prisoners of the Kremlin

“Sharper than physical pain – the feeling of helplessness”: speech of the imprisoned journalist
Columns - 04 November 2025

“Sharper than physical pain – the feeling of helplessness”: speech of the imprisoned journalist

Iryna Danylovych, a Crimean civic journalist and activist who has been held in Russian custody since 2022, has been named a laureate of the "Story of Injustice" human rights prize, which honors victims of political persecution. On November 3, 2025, in Prague, Tetyana Pechonchyk, head of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, accepted the award on behalf of Iryna Danylovych and delivered her speech. ZMINA published the text of that speech

Children of Crimean political prisoners need mental rehabilitation and recognition — Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People
News - 24 October 2025

Children of Crimean political prisoners need mental rehabilitation and recognition — Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People

he exhibition will run for two weeks, until November 5, at the Museum of Outstanding Figures of Ukrainian Culture, located at 93 Saksahanskoho Street, Kyiv (the building of the L. Ukrainka Museum). Admission is free

Russia detains four Crimean Tatar women after mass raids in occupied Crimea
News - 15 October 2025

Russia detains four Crimean Tatar women after mass raids in occupied Crimea

Russian security forces raided the homes of Crimean Tatars and detained four women in temporarily occupied Crimea on the morning of October 15, 2025, Refat Chubarov, chair of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, stated

Crimean political prisoner Lenur Khalilov, who was released from a Russian penal colony due to his health condition, has been taken into custody again
News - 14 October 2025

Crimean political prisoner Lenur Khalilov, who was released from a Russian penal colony due to his health condition, has been taken into custody again

The Crimean Muslim had been diagnosed with several illnesses, including primary liver cancer with metastases to the lymph nodes, chronic hepatitis C, Stage II hypertension, small liver cysts, a cyst on the left kidney, and kidney stones

Political prisoner Denys Petranov has appealed to the international community regarding the inhumane conditions of detention for Ukrainians in Russian prisons
News - 09 October 2025

Political prisoner Denys Petranov has appealed to the international community regarding the inhumane conditions of detention for Ukrainians in Russian prisons

Political prisoner Denys Petranov, who is illegally detained in Russia, has called on international humanitarian organizations to increase their efforts to provide assistance to Ukrainians held in Russian prisons

Russia tortures Crimean Tatar prisoner Mamut Belyalov again – human rights defenders
News - 04 October 2025

Russia tortures Crimean Tatar prisoner Mamut Belyalov again – human rights defenders

26-year-old Mamut Belyalov, who is already serving a 12-year sentence on fabricated charges, has been brought back to occupied Crimea and subjected to so-called ‘interrogation’ in the form of savage beatings, without a lawyer present

The Ombudsman received over 1,300 complaints about shortcomings in the system of state protection of civilians released from captivity
News - 30 May 2025

The Ombudsman received over 1,300 complaints about shortcomings in the system of state protection of civilians released from captivity

Civilians released from Russian captivity are unaware of and do not use forms of social support from the Ukrainian state

Among civilians released in the “1000 for 1000” exchange, one political prisoner, 15 inmates, and the remaining were Ukrainians who had already served their sentences in Russia
News - 29 May 2025

Among civilians released in the “1000 for 1000” exchange, one political prisoner, 15 inmates, and the remaining were Ukrainians who had already served their sentences in Russia

The civilians released during the "1000 for 1000" exchange, there was one political prisoner, 15 inmates, and Ukrainians who had already completed their sentences in Russia

Ukrainian prisoners of war are dying in Russian prisons from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries – Associated Press
News - 28 May 2025

Ukrainian prisoners of war are dying in Russian prisons from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries – Associated Press

Autopsies conducted on the returned remains of Ukrainian prisoners of war who died in Russian prisons reveal they died from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries

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

Ukrainian activist Iryna Horobtsova, who has brain aneurysm, denied treatment at Simferopol pre-trial detention center No. 1
News - 19 December 2024

Ukrainian activist Iryna Horobtsova, who has brain aneurysm, denied treatment at Simferopol pre-trial detention center No. 1

Olena Korniy reveals that her sister had been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm before Russia's full-scale invasion. Recently, fellow inmates helped Horobtsova during a severe cardiac episode, when she lay curled up in pain. Medical staff ignored her requests for assistance

Over 30 citizens of Ukraine are persecuted for participation in the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion
Articles - 10 March 2023

Over 30 citizens of Ukraine are persecuted for participation in the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion

ZMINA discusses below one form of political persecution in the temporarily occupied territories, which includes cases related to the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion

In Crimea a new criminal case was opened against Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh
News - 29 August 2017

In Crimea a new criminal case was opened against Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh

Head of the Rozdolnensky isolator filed a complaint

Court in Moscow Extended Sushchenko’s Detention for Another 3 Months
News - 27 June 2017

Court in Moscow Extended Sushchenko’s Detention for Another 3 Months

Ukrainian journalist managed to communicate with political prisoner

Journalist of UNIAN and a cameraman of “1+1” TV channel detained in Moscow
News - 21 March 2017

Journalist of UNIAN and a cameraman of “1+1” TV channel detained in Moscow

Postgraduate student, who hanged out Ukrainian flag, was also detained with journalists

FSB refused to attach statement of Ukrainian Intelligence to Sushchenko case
News - 20 February 2017

FSB refused to attach statement of Ukrainian Intelligence to Sushchenko case

As reported by Mark Feygin, the lawyer of the journalist