Biography
«How many years we have been living together—and now all of a sudden she's a criminal. But to me she's no criminal,» said the husband of a resident of Simferopol Olga Podlesnaya, commenting on her prosecution for her faith.
Olga was born in May 1971. She has a sister. As a child, Olga practiced judo and sang in a choir. After school she earned a secondary technical qualification in railroad track construction. She worked as a technical documentation operator at a railway station, and before the criminal case was opened 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 went through a tragedy: she survived an accident and was in a coma afterward. She says that at the time she began to think that after death a person does not go on living somewhere else. 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 accused of "extremism" because of her religious beliefs. Under house arrest she lost her job. "It's very hard psychologically," she says, adding that the constant stress and lack of movement have worsened her health.
Relatives and neighbors who have known Olga for many years consider the accusations unfounded.