Malevaniy Dmitriy

Name: Malevaniy Dmitriy Yuryevich
Date of Birth: April 24, 1990
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, 102 day in a pre-trial detention, 363 day Under house arrest, 1241 day in prison
Sentence: punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 6 years and 10 months, with deprivation of the right to engage in organizational activities in public or religious associations, public or religious organizations, as well as deprivation of the right to engage in educational activities in all types of educational institutions and activities related to the placement of appeals and other materials in public information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet, for a period of 6 years and 10 months, with restriction of liberty for a term of 1 year 4 months, with serving a sentence of imprisonment in a correctional colony of general regime
Term of imprisonment: until April 2029
Currently held in: Correctional Colony № 14, Khabarovsk Territory

Malevaniy Dmitriy Yuryevich, born 1990, Correctional Colony № 14, Khabarovsk Territory, shosse Mashinostroiteley, 10, Amursk, Khabarovsk Territory, 682640

Letters of support can be sent by regular mail or through the ZT system.

Parcels and parcels should not be sent because of the limit on their number per year.

Note: discussing topics related to criminal prosecution is not allowed in letters; languages other than Russian will not pass.

Biography

In November 2018, authorities conducted a series of searches at the homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in Spassk-Dalny, Primorye Territory. Dmytriy Malevaniy was detained. After several years of investigation and trial, the court sentenced him to 7 years in a penal colony only because of his faith.

Dmitry was born in 1990 in Spassk-Dalny, where he has lived all his life. By education, he is a specialist in the field of applied informatics in economics, and all the time, from studying at a university and up to criminal prosecution, he worked in one place—he taught programming in college.

While still a teenager, Dmitriy became convinced that the Bible provides clear, logical answers to life's questions and that living by high biblical standards makes people better and happier. This prompted him to embark on a Christian path. Dmitry is married to Ulyana, a contemporary of his and a graduate of an art school; while her husband is away, she has to raise their young child on her own.

Friends and family do not understand why this peaceful man was thrown behind bars just because of his beliefs. Dmitriy's colleagues, who do not share his religious views, urge him not to give up in this difficult situation.

Case History

In the fall of 2018, searches were carried out in Spassk-Dalny at the homes of Dmitriy Malevaniy, Aleksey Trofimov, Olga Panyuta, Olga Opaleva and other fellow believers. The reason for the prosecution of peaceful citizens was their faith in Jehovah God. The believers were charged with organizing the activity of an extremist organization and involving others in it. The case is based on the testimony of secret witnesses “Sidorova” and “Ivanova”, who monitored the believers on instructions from the FSB. On the eve of the search, Olga Opaleva suffered a heart attack, and later, on the way to court, a stroke. The four believers spent 1 year under house arrest, and from November 2019 were under a recognizance agreement. In December 2019, the case went to court. In February 2023, the believers were sentenced: Dmitriy Malevaniy was given 7 years, Aleksey Trofimov — 6.5 years and Olga Panyuta — 4.5 years in a penal colony, and Olga Opaleva — 5 years suspended. The court of appeal reduced each of these terms by 2 months; the court of cassation upheld this decision. Olga Panyuta was released in April 2026.
Timeline
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