Biography
Valeriy Shitts, a descendant of repressed Germans from the Volga region, was prosecuted in November 2021 for his belief in Jehovah God.
Valeriy was born in January 1966 in the urban-type settlement of Bolshaya Murta (Krasnoyarsk Territory) into a family of workers. He has an elder brother. The parents are no longer alive.
Valeriy was a versatile child: he went in for sports and needlework, during his school years he repeatedly received awards. From the age of 17, he began to help his family earn a living, so he was forced to leave his studies at the university. Later he served in the Navy.
All his life, Valeriy worked at a construction site, and was also engaged in the decoration of residential premises. Currently not working due to spinal disease. Valeriy loves to pick mushrooms and berries, walk in the woods and go fishing.
In 1987, Valeriy married Irina. After the wedding, they moved to the city of Lesosibirsk, where Irina was assigned to work after she received a higher economic education. The couple raised two sons, they already have their own families.
The first in the family to become interested in the Bible was Irina, who knew from her grandmother that this book contains the personal name of God—Jehovah. Later, Valeriy joined her in the study of the Holy Scriptures. He was touched that the prophecies recorded in this book are embodied in specific historical events, and the Bible's advice helps to improve the life of the family and society. In 1998, Valeriy embarked on the Christian path.
The criminal prosecution disrupted the usual way of life of the family. Due to a sudden search, interrogations and a criminal case, Valeriy's chronic illnesses worsened, Irina experienced severe stress. Relatives and acquaintances are perplexed why peaceful believers are subjected to repressions for their religious beliefs.