Political prisoners of the Kremlin: what happens to Ukrainians who are kept behind bars by Russia?

On January 12, the Ukraine 5 AM Coalition, in collaboration with partners, hosted a press conference to shed light on the plight of Ukrainians imprisoned by Russia. The event, titled "Political Prisoners of the Kremlin: What is happening to Ukrainians held in captivity by Russia?", coincided with Ukrainian Political Prisoners Day, a date established in 1975 by Vyacheslav Chornovil to protest Soviet oppression. Nearly five decades later, history repeats itself as Russia suppresses Ukrainians for exercising their freedom of expression.

On that day, Krystyna Shkudor, advocacy manager for «Where Are Our People,» Yevhenii Yaroshenko, an analyst from the NGO «Crimea SOS,» and Olha Skrypnyk, Chair of the Board of the Crimean Human Rights Group, gathered to discuss Ukrainian political prisoners and how Russia manipulated their freedom.

Russia is illegally detaining more than 100 civilian Ukrainians in incommunicado status, without charge. Among them are residents of the temporarily occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Olha Skrypnyk, Chair of the Board of the Crimean Human Rights Group, highlighted the disturbing reality of over 100 Ukrainians being detained incommunicado by Russia, primarily from the temporarily occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. These individuals, held without charges, are subjected to secretive and unlawful captivity, making verification challenging.“Russia does not confirm the illegal detention of these Ukrainians, nor does it present any charges against them.

Their whereabouts often remain unknown, as they are frequently transferred between facilities, including to Russia itself,” said Skrypnyk during the press conference held at the Ukraine-Inform Media Centre.

Among the detainees are notable figures like Spanish volunteer Mariano Garcia Calatayuda, who was taken from Kherson to Crimea, and Hola Prystan Mayor Oleksandr Babych, abducted on March 28. Both are being held in Simferopol’s pre-trial detention center. Only 53 cases have been verified according to international standards, with reports submitted to the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Crimes in Ukraine.

Yevhenii Yaroshenko, an analyst with the NGO CrimeaSOS, addressed the ongoing harassment of lawyers in Crimea under Russian occupation. Since the peninsula’s annexation, at least 13 lawyers have faced systematic persecution, with 2022 marking a peak in repressive actions.“ In May 2022, four lawyers were detained, three of whom received administrative arrests. Later that year, the Bar Association of the Chechen Republic stripped three Crimean lawyers of their professional status, further silencing independent legal representation,” Yaroshenko said. This targeting of lawyers underscores Russia’s broader campaign to undermine legal recourse and suppress dissent in Crimea.

The press conference underscored the urgency of international attention to these violations. Advocacy manager Krystyna Shkudor from Where Are Our People emphasized the critical need for coordinated efforts to secure the release of detainees and hold Russia accountable for its actions.The event serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights abuses faced by Ukrainians under Russian captivity and highlights the importance of continued global advocacy to demand justice.

Watch the full Press Conference here


The organization of the event was supported by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Union and USAID.