Political prisoners Archives - Euromaidan Press

Alexander Butyagin, Russian archaeologist from the Hermitage Museum, standing in front of archaeological artifacts and a site map in occupied Crimea

6 minute read

International

The Hermitage archaeologist Ukraine wanted to try is back in Russia—Kyiv calls it a propaganda gift to Moscow

Five for five at the Belarusian-Polish border. As part of a prisoner swap, a Russian defendant was released six weeks before he was due in Kyiv.

byAlexander Moisseenko

Crimean political prisoners in court in 2019: the front from left - Muslim Aliev, Vadim Siruk, Emir-Usein Kuku, Refat Alimov, at the back, from left - Envir Bekirov, Arsen Dzhepparov. All of them (except for Dzhepparov and Alimov) are still in custody as of today. Photo: Crimean Solidarity

8 minute read

Russia keeps arresting Crimeans. The count just hit 520

The number of Crimean political prisoners has more than doubled since the full-scale invasion. A welder, a human rights defender, a father of four: three faces of the political repressions.

byAlexander Moisseenko

A heavily-protected Russian entry point into the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea annexed by Russia in March 2014 (Image: Kommersant.ru)

5 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Russia hands Crimea’s main detention center to FSB

The transfer reverses a concession Russia made to the Council of Europe in 2005. Detention centers in Crimea are already at 103% capacity.

byAlexander Moisseenko

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Belarus uses prisoner release to charm West, not for democratization. Lukashenka stands with Russia anyway, says defense report

Belarus is simultaneously releasing US prisoners and hosting missiles aimed at US allies.

byOlena Mukhina

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya sits in an armchair facing the camera while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, seen from behind, speaks with her during their first formal bilateral meeting in Vilnius.

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Zelenskyy, Belarusian opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya hold first formal bilateral meeting in Vilnius

Discussed political prisoners, sanctions on Lukashenka, and deepening cooperation

byMaxim Volovich

three ukrainians freed venezuela support europe · post ukrainian citizens released illegal detention stand outside ukraine’s diplomatic mission after release 2026 g_pus_ewaaec0gn ukraine news reports

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Three Ukrainians freed in Venezuela with support from US and Europe

The Foreign Ministry says they are safe and en route to reunite with families, following international diplomatic coordination.

byYuri Zoria

Ukraine political prisoners Belarus Kolesnikova

5 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Nobel laureate, top opposition figures freed as Belarus trades prisoners for US sanctions relief

US lifts potash sanctions after Trump envoy's two-day talks with Lukashenka

byAlya Shandra

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

67% of Crimea’s repression targets one people: Crimean Tatars. The US peace plan would hand them to Russia

Crimean Tatars survived Stalin's deportation. Now they face Russia's repression.

byOlena Mukhina

Ukrainian scientist charged with treason, marine biologist Leonid Pshenichnov gazing thoughtfully to the left

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Russia charges 70-year-old Ukrainian scientist with treason for protecting Antarctic marine life

His "crime" was protecting Antarctic marine life.

byMaxim Volovich

Maksym Butkevych delivers his acceptance speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 29 September, wearing a hoodie with the message

8 minute read

People of Ukraine

Putin gave him 13 years. Europe gave him its highest honor.

He taught English with cigarette packets in Putin's prison. Europe just honored his courage

byVira Kravchuk

John Cole, US deputy special representative for Ukraine, shaking hands with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting in Minsk.

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

US lifts sanctions on Belarusian airline in exchange for prisoner releases, wants to “normalize relations”

The move marks a rare diplomatic breakthrough with Russian-allied Belarus, which has long faced Western sanctions over human rights abuses.

byBenjamin Murdoch

inside occupied crimea torture disappearances total suppression dissent ukrainsky kurier khpg crimea-occupation-poster 20 freedom house called democratic governments prioritize rights dignity civilians living under russian occupation ukraine particularly where repression

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Inside occupied Crimea: torture, disappearances, and total suppression of dissent

A Freedom House report sheds light on systematic abuses in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.

byYuri Zoria

georgia quits pace over calls new elections political prisoner release tea tsulukiani givi mikanadze georgia's ruling party georgian dream announced suspension its work parliamentary assembly council europe (pace) rfe/rl reports

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Georgia quits PACE over calls for new elections and political prisoner release

Georgia's pro-Russian ruling party announced it is suspending participation in the Assembly.

byYuri Zoria

7 minute read

Opinion

Putin’s war machine in Ukraine feeds on unpunished Soviet crimes

As Russia revives unpunished Soviet terror tactics, a dissident leader cautions the West: failing to act in Ukraine risks repeating the fatal mistake of appeasement.

byMyroslav Marynovych

Crimean Tatars activist human rights violation torture

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Over 1,126 cases filed in Crimea for ‘discrediting’ Russian army: repression deepens

Russian occupation authorities in Crimea have detained 218 people (including 132 Crimean Tatars), escalated militarization with strategic deployments, all amidst an ongoing ecological disaster from a recent oil spill.

byOrysia Hrudka

vlasova torture rape russian prison court

8 minute read

15 Russians raped her for false confession – Ukrainian mother gets 18-year sentence after years of torture in secret Russian prison

A Russian kangaroo court against Ukrainians inadvertently revealed the chilling torture practices at the Izolyatsia "death factory” treated as “entertainment” by her captors.

byOrysia Hrudka

Russian invasion of Ukraine Russian-Ukrainian war Maksym Butkevych Ukrainian POWs prisoner swaps

15 minute read

He fought Putin’s prisons for 10 years – then spent 913 days in one

From defending rights to defending Ukraine, rights advocate Maksym Butkevych confronted his harshest test: surviving 913 days in Russian prisons he once fought from the outside.

byOrysia Hrudka

American political prisoners, including Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva returned to the US/ Navalny

7 minute read

International

Germany releases Russian hitman, enabling largest post-Cold War prisoner exchange

Germany's decision to release Vadim Krasikov, a Russian assassin convicted of a Chechen rebel murder in Berlin, proved crucial and ordered by Putin himself in facilitating a major West-Russia prisoner exchange, initially aimed at freeing Aleksei Navalny, but instead returning other high-profile political prisoners and dissidents in exchange for spies and cybercriminals.

byVira Kravchuk

Ukrainian citizen, Serhii Karmazin sentenced to 25 years in prison in Russia

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Russian court sentences Ukrainian man to 25 years in prison for alleged railway sabotage

Apart from railway sabotage, the Russian Military Court also charged Serhii Karmazin with espionage, training in sabotage and terrorist activities, and preparation for a terrorist act, while denying him access to a human rights lawyer during the investigation.

byVira Kravchuk

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukrainian religious scholar who survived Russian captivity dies at the age of 69

In Kyiv, people said goodbye to Ukrainian scientist and religious scholar Ihor Kozlovsky, who died on 6 September 2023. The funeral and memorial services were held in St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery on 9 September 2023.

byBohdan Ben

Political prisoners

The Hermitage archaeologist Ukraine wanted to try is back in Russia—Kyiv calls it a propaganda gift to Moscow

Russia keeps arresting Crimeans. The count just hit 520

Russia hands Crimea’s main detention center to FSB

Belarus uses prisoner release to charm West, not for democratization. Lukashenka stands with Russia anyway, says defense report

Zelenskyy, Belarusian opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya hold first formal bilateral meeting in Vilnius

Three Ukrainians freed in Venezuela with support from US and Europe

Nobel laureate, top opposition figures freed as Belarus trades prisoners for US sanctions relief

67% of Crimea’s repression targets one people: Crimean Tatars. The US peace plan would hand them to Russia

Russia charges 70-year-old Ukrainian scientist with treason for protecting Antarctic marine life

Putin gave him 13 years. Europe gave him its highest honor.

US lifts sanctions on Belarusian airline in exchange for prisoner releases, wants to “normalize relations”

Inside occupied Crimea: torture, disappearances, and total suppression of dissent

Georgia quits PACE over calls for new elections and political prisoner release

Putin’s war machine in Ukraine feeds on unpunished Soviet crimes

Over 1,126 cases filed in Crimea for ‘discrediting’ Russian army: repression deepens

15 Russians raped her for false confession – Ukrainian mother gets 18-year sentence after years of torture in secret Russian prison

He fought Putin’s prisons for 10 years – then spent 913 days in one

Germany releases Russian hitman, enabling largest post-Cold War prisoner exchange

Russian court sentences Ukrainian man to 25 years in prison for alleged railway sabotage

Ukrainian religious scholar who survived Russian captivity dies at the age of 69

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