Biography
Due to the stress caused by the criminal prosecution, Olga Opaleva suffered a stroke and a heart attack. For several years, she was forced to defend her good name, despite serious health problems, after which the court sentenced her to 5 years probation. Olga's son, Vitaly Ilyinykh, was also convicted for his faith.
Olga was born in 1952 in Spassk-Dalniy in a family with three children. From childhood she loved music and singing.
For a long time Olga believed in God, but she was not interested in the Bible and its teachings. After experiencing the death of her 22-year-old daughter, she began to seriously reflect on the Bible's doctrine of the resurrection and decided to get to know the Bible better. “From that moment my new life began,” says the believer. Olga sincerely wishes that all people have the same firm hope that she has.
Olga's relatives, friends and relatives do not understand how this peaceful elderly woman could be condemned for extremism. They support her the best they can.
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 their 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.
