Biography
«So many years we've been living together — and now all of a sudden she's a criminal. But to me she's no criminal,» said the husband of Olga Podlesnaya, a resident of Simferopol, commenting on her being prosecuted for her faith.
Olga was born in May 1971. She has a sister. As a child, Olga practiced judo and sang in a choir. At a technical college she trained in railroad track construction. She worked as a technical documentation operator at a railway station, and up until the criminal case was initiated against her she worked as a sales assistant in a shopping center. In her free time she enjoys doing crossword puzzles.
Olga met her future husband at Simferopol's Central Market. Faig was keen on football and played for Azerbaijan's youth national team.
At one point Olga faced a tragedy: she survived an accident, after which she was in a coma. She said, that is when she started thinking that a person does not go on living somewhere else after death. Later, when she learned that the Bible compares death to an unconscious state, she concluded that this book could be trusted. In time, she was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
In December 2025, Olga was charged with "extremism" because of her religious beliefs. Due to the house arrest she lost her job. "It's very hard psychologically," she says, adding that the constant stress and lack of movement her health has deteriorated.
Relatives and neighbors who have known Olga for many years consider the charges unfounded.