Oleg Danilov, One of Jehovah's Witness from Kholmskaya, Was Released After Serving Three Years in Colony for His Faith

On March 1, 2024, Oleg Danilov, convicted of believing in Jehovah God, was released from the colony in the village of Dvubratskiy. He was greeted by relatives and friends.

Oleg Danilov is a third-generation Jehovah's Witness. Back in 1958, his grandparents met believers exiled to Siberia. Soon the repressions also affected Oleg's family: his uncle was sentenced to 3 years for refusing to serve in the army on religious grounds. 60 years later, Oleg became a victim of persecution for his faith.

The Abinsk District Court found Danilov, who lived in Kholmskaya village, guilty of extremism in March 2021. During his imprisonment, the believer had to "visit" 3 colonies; He spent most of his time in strict conditions of detention - due to unjustified penalties from the administration of the colonies, Oleg was placed in a punishment cell.

"Oleg and I have always had a very close relationship," said Danilov's wife, Natalia. "When it was taken away, it was as if a part of my body had been torn out and a bleeding wound was left." She also noted: "The carefree youth of the sons abruptly turned into an adult life with responsibilities and solving many problems. But they did a great job with it. The example of Oleg, which they saw when he was around, helped them a lot."

Oleg Danilov meets his wife. March 1, 2024

Friends provided great support to the Danilov family. "Words cannot express how much love I felt from my brothers and sisters during this difficult time. They were always there, calling, writing, passing flowers, postcards, gifts, letters and much more," Natalia said.

"Looking at my father, I understand that his faith is not built on a shaky foundation," Oleg's son, Nikita, said in his turn, some time before his father's release. "It's not easy to accept all the challenges. It's not easy to say goodbye to your family, it's not easy to love your enemies, it's not easy to encourage others when it's hard for yourself. He gave his life into the caring hands of Jehovah, and as these events have shown, God will never leave us."

In the village of Kholmskaya, with a population of less than 19,000 people, seven believers were under criminal prosecution. In addition to Danilov, two of his fellow believers have already served their sentences in the colony: Aleksandr Shcherbina was released in February, and Aleksandr Nikolayev in September 2023.