Olga Komleva
Olga Komleva, born 1979, Moscow. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 items b, d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); Article 282.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in an extremist community); “Olga Komleva's case on an extremist community and “fake news” about the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (July 29, 2025): 12 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a 5-year ban on organizing or participating in public… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 27, 2024; place of detention: Penal colony No. 28, Perm Krai. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 13, 2024.
In brief
Moscow, Bashkortostan · Moscow, Ufa · Journalists · Anti-war cases, Extremism cases, Cases against Navalny/ACF supporters
Sentence
12 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a 5-year ban on organizing or participating in public events and administering websites, and 1 year of restricted liberty
Upheld August 17, 2026
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 items b, d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (using an official position, a group of individuals, falsification of evidence, for selfish motives, or out of hatred)
- Article 282.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in an extremist community
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, she "voluntarily joined the extremist community" "under the influence of propaganda by the extremist community ‘Anti-Corruption Foundation’ (‘Navalny’s Team’)". The grounds for initiating the case on the dissemination of deliberately false information about the Russian Armed Forces are unknown.
Latest event
August 17, 2026 — court ruling
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 13, 2024
Timeline
· Court ruling
guilty verdict
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 12 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Republic of Bashkortostan
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: transfer between facilities
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Republic of Bashkortostan
· Persecution begins
Olga Komleva's case on an extremist community and “fake news” about the Russian Armed Forces
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
Olga Komleva's case on an extremist community and “fake news” about the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-471/2024
Thematic group: The case of the extremist community led by Navalny; Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 28, Perm Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
618400, Пермский край, г. Березники, ул. Проспект Ленина, д.81, ФКУ «ИК № 28 ГУФСИН России по Пермскому краю», Комлева Ольга Юрьевна, 1979 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
She is an activist and RusNews journalist from Ufa. The Interior Ministry and other security agencies have regularly filed lawsuits against Komleva related to her participation in rallies in support of Navalny in 2021. The security agencies hope to recover funds from her for fuel spent, off-duty work by employees, and for other reasons. In January 2023 alone, the number of such lawsuits reached seven. Some of the lawsuits have already been granted by the courts. Thus, at the end of July 2023, Komleva was ordered to pay 23 thousand rubles in favour of the medical unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After the satisfaction of this claim, the bailiffs also confiscated her car.
On 27 March 2024, Komleva was summoned to her home to appear for questioning in a criminal case, but she was not served with a summons. Later the same day, law enforcers came to her again, this time with an order to bring her in for questioning in the case against the organizations associated with Alexei Navalny as a witness. Despite the absence of a summons earlier, the ruling stated that summonses had been sent to Komleva "repeatedly". At the moment of detention, the law enforcer offered the journalist to pack some essentials. When she clarified whether she was going to be arrested, he replied that neither he nor even the investigator could say so. Once in the building of the Investigative Committee, Komleva was charged in the case concerning an "extremist community". On 28 March, Komleva was taken into custody.
As Olga Komleva herself repeatedly reported earlier, she has type 2 diabetes, for which detention is contraindicated.
In July 2024 it became known that Komleva was also accused of spreading "fakes" about the Armed Forces.
On 29 July 2025, the court sentenced her to 12 years in a general regime colony.
In early autumn 2025, Komleva wrote that she had lost the ability to speak. Because of this, the hearing of the court of appeal was postponed. In November, the court confirmed the verdict.
Later, Komleva lost the ability to speak at least one more time, in connection with which the colony administration reprimanded her.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 items b, d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.