CrimeaSOS: at least 56 people were criminally persecuted on the occupied peninsula in 2024
18 / 03 / 2025
russia continues using criminal cases as a tool to pressure civic activists, journalists, religious figures and all dissenters. CrimeaSOS recorded at least 56 illegal or questionable criminal proceedings during 2024.
The grounds for criminal prosecution of residents of Crimea were accusations of ties to organizations banned in the russian federation, treason, espionage, public statements, organizing sabotage, or calls for violence.
Some of them have been victims of persecution for acts that do not constitute a crime under Ukrainian legislation. Cases involving other individuals require additional information. It is important that such prosecutions are based on dubious charges and are a consequence of the application of russian criminal law in the occupied territories, which violates international humanitarian law.
In general, criminal cases for alleged involvement in the political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is considered a terrorist organization in the russian federation, were opened against civic journalists Rustem Osmanov and Aziz Azizov, Imam Vakhid Mustafaiev, former Imam Remzi Kurtnezirov, Memet Liumanov, Mustafa Abduramanov, Ali Mamutov, Arsen Kashka, Enver Khalilaiev, and Nariman Ametov.
The FSB also opened criminal cases against at least six residents of Crimea under the article on public calls for extremist activities. Some of them became victims of criminal prosecution by the occupiers because of alleged calls on social media for violent actions against russians, others because of alleged calls to kill russian soldiers or anti-russian and anti-government slogans.
In addition, after prolonged arbitrary detention in a pre-trial detention centre, the occupiers accused Kherson activist Iryna Horobtsova of espionage, and Liudmyla Kolesnikova, who came from Ireland for her mother’s funeral, of treason.
We shall remind you that last year, Yevhen Karakashev and Refat Alimov were released after serving an illegal sentence. In addition, the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Dzhelial, and Leniie Umerova were released as a result of the exchange.