Updated: April 26, 2024
Name: Zhelavskaya Olga Pavlovna
Date of Birth: February 19, 1962
Current status: convicted person
Articles of Criminal Code of Russian Federation: 282.2 (2)
Current restrictions: Suspended sentence
Sentence: punishment in the form of 2 years in prison, the punishment is considered conditional with a probationary period of 2 years

Biography

In August 2021, a criminal case was opened against Olga Zhelavskaya from Chelyabinsk for her faith. In October, the security forces wanted to search her home, but they were prevented by the fact that the believer was in the hospital after suffering covid and a stroke.

Olga was born in February 1962 in the village of Potapovo (Chelyabinsk region) in a large family - she has two older sisters, their brother died.

As a child, Olga was involved in athletics. After graduating from college in the city of Chebarkul (Chelyabinsk region), she worked as a passport officer in the housing and maintenance department. Later, Olga moved to Chelyabinsk, where she worked as a dispatcher of the elevator section.

While studying the Bible, Olga became convinced of the existence of God and in 2012 became one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The criminal prosecution had a negative impact on Olga's health and on her life in general, as the believer was fired from her job. Olga's daughter and sisters do not share her religious beliefs. Despite this, the daughter was summoned for questioning by the Investigative Committee.

Case History

Olga Zhelavskaya from Chelyabinsk faced persecution for her faith in March 2019, when her apartment was searched as part of the case against Vladimir Suvorov. Two years later, investigator Aleksandr Chepenko opened a criminal case against the believer based on the testimony of the infiltrated agent Ruzayeva. Zhelavskaya was accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization. The unlawful actions, according to the investigation, consisted in the fact that the woman invited guests to her place, prayed and sang songs with her friends. While under investigation, in the fall of 2021, the believer suffered COVID-19 and a stroke. In August 2022, her case went to court. In April 2023, the believer was given a 2-year suspended sentence. An appeal in June 2023 upheld the verdict.