Updated: March 28, 2024
Name: Kulakova Tatyana Vladimirovna
Date of Birth: August 12, 1973
Current status: who has served the main sentence
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Sentence: punishment in the form of 2 years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to leadership and participation in the work of public and religious organizations for a term of 2 years, with restriction of liberty for a term of 6 months; The sentence of imprisonment shall be considered conditional with a probationary period of 1 year

Biography

In March 2020, Tatyana Kulakova, following her husband, became a victim of criminal prosecution for her faith, and later they both appeared in court. This seriously affected the health of both spouses.

Tatyana was born in 1973 in Nevelsk (Sakhalin Region). As a child, she loved music, drawing, read a lot. Tatiana has a younger brother. After school, she moved to the regional center to study plasterer-painter. For several years she worked in her specialty, and then in the field of cleaning.

In 1996, Tatyana married Sergey. The spouses were brought together by a love of reading and sports. Tatyana admits that she was quick-tempered and tough, so family life did not go well for a long time.

After the birth of their second son, the couple firmly decided to improve their relationship. At that time, they met people who offered to find out what is written in the Bible. Tatyana was especially interested in learning from the Holy Scriptures what God's plan is for the earth and people, as well as what happens after death. This question worried her since childhood, after the death of her beloved grandfather. Bible study had a good effect on the relationship between the spouses. They learned to value their marriage more. Now the family loves to spend time together, play tennis. Tatiana loves to paint and bake for guests.

The eldest son of the Kulakovs is an auto mechanic. He is on disability but loves to play sports. The youngest son is studying to be a machinist on mountain roads, he is fond of drawing, tennis and music. He had to defend in court his right to alternative civilian service.

The criminal prosecution affected the entire family. Tatyana is visually impaired, she was diagnosed with a heart disease. Sergey lost his job and his bank accounts were blocked.

Parents, acquaintances and neighbors are surprised that the Kulakovs were classified as extremists.

Case History

In January 2019, at least 11 searches were carried out at the homes of local Jehovah’s Witnesses in three Sakhalin settlements. The criminal case  against the couple Sergey and Tatyana Kulakov, Vyacheslav Ivanov, Yevgeniy Yelin and Alexandr Kozlitin for their faith, was investigated by the FSB in the Sakhalin Region. In January 2021, the trial began in court, and a year later a verdict was issued: Sergey Kulakov and Yevgeniy Yelin were given a 6.5 year suspended sentence, and Tatyana Kulakova, Vyacheslav Ivanov and Alexandr Kozlitin were given a 2 year suspended sentence. The appellate and cassation courts upheld the verdict.