Name: Samus Valentina Grigoriyevna
Date of Birth: September 9, 1949
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Current restrictions: suspended sentence
Sentence: punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 6 years with restriction of liberty for a term of 1 year, with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of religious organizations, punishment in the form of imprisonment shall be considered conditional with a probationary period of 5 years

Biography

Valentina Samus spent her whole life in the picturesque ancient city of Kostroma. At the age of 72, she was prosecuted for believing in God.

Valentina was born in September 1949. As a child, she was fond of drawing and learned to sew. After school, she entered medical school and studied to be a paramedic. Now the woman is retired.

For more than 50 years, Valentina has been married to Ivan - they got married in 1970. The couple raised a son and a daughter. They love walks in the woods, take care of the cottage together. To this day, Valentina has retained her love of drawing and reading.

In 2007, Valentina embarked on the Christian path. Studying the Bible, she found the answer to the question of what is the meaning of life. Also from this book, the woman learned about the hope for the resurrection of the dead. This biblical teaching sustained Valentina when she lost her daughter.

The sudden criminal prosecution had a negative impact on the health of the elderly woman.

Case History

In March 2022, searches were carried out in Kostroma in the homes of four women, the eldest of whom, Valentina Samus, was 72 years old at the time. The Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against her under the article for participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In December of the same year, she was even charged with organizing this activity. The grounds were the hidden recordings of meetings for worship and conversations about the Bible, which are not prohibited by law. In March 2023, the case went to court. The prosecutor requested 7 years in a penal colony for the elderly woman. In December, the court handed down a sentence: 6 years suspended. In February 2024, the court of appeal upheld this decision.