Biography
Daler Tokhtayev is a Jehovah's Witness originally from Tajikistan. In April 2024, he ended up in a pre-trial detention center for his peaceful religious beliefs. Sakhalin, where he now lives, and his homeland are separated by more than 5500 kilometers.
Daler was born in November 1990 in the city of Tursunzoda (Tajikistan). He has three older brothers and one younger brother. Their father is no longer alive. As a child, Daler was engaged in weightlifting, at one of the competitions he took first place. He was also fond of football, which he still loves.
In 2002, Daler's family moved to Sakhalin for economic reasons and settled in Poronaysk, his mother's hometown. There, Daler graduated from college and received the qualification of an electric and gas welder. The young man worked in his specialty on the railway, where he additionally trained as an assistant driver and electrician, whom he worked until his arrest.
Dahler's mother became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1999. During his teenage years, Dahler also decided to study the Bible thoroughly. As a result, in 2008 he embarked on the Christian path.
On Sakhalin, the young man met his future wife Jeanne, who shares his life values. In 2012 they got married. The couple love to travel and spend time with friends in nature.
The criminal prosecution had a negative impact on the health of the Tokhtayevs. The question arose about the dismissal of both from work. Jeanne was forbidden to meet with her husband and call him. The family is grieving the separation and is concerned that their good reputation has been undermined.
Relatives are perplexed because of how it was possible to deprive a decent and peace-loving person of freedom.