Olga Petrova is a political prisoner
An ethnic Russian Muslim has been sentenced to seven years in a penal colony on charges of financing terrorism
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Olga Petrova a political prisoner. Petrova was convicted on a charge of financing terrorism for making nine money transfers allegedly intended for ISIS. Her prosecution and conviction violated her rights to a fair trial and freedom of religion. We demand the immediate release of Olga Petrova and that all criminal charges against her be dropped.
What were the charges against Olga Petrova?
Olga Petrova was born in Krasnodar Krai but in her youth converted to Islam and moved to Dagestan, where she worked as a vendor of Islamic goods. Local security forces placed her under preventive surveillance as an ethnic Russian Muslim.
On 13 August 2020, Olga Petrova was arrested in Krasnodar Krai while visiting her mother with her children. Petrova was accused of financing terrorism (Article 205.1, Part 1 of the Russian Criminal Code) for nine bank transfers she made between 2013 and 2015, totalling 21,700 roubles. Law enforcement agencies claimed the money was intended to support Islamic State, designated a terrorist organisation in Russia. Petrova herself said the money transfers had been payments to a woman from whom she had bought goods. The woman in question had used her husband’s bank account for business transactions.
On 28 December 2021, a military court sentenced Olga Petrova to seven years in a penal colony. The sentence was upheld on appeal.
Why do we consider Olga Petrova a political prisoner?
The prosecution failed to prove that Petrova’s money transfers were intended to finance terrorism. The witnesses against her were individuals already in custody and therefore dependent on the law enforcement agencies. In court, these witnesses retracted their statements, saying they had never met Petrova and had been pressured to give false testimony against her. A conviction based on such testimony, obtained under coercion and retracted in court, is unlawful.
Furthermore, in court, the man into whose account the sums of money had been paid and his wife both confirmed Petrova’s version of events – that the payments were for merchandise Petrova had purchased in her work as a vendor.
Olga Petrova maintained her innocence both during the investigation and the trial. She stated she believed her prosecution was related solely to her religious beliefs.
We have long documented the persecution of Muslims in Russia, including the fabrication of criminal cases under extremism and terrorism laws. Russian state propaganda relies on widespread Islamophobia, conflating Islam with terrorism. There is almost no civilian oversight over prosecutions of Muslims of this kind, while the security services manipulate public fear, fabricating criminal cases as a substitute for actual counter-terrorism work.
A detailed description of Olga Petrova’s case and of our position is available on our website.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project agrees with, or approves of, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Olga Petrova at the following address:
RU: 352310, Краснодарский край, Усть-Лабинский р-н, п. Двубратский, ул. Степная, д. 15, ФКУ ИК-3 УФСИН России по Краснодарскому краю, Петровой Ольге Владимировне, 1985 г. р.
EN: Olga Vladimirovna Petrova (born 1985), Penal Colony No. 3, 15 Stepnaya Str., Dvubratsky village, Ust-Labinsky district, Krasnodar Krai, 352310, Russia.
You can also send emails via ZT (for payment with Russian bank cards), OVD-Info and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the recipient.
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
