscious decision to follow Christian principles.
In 2003, Andrey met his future wife Yevgeniya, and in 2006 they got married. Yevgeniya works in an office. Together they are raising two school-age daughters, trying to instill Christian values in them. The family loves to spend time in nature, play board games, and meet friends.
The persecution of Andrey began in June 2023. Then law enforcement officers broke into his house, broke the front door and balcony. During the search, accompanied by threats and psychological pressure, Andrey suffered a short-term cardiac arrest.