HRDs in war conflict: Ukrainian human rights activists in Great Britain reminded the world about the Crimean political prisoners
Ukrainian human rights defenders once again reminded the world community of the need to put pressure on the country-aggressor Russia to release illegally detained activists and journalists, including citizen journalists in the occupied Crimea.
This was discussed in the UK during the international conference “Improving Support and Protection of Human Rights Defenders to Strengthen Civic Space”, reported ZMINA.
Photo: Wilton ParkThe event brought together more than 50 human rights defenders, lawyers and activists from all over the world, in particular, the USA, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe, as well as international organizations such as Access Now, OSCE, OHCHR, UNHRC and others.
Photo: Wilton ParkThe conference was held in Wilton Park (Steyning, West Sussex, UK) with the aid of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Its participants focused on improving the support and protection of human rights defenders, especially those working in conflict situations or facing transnational repression.
Photo: Wilton ParkA representative of the ZMINA Human Rights Center spoke during the panel “Introduction to breakout groups: HRDs in conflict”. She reminded the audience that the Russian Federation is conducting a targeted attack on Ukrainian activists and journalists in the occupied territories.
According to the ZMINA Human Rights Center, from February 24, 2022, to December 1, 2024, at least 121 representatives of civil society, including human rights defenders, public activists, volunteers and journalists, were killed as a result of targeted shelling while performing their official duties and during indiscriminate attacks by the Russian military on the civilian population of Ukraine.
After the occupation of Crimea, the phenomenon of citizen journalism emerged there when instead of professional media professionals, caring citizens began to bring the truth to the people. Many, although not all, are Crimean Tatars, who have been subjected to strong pressure from the Russians and their allies because they do not agree with the occupation.
The reason for such pressure on the indigenous peoples of Crimea is most often accusations of alleged terrorism due to participation in the activities of the religious organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which is banned in Russia but free under Ukrainian law.
Among the activists and journalists illegally held behind bars, many have serious health problems. The denial of medical care to them, despite their diagnoses, is also one of the methods of pressure on activists and human rights defenders to suppress their will to resist.
In total, 60 Crimean political prisoners are currently in need of urgent medical care.
There is no clear mechanism for the release of human rights defenders, civil society activists, and journalists from Russian captivity. The international community can create one, and can also provide more effective methods of pressure on Russia to demand their release so that deaths in captivity do not become the norm.
