First arrests of Ukrainian citizens started in Spring 2014, right after the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. Russian occupation authorities sought to suppress any signs of dissent among the local residents and confirm Kremlin’s bogus stories about black-hearted Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars planning horrific terror attacks.
Civic activists are being arrested in droves. Most of them are detained in Crimea, but some are arrested in Russia. Encouraged by impunity, Russian regime also kidnaps Ukrainians. For instance, in August 2017 a Ukrainian teenager Pavlo Hryb was abducted by Russian FSB from Belarus.
The stories of Ukrainian political prisoners are similar. They get arrested on false testimonies or their own “confessions” obtained under torture. Evidence is planted, witnesses are fake, trials are falsified, but the sentences are real. Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in a colony. Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko was sentenced to 12 years in a high-security penitentiary. Ihor Movenko was sentenced to 2 years in prison for a comment in VK social network.
While the precise number of Ukrainian political prisoners remains unknown, human rights groups mention in their reports at least 74 Ukrainian citizens held by Russia. Human rights defenders also report abductions, disappearances and a number of deaths while in detention.
Political prisoners are systematically humiliated by prison guards and they get poor medical treatment. Ukrainian consuls and Ukrainian Ombudsman have not been able to get access to Ukrainian prisoners for months. All these conditions push jailed Ukrainians to desperate measures in a hope to attract attention of the world community to their fate.
- 97 days ago Volodymyr Balukh went on a hunger strike. According to the latest reports he has lost 30 kg and his life is in jeopardy.
- 41 days ago Oleg Sentsov started his termless hunger strike demanding release of Ukrainian political prisoners. His lawyer says that by now Sentsov has lost 15 kg and his health is seriously deteriorating.
- 30 days ago Oleksandr Shumkov joined hunger strike as well.
These brave Ukrainians can die for their beliefs. The world has to act before it is too late. Make the Kremlin stop torturing them and demand their release!
Ukrainians who are illegally held in Russia or occupied Crimea:
- Teymur Abdullaev
- Uzeir Abdullaev
- Talyat Abdurakhmanov
- Rustem Abiltarov
- Zevri Abseitov
- Muslim Aliev
- Refat Alimov
- Ernest Ametov
- Kazim Ametov
- Ali Asanov
- Suleyman (Marlen) Asanov
- Ali Bariev
- Envir Bekirov
- Memet Belyalov
- Volodymyr Balukh
- Oleksiy Bessarabov
- Asan Chapukh
- Oleksiy Chyrniy
- Mykola Dadey
- Kostyantin Davydenko
- Bekir Degermendzhy
- Mustafa Degermendzhy
- Volodymyr Dudka
- Emil Dzhemadenov
- Arsen Dzhepparov
- Pavlo Hryb
- Timur Ibragimov
- Rustem Ismailov
- Yevhen Karakashev
- Mykola Karpyuk
- Stanyslav Klykh
- Oleksandr Kolchenko
- Andriy Kolomiyets
- Oleksandr Kostenko
- Arsen Kubedinov
- Emir-Usein Kuku
- Hennady Lymeshko
- Serhiy Lytvynov
- Enver Mamutov
- Nariman Memedeminov
- Remzi Memetov
- Ihor Movenko
- Seiran Mustafaev
- Server Mustafaev
- Yevhen Panov
- Leonid Parkhomenko
- Nuri Primov
- Volodymyr Prysich
- Ismail Ramazanov
- Ferat Saifullaev
- Aider Saledinov
- Seiran Saliev
- Enver Seytosmanov
- Oleg Sentsov
- Hlib Shabliy
- Dmytro Shtyblikov
- Oleksandr Shumkov
- Viktor Shur
- Mykola Shyptur
- Vadim Siruk
- Oleksiy Sizonovych
- Edem Smailov
- Oleksandr Steshenko
- Oleksiy Stohniy
- Renat Suleymanov
- Roman Sushchenko
- Roman Ternovsky
- Ruslan Trubach
- Rustem Vaitov
- Resul Velilyaev
- Valentyn Vyhivsky
- Andriy Zakhtei
- Server Zekeryaev
- Ruslan Zeytullaev
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