Irina Shishkina from Prokopyevsk Given a Suspended Sentence. Less Than a Month Ago Her Husband Was Sentenced to 6 Years in a Penal Colony

Text updated on July 20, 2026.

On June 29, 2026, the Rudnichniy District Court of Prokopyevsk convicted Irina Shishkina, 56, for participating in peaceful meetings for worship. The same court, in early June, sentenced her husband, Vasiliy, to imprisonment on similar charges. According to updated information, Irina received a four-year suspended sentence with a 2.5-year probation period.

'How is a faith dangerous, if it makes a person honest, peaceful, law-abiding, and caring toward others?' Irina asked the court. In her final statement, she also stated her position regarding the charge: 'I did not harm anyone, did not incite violence, did not disrupt public order. All I did was read the Bible, pray, speak about God, and try to live as Jesus Christ taught.'

Irina's and Vasiliy's criminal cases developed in parallel: for about 2 years, their home was under surveillance and in January 2025, it was searched. At first, Irina was listed as a witness in her husband's case, and because of this, they were forbidden to communicate — for almost 1.5 years, the couple was forced to live apart. A criminal case against Irina was initiated in December 2025.

A similar strategy of prosecution — first, charges are brought against one family member, then against others — has already been used for several years in cases against Jehovah's Witnesses.