Updated: April 26, 2024
Name: Sushilnikova Tatyana Vasiliyevna
Date of Birth: June 10, 1959
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Current restrictions: Suspended sentence
Sentence: 4 years of imprisonment with a probationary period of 3 years, 10 months of restriction of liberty; The punishment shall be considered suspended

Biography

The life of Tatyana Sushilnikova changed dramatically in 2021: a criminal case was opened against her husband, Sergey under an extremist article. A year later, Tatyana herself faced criminal prosecution for faith.

Tatyana was born in June 1959 in the city of Korkino (Chelyabinsk region). She was the youngest of three children. Her father worked as an auto mechanic, and her mother worked as a cashier. Parents and one of the brothers are no longer alive.

During her school years, Tatyana attended the section of speleologists, explored the caves of the Urals. She also loved to read and skate.

Tatyana graduated from the Korkinsky Mining and Construction College. She worked as a plasterer, safety engineer, factory foreman and janitor. She is now retired.

In 1979, Tatyana married Sergey, whom she met while studying at a technical school. The couple moved to Novokuznetsk (Kemerovo Region). They raised two daughters who already have families of their own.

In the mid-1990s, the couple learned about God's promises recorded in the Bible. In 1996, after carefully researching this book, they embarked on the Christian path together.

Sergey and Tatyana love to do everything together: solve everyday problems, walk in nature, pick mushrooms and berries. They like to receive guests, make gifts and help friends.

Criminal prosecution negatively affects the emotional state of spouses. Relatives of Sergey and Tatyana are worried about them.

Case History

In the summer of 2021, the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses were searched in Novokuznetsk. A year later, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Tatyana Sushilnikova. She was accused of extremism because of attending Jehovah’s Witnesses services and talking about the Bible. In August 2022, the case went to the same court where Tatyana’s husband, Sergey, defended his right to religion. At the very first hearing, the judge returned Sushilnikova’s case to the prosecutor because of the violations found in the indictment. A month later, in November 2022, the case went back to court. A year later, the judge sentenced Tatiana to 4 years of suspended imprisonment. In January 2024, the appeal court left this decision in force.