Tutinova Kishta

Name: Tutinova Kishta Ochirovna
Date of Birth: January 21, 1961
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (1)
Time spent in prison: 2 day in a temporary detention facility, 228 day Under house arrest
Current restrictions: suspended sentence
Sentence: punishment in the form of 4 years of imprisonment with restriction of liberty for a term of 1 year, imprisonment shall be considered suspended with a probationary period of 3 years

Biography

In 2015, Kishta Tutinova was detained for preaching in a public place and they tried to accuse her of an unsanctioned rally, but the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kalmykia acquitted her. In February 2023, she again faced persecution for her faith—this time she was accused of extremism.

Kishta was born in January 1961 in the village of Novolesnoy, Astrakhan Region. Later she lived in the village of Barun (Kalmykia). Since 1989, Kishta has been living in Elista. She has an elder brother and a younger sister. As a child, Kishta loved to play volleyball and was fond of sewing and knitting. Later, she independently acquired the skills of cutting the fabric and sewing, and also learned how to repair sewing machines.

In 1982, Kishta got married. Later, when she was left with her two sons to provide for her family, she took on any job: she cooked meals, sewed and sold bathrobes. Kishta raised decent and responsible sons. She now has six grandchildren.

For a long time, Kishta worked in a taylor's shop, sewing school uniforms and other things. The managment appreciated her for responsible, fast and high-quality work. Before retiring, she worked as a janitor for some time. Thanks to her cheerful nature and generosity, she maintains a good reputation among others. If relatives or friends need to sew something, she readily comes to their aid. During the COVID-19 pandemic the desire for new knowledge prompted her to study Russian sign language.

Kishta has always believed in God. As she began to study the Bible more deeply, she saw its wisdom and practicality. This changed her life for the better: she got rid of bad habits and freed herself from numerous superstitions. In 2003, she decided to become a Christian.

The news that Kishta was prosecuted for professing her religious views guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation came as a shock to her sons. They do not share their mother's Bible beliefs, but continue to care for her and look for opportunities to protect her good name.

Case History

In February 2023, the FSB initiated a criminal case for organizing the activity of an extremist organization against pensioner Kishta Tutinova from Elista and invaded her home and the homes of her fellow believers with searches. According to the investigation, she “conducted religious meetings and directly participated in them by means of online conferences.” She spent 2 days in the temporary detention facility, more than 4 months under house arrest and about 7 months under a ban on certain actions. Tsagan Khalgayeva and Yekaterina Menkova were witnesses in the case, but in December 2023 they were charged with participating in the activity of an extremist organization. In February 2024, the case went to court. Three months later, the women were given suspended sentences ranging from 2 to 3 years. The court of appeal granted the appeal of the prosecutor’s office, reclassifying the actions of Kishta Tutinova from Part 2 to Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the RF CrC and giving her a 4-year suspended sentence with a 3-year probation period and restriction of freedom for 1 year. Menkova and Khalgayeva were sentenced to an additional restriction of freedom for 6 months.
Timeline
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