temporarily occupied Crimea
Russian ship arrested in Norwegian port to compensate Ukraine’s Naftogaz for Crimean assets that Russia illegally seized
The decision was issued on 31 August 2026 by the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court, the statement said. Under the court's ruling, the vessel is not permitted to leave its current location – the port of Barentsburg in the Svalbard archipelago
“I found out about the criminal case from the news”: Why Russia orders the arrest of journalists in absentia and what risks this poses to them
ZMINA spoke to Ukrainian journalists who are being persecuted by Russia because of their work to find out how fabricated criminal cases are changing their lives, whether these cases pose a genuine threat and why the Kremlin is increasingly using illegitimate courts in occupied territories and courts in the Russian Federation as an element of information warfare
‘I’m not a spy – I just want to live here’: What children leaving occupied territories go through
ZMINA tells the story of Sofiia, whose name has been changed for security reasons. She left temporarily occupied Donetsk to enrol at a Ukrainian university. Sofiia's experience shows that reintegration is about more than documents, education and safety
First sentence for ‘activities against Russian security’ handed down in occupied Yalta
Article 280.4 of the Russian Criminal Code provides for liability for public calls for activities that the Russian authorities consider directed against the state's security. In Russian judicial practice, this article has been used, in particular, to persecute people over public statements related to the war against Ukraine
FSB detained man in occupied Yevpatoriia over support for Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram
Russia’s FSB stated that it has detained a local man born in 2002 in occupied Yevpatoriia, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, on suspicion of making public calls for extremist activity in Telegram posts, pro-Russian Telegram channels reported
Crimean Tatar women facing aggression in occupied Crimea, rights advocate says
At least two attacks on Crimean Tatar women in temporarily occupied Crimea over the summer of 2026: one was threatened with a knife, and neighbours attempted to tear off another's headscarf, Crimean Tatar human rights defender and journalist Lutfiye Zudiyeva reported
Crimean political prisoner Larysa Haidai loses weight and grows weak behind bars, Crimean Human Rights Group says
A 62-year-old Crimean political prisoner, Larysa Haidai, has lost 15 kilograms and become weaker after being held completely incommunicado by Russian occupying forces for more than two years
Russian appeal court upheld sentence against 66-year-old Melitopol resident Iryna Sukhovii
In May 2025, FSB officers detained pensioner Iryna Sukhovii. The illegitimate "Zaporizhzhia Regional Court" subsequently sentenced her to 12 years and six months in a general-regime penal colony for "high treason". The Russian occupying authorities accused her of providing financial support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2026, the First Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Moscow upheld the sentence and dismissed Sukhovii’s appeal. Aleksandr Pushkin, a judge at the court, issued the ruling
A society speaking out: Who is protesting against Zelenskyy’s government appointments and dismissals in Ukraine – and why
The Human Rights Centre ZMINA has been following the peaceful protests since they began in July. Read ZMINA report to learn how the protests started and developed, and what motivates Ukrainians to gather in city squares every evening
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
UNESCO adds Tauric Chersonese in temporarily occupied Crimea to “in danger” heritage list
The ruins of Chersonesus date back over two millennia. Chersonesus, which is under the control of the occupying state, the Russian Federation, has suffered large-scale unauthorised excavations, major construction projects and the removal of artefacts. These actions, carried out by the occupying authorities, have caused irreversible damage to the integrity and authenticity of the archaeological site
Crimean Solidarity grass-roots initiative ceases operations
The movement stressed that many of its members who assisted victims of political repression had themselves faced fines, administrative detention and criminal prosecution. These activities were among the reasons why Crimean Solidarity was added to the register
Dzhankoi district resident sentenced to four years in penal colony over comments about illegal construction of Kerch Bridge by Russian occupiers
Russian occupying investigators allege that Mykola Semiletov posted comments on Telegram calling for the destruction of the Kerch Bridge and the killing of Russians and political figures
FSB detained local resident in occupied Crimea over pro-Ukrainian comments
A criminal case was opened against the man under Article 280(2) ("Public calls for extremist activities") of the Russian Criminal Code. Occupation law enforcement officers also said they were considering opening a case under Article 205.2(2) ("Public calls to the performance of terrorist acts") of the Russian Criminal Code.
Illegitimate “court” in temporarily occupied Crimea punishes woman for calling for protests over power and water outages
On social media, local residents complained about the lack of electricity and water, saying they were unable to live or work normally. They wrote that businesses had come to a standstill, workers were not being paid, and families were forced to care for children and carry water up to flats in multi-storey buildings without electricity
Russia’s indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children may amount to a crime against humanity – OSCE
The OSCE mission has documented that Russia systematically violates the rights of Ukrainian children, ranging from banning the Ukrainian language in schools to the forced conscription of boys into military service upon reaching the age of 18. The mission's legal analysis classifies the indoctrination and militarization of children as a crime against humanity, and specific episodes, including deportation and torture, as war crimes.
The first issue of the Crimean Tatar newspaper Qırım was published 37 years ago
According to available estimates, between 2021 and 2024 alone, the occupation authorities imposed at least 658,000 Russian roubles in fines on the newspaper, its Editor-in-Chief and its founder
US Human Rights Commission calls for release of Crimean Tatar journalist Rustem Sheikhaliyev on his 47th birthday
Russian security forces detained Sheikhaliyev during mass searches of Crimean Tatar homes in March 2019. At the time, more than two dozen people were arrested simultaneously in occupied Simferopol and surrounding areas
Columns
“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
The human safari: How Russia weaponized precision against Ukrainian civilians
