Political prisoners Archives - Euromaidan Press

Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov in the Yeltsin museum, 2019. Photo: Liubov Kabalinova

6 minute read

Opinion

A Nobel laureate’s deal: free Russia’s prisoners, fund the missiles hitting Ukraine

The laureate is Dmitry Muratov, and the deal he urged on Washington would lift sanctions on Russia's war economy in exchange for releasing the very dissidents the Kremlin jailed.

byYuriy Lukanov

crimea's political prisoners lost lifeline—because keeping open have put more people prison · post crimean solidarity 751751894_1050160240849716_3703501919270286713_n ukraine news ukrainian reports

4 minute read

Crimea

Crimea’s political prisoners lost their lifeline—because keeping it open would have put more people in prison

The Crimean Solidarity movement backed families of the detained in the occupied peninsula, arranged legal defense, and circulated information that fell outside the official Russian narrative.

byYuri Zoria

fuel blockade tightens kerch struck again power knocked out across occupied crimea · post black smoke billows over port following overnight ukrainian drone attack 23 2026 fire today krymsky veter

3 minute read

Latest news

Ukraine’s drones cut Crimea’s fuel. Now, Russia can’t even move its political prisoners

The week-long paralysis leaves Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian detainees held in Simferopol indefinitely.

byOlena Mukhina

Trafim Barysau, Dzmitry Zakharoshka, Anastasiya Klimenka, Aliaksandra Pulinovich, Siarhei Zhyhaliou, Maryia Misiuk: The six teenagers were accused of forming an anarchist cell

7 minute read

Latest news

Shot knees and a death sentence: how the Belarusian regime punishes people for supporting Ukraine

More than 200 political prisoners are behind bars for opposing Russia's war—from teenagers who spray-painted slogans to railway partisans who disrupted Russian troop trains.

byAlexander Moisseenko

The Kerch bridge, also known as the Crimean bridge

3 minute read

Latest news

Russia is holding at least 100 people in occupied Crimea with no contact with outside world and no lawyer — and no trials

For the same charges that brought 7–10 years before 2022, courts now hand down 10–20, a Ukrainian rights monitor says.

byOlena Mukhina

U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale meets self-proclaimed president Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Photo: BelTA

6 minute read

International

Trump’s State Department refused to recognize Lukashenka in 2020. Today he’s a “friend.”

Trump called Lukashenka his "friend" after the latest prisoner exchange deal. The Belarusian bank financing Russia's shells is back in the dollar system.

byAlexander Moisseenko

russia just got its crimea looter back — he's even pretending lay low · post russia's alexander butyagin archaeological site alexander-butyagin-hermitage-archaeologist-crimea ukraine news ukrainian reports

7 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

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

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.

3 minute read

Latest news

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 minute read

Latest news

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

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

Political prisoners

A Nobel laureate’s deal: free Russia’s prisoners, fund the missiles hitting Ukraine

Crimea’s political prisoners lost their lifeline—because keeping it open would have put more people in prison

Ukraine’s drones cut Crimea’s fuel. Now, Russia can’t even move its political prisoners

Shot knees and a death sentence: how the Belarusian regime punishes people for supporting Ukraine

Russia is holding at least 100 people in occupied Crimea with no contact with outside world and no lawyer — and no trials

Trump’s State Department refused to recognize Lukashenka in 2020. Today he’s a “friend.”

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

Ads are disabled for Euromaidan patrons.

Already with us on Patreon?

Code successfully activated