Updated: April 19, 2024
Name: Suvorova Valentina Anatoliyevna
Date of Birth: January 18, 1948
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Sentence: punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 2 years, with restriction of liberty for a term of 6 months; The sentence of imprisonment is considered conditional, with a probationary period of 1 year

Biography

On December 5, 2019, 71-year-old Valentina Suvorova from Chelyabinsk was charged in a criminal case for her faith. A few months later, her husband Vladimir was also accused of extremist activities. The believer, despite her health problems, defended her good name in court for more than a year. However, on March 11, 2021, the court found her guilty for singing songs and prayers to Jehovah. Valentina Suvorova was sentenced to 2 years of suspended sentence with restriction of liberty for a term of 6 months with a probation period of 1 year.

Valentina was born in January 1948 in the village of Sorovskoye (Kurgan region). Parents had to work very hard to raise three daughters. Later, the family moved to the neighboring town of Shadrinsk. As a child, Valentina was fond of dancing, music and vocals, loved to skate. She graduated from music school. Her love for music led her to a music school in Kurgan, after which she received the specialty of a music teacher and choir conductor.

Since 1972, for more than 30 years, Valentina Suvorova worked as a teacher in one of the schools in Chelyabinsk. She received the honorary title of "Veteran of Labor". Now he is on a well-deserved rest, he is fond of design and gardening. In 1973, Valentina married Vladimir, a talented artist of the Philharmonic. In a happy marriage, a son, Igor, was born. The couple have been living together for more than 50 years, they love to go to nature, attend concerts, theaters, chat with friends.

All her life, Valentina was interested in life questions that could not be answered anywhere: neither in the public library, nor in philosophical teachings, nor in various churches and temples. The thirst for knowledge was quenched only thanks to an ancient book - the Bible. It was then that she firmly decided to embark on the Christian path, in which her husband supported her.

A few years ago, this friendly family suffered a series of tragedies: the beloved and only son Igor died of blood cancer, Valentina's mother died 2 years later, and then her sister died. The younger sister lost her husband, and she herself was paralyzed after a stroke. Before the Suvorov family had time to recover from these terrible shocks, another thing happened: they came to the house of an elderly married couple with a search.

The criminal prosecution had a bad effect on Valentina's health. She said the search caused her "incurable emotional trauma, additional stress and deteriorating health." Sleep was disturbed, there was a constant feeling of anxiety and tachycardia. I had to register with a neurologist and a nephrologist. Valentina's relatives also suffered - the already poor health of her younger sister worsened, and the widow of her deceased son and her daughter also faced a humiliating search procedure in their own home.

Relatives and friends of Valentina and Vladimir are outraged by what is happening. No one can believe that in modern Russia such peace-loving people can be judged only because of their religious beliefs, without taking into account their venerable age and merits to society.

Case History

A criminal case against 73-year-old Valentina Suvorova, a labor veteran, former choir teacher and conductor, was opened by the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Chelyabinsk Region on March 18, 2019. A few days later, the believer was searched, and 10 months later, a case was opened against her husband [Vladimir] (/en/prisoners/suvorovv.html). The security forces introduced an informant into the Suvorovs’ entourage - a woman who feigned interest in the Bible. In addition to the betrayal of this man, the couple had to go through a lot in their lives, including the death of their 42-year-old only son. The criminal prosecution caused the believer, according to her, an incurable emotional trauma. Other diseases have worsened. For more than a year, Valentina was under recognizance not to leave. Since February 18, 2020, she has defended her good name in the Metallurgicheskiy District Court, where, for health reasons, she testified while sitting. On March 11, 2021, Judge Grigory Yarygin sentenced her to 2 years probation with restriction of liberty for 6 months with a probation period of 1 year.