repressions in Crimea
Russia sentences Crimean Tatar to 12.5 years over alleged donation to Ukraine’s military
The ruling was handed down by the Oktyabrsky District Court of Krasnodar in Russia. The court also imposed a fine of 150,000 roubles (about $1,860 or €1,670) and 1.5 years of restriction of liberty following the end of her prison term
Over 60 delegations confirmed for Crimea Platform summit in London
The parties discussed the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the human rights situation in occupied Crimea, and the status of Crimean Tatar political prisoners, some of whom have serious health problems and are held in Russian prisons
Ukraine’s indigenous peoples face repression and erasure of identity under Russian occupation, Mejlis chairman says
The Mejlis chairman Refat Chubarov noted that Ukraine's state policy must include assisting people living in the occupied territories and preparing for the de-occupation of the peninsula to integrate a liberated Crimea into Ukraine's legal and political space
Russian Justice Ministry targets more activists of Crimean Solidarity grassroots movement
On 24 June 2026, the Russian Justice Ministry expanded the list of people it considers members of the Crimean Solidarity grassroots movement, which had previously been added to Russia’s register of foreign agents. The list now contains 137 names
Kremlin prisoners: How to write a letter to political a prisoner
Since the outbreak of a full-scale war, Russia has ramped up its repression against Ukrainian citizens. Russian authorities are continuing to illegally detain Ukrainians and file politically motivated charges against them in order to get Ukraine to make concessions.
Quran confiscated from citizen journalist Seiran Saliiev in Russian penal colony
Alongside the confiscation of the Quran, Saliiev has been repeatedly placed in a punishment cell. According to his family, since 2024, he has effectively been held in continuous solitary confinement, where he is punished even for minor formal violations, including an unbuttoned uniform or an allegedly improperly made bed
Resistance gone underground: How occupation punishes dissent
In this article, we also examine how the intensity and nature of persecution have evolved over time, comparing the situation following the sharp rise in repression in 2022 with how this system of pressure operates today
“Mum, I don’t want to go back there…”: blind political prisoner Sizikov was released from a penal colony on health grounds, but then the decision was overturned
Political prisoner’s mother, Olena Sizikova, spoke about what he had to endure in the colony, how he adapted to life at home after prison, and the circumstances of his new detention
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech condemned the pressure on journalists in Crimea following the detention of Lenora Dyulber
The committee's statement notes that the persecution of journalists violates international law and is aimed at suppressing any independent information about the situation under occupation
Ranking illegitimate “judges” in Crimea who illegally force the local population to serve in the Russian army
This ZMINA article examines the most active illegitimate judges who ensure "successful" conscription campaigns for the Russian armed forces in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Ukraine invites nations across Africa, South America, and Asia to join a global justice alliance
At the Crimea Global forum in Kyiv, Iryna Mudra appealed to states of the Global South to join the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression, arguing that justice for Crimea and Ukraine is inseparable from the safety and sovereignty of countries worldwide.
“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
Freezing the conflict means intensifying repressions against Ukrainians in the occupied territories
ZMINA published a speech by Olha Skrypnyk, Head of the Crimean Human Rights Group, explaining the consequences of ignoring humanitarian challenges in the negotiation process
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
There will be no lasting peace without liberation of Crimea – Mejlis Chairman Refat Chubarov
The Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov stated that any proposals for Ukraine to cede its territories must be rejected. He stressed that without the liberation of Crimea, there can be no lasting peace that will ensure freedom and security for all Ukrainian citizens
11 years of oppression and repression: How human rights in occupied Crimea are approaching zero
Read about the events, figures and trends in the field of human rights in the temporarily occupied territory in the overview material dedicated to the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea
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
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
Columns
Fighting a ‘holy war’: Why a sacralised war resists Western strategy
“Reaching an agreement with the US on what we disagree on”: What the campaign against ICC means for Ukraine
ICC must remain free from political pressure to bring justice to victims of world’s gravest crimes
Only 5% of those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children face global sanctions
