political prisoners

Ukrainians in Belarusian prisons: persecution, repression and sentences
Articles - 24 March 2025

Ukrainians in Belarusian prisons: persecution, repression and sentences

Aleksandr Lukashenko’s regime persecutes not only Belarusians but also foreign nationals. Since 2020, at least 75 foreigners have been subjected to political repression in Belarus. Currently, 38 foreign nationals are imprisoned, including at least 14 Ukrainians, and another Ukrainian citizen was sentenced to “home chemistry” (a type of house arrest used in Belarus). Ukrainians are […]

Russians illegally detain Crimean activist Yunus Masharipov in a psychiatric hospital for five Years
News - 11 March 2025

Russians illegally detain Crimean activist Yunus Masharipov in a psychiatric hospital for five Years

Russian security forces also use compulsory psychiatric treatment and commitment to psychiatric hospitals to persecute Crimean Tatars in temporarily occupied Crimea

Blind political prisoner Oleksandr Sizikov sent to tuberculosis hospital for examination
News - 09 March 2025

Blind political prisoner Oleksandr Sizikov sent to tuberculosis hospital for examination

Sizikov has been using a blood pressure monitor more frequently, indicating that he has high blood pressure. Doctors prescribed him medication for hypertension and promised to provide him with the pills he brought with him

Kremlin’s prisoner, journalist Remzi Bekirov, reports violations of Muslims’ rights in Russian colony
News - 09 March 2025

Kremlin’s prisoner, journalist Remzi Bekirov, reports violations of Muslims’ rights in Russian colony

For now, Bekirov manages to eat iftar during the general mealtime in the dining hall at 7:00 p.m. However, the lawyer noted that due to the increasing daylight hours, he will no longer be able to eat with the rest of the prisoners in the evening by the end of March

Trump must remember those Ukrainian prisoners dying in Russia – Nobel winner Matviichuk to US President
News - 04 March 2025

Trump must remember those Ukrainian prisoners dying in Russia – Nobel winner Matviichuk to US President

Matviichuk considers it abnormal when politicians talk about elections, minerals and concessions, but not about people. In her opinion, the human dimension must be returned to the negotiations. This must be done to stop the war and the loss of life

Moscow weaponizes terror laws against civilians in occupied Crimea – CrimeaSOS
News - 18 February 2025

Moscow weaponizes terror laws against civilians in occupied Crimea – CrimeaSOS

Russian authorities began using the international terrorism article after February 24, 2022. This provision, introduced through the "Yarovaya anti-terrorist package" in 2016, serves as a tool to target pro-Ukrainian activists in newly occupied territories

Why it is important to compile a blacklist of officials involved in human rights violations in Crimea
Columns - 15 January 2025

Why it is important to compile a blacklist of officials involved in human rights violations in Crimea

Through politically motivated persecutions, arbitrary imprisonment in trumped-up criminal cases, illegal house searches and trials in the occupied Crimea, deportations of political prisoners and ignoring their situation in detention, Russia systematically violates its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law

More than 60 Crimean political prisoners are already in need of urgent medical care: How to solve this problem
Columns - 04 December 2024

More than 60 Crimean political prisoners are already in need of urgent medical care: How to solve this problem

The main problem that political prisoners face behind bars is that they are systematically denied medical care; in particular, prisoners with disabilities, the elderly, and those who have chronic diseases or have been tortured and have acquired serious illnesses as a result of inhuman conditions of detention, ZMINA human rights advocate Viktoria Nesterenko states

Ukraine rejects “pacifying the aggressor” as a path to peace
Columns - 30 October 2024

Ukraine rejects “pacifying the aggressor” as a path to peace

Refat Chubarov urged continued use of the Ukrainian Peace Formula to increase political and diplomatic pressure on dictator Putin and his supporters

Ukraine sanctions 11 more illegitimate “judges” in Russian-occupied Crimea for persecuting residents and indigenous people
News - 12 October 2024

Ukraine sanctions 11 more illegitimate “judges” in Russian-occupied Crimea for persecuting residents and indigenous people

The Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea views these sanctions as a crucial tool in disrupting repressive mechanisms in the temporarily occupied territories and limiting the occupation administration's ability to continue persecutions

Ukraine to give Vatican list of journalists illegally held by Russia – Zelenskyy
News - 11 October 2024

Ukraine to give Vatican list of journalists illegally held by Russia – Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy and the Pope agreed that Ukraine would provide a list of journalists currently held captive in Russia and would discuss the release of civilians and deported children

Kremlin’s forgotten political prisoners in Crimea: Human rights advocates urge global focus on Ukrainian hostages at the Crimea Platform
Articles - 23 September 2024

Kremlin’s forgotten political prisoners in Crimea: Human rights advocates urge global focus on Ukrainian hostages at the Crimea Platform

In this article, ZMINA reveals what was debated on the sidelines of the summit, the potential prerequisites for peace, the scale of the crisis involving Crimeans persecuted by Russia, and why raising awareness is crucial to achieving justice

Zelenskyy pleads for Muslim nations to lead efforts in freeing Crimean Tatars and other political prisoners illegally detained by Russia
News - 14 September 2024

Zelenskyy pleads for Muslim nations to lead efforts in freeing Crimean Tatars and other political prisoners illegally detained by Russia

Zelenskyy emphasised the need for pressure on Russia from all partners to establish a proper exchange system based on the principle of "everyone for everyone." Zelenskyy pointed out that, based on previous experience, releasing political prisoners has been extremely challenging

Ukrainian cities host photo exhibition “Crimea through the eyes of citizen journalists: 10 years in captivity”
News - 31 August 2024

Ukrainian cities host photo exhibition “Crimea through the eyes of citizen journalists: 10 years in captivity”

The exhibition contains 48 photos and information panels arranged on city squares in the form of the Crimean Tatar coat of arms – the Tamga. It showcases photographs taken by citizen journalists who, at great personal risk, documented the arrests, searches, trials, and other crimes committed by Russian occupiers against the Crimean Tatar people since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea

Illegitimate “court” in occupied Crimea sentences Hurzuf resident to 13 years for alleged “high treason”
News - 23 August 2024

Illegitimate “court” in occupied Crimea sentences Hurzuf resident to 13 years for alleged “high treason”

The illegitimate “prosecutor's office” report provided no details of the case

“The father did not find out where Raim was before his death”: why Russia transfers Crimean political prisoners as far as possible from their relatives
Articles - 02 August 2024

“The father did not find out where Raim was before his death”: why Russia transfers Crimean political prisoners as far as possible from their relatives

Human rights activists consider this to be one of the Russians' methods of putting pressure on those who disagree with the occupation policy in Crimea

“Unpunished evil grows”: Human Rights Center ZMINA calls for new mechanism to free Crimean political prisoners
News - 24 July 2024

“Unpunished evil grows”: Human Rights Center ZMINA calls for new mechanism to free Crimean political prisoners

To advocate for personal sanctions, ZMINA is also gathering information about Russian officials involved in the illegal persecution of Crimean residents, including FSB officials and illegal 'judges' who have made unlawful decisions

Ten years of occupation of Crimea: memories of Crimean journalists on how it began
Articles - 18 April 2024

Ten years of occupation of Crimea: memories of Crimean journalists on how it began

The event participants also watched the documentary by the reporter’s team of Crimea.Realities titled “The first pro-Ukrainian action in Simferopol after the Russian troops’ arrival: risk, “traitors of Crimea,” and abduction”