Biography
Nailya Kogai is one of the elderly women from Vladivostok who were accused of extremism only because of their religion. During the trial, she buried her husband. The believer said, "It's like losing one leg. He was very worried about me. My persecution took a toll on his heart. He died of cardiac arrest. My husband was very worried about me and supported me."
Nailya was born in 1951 in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). The parents are no longer alive. Nailya has an elder brother. The younger one died in 1992. As a child, Nailya was fond of athletics.
After school, Nailya graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Railway Engineers, where she received the specialty "civil engineer". She worked as a design engineer in design organizations, as well as deputy director of the institute. She is currently retired.
In 1975, Nailya married a work colleague, Robert Kogay. The couple raised two children. In 2003 they moved to Vladivostok. Robert worked as a team leader in a design institute, but since 1989 he has been on disability and needs constant care.
The logic of the Bible and the understanding that God is loving and caring convinced Nailya that the Bible is trustworthy. Therefore, in the second half of the 1990s, she decided to take the Christian path.
Nailya experienced severe stress due to criminal prosecution. The incident affected her physical health and financial situation. All accounts, including savings left after the sale of an apartment in Tashkent, which Nailya used to pay for rented housing, were blocked. Against this background, chronic diseases worsened.
Son Vadim worries about his mother. During interrogation, he said in bewilderment: "My mother is a reasonable and competent person and knows what she is doing. She's not an extremist!"