Detention: On October 2, 2025, Russian security forces detained Halyna Hryhorivna Bekhter, a resident of the village of Plodorodne (temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region). According to Russian investigators, in July 2023, she allegedly made a money transfer to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine via a Ukrainian banking app. A criminal case was initiated against the pensioner under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code ('treason'). Human rights defenders emphasize that the prosecution is linked to her support for Ukraine and is politically motivated.

Sentence: On March 5, 2026, the so-called 'Zaporizhzhia Regional Court', established by the Russian occupation authorities, sentenced Halyna Bekhter to 11 years in a general regime colony followed by 1 year of restricted freedom. After the sentence, she remained in Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 in Simferopol, awaiting appeal. The Russian prosecution appealed the sentence, seeking to increase the term to 16 years.

Halyna Hryhorivna Bekhter was born on December 19, 1957. Before her detention, she lived in the village of Plodorodne, Melitopol district, Zaporizhzhia region. After the region's occupation, she, like many residents of the occupied territories, was forced to obtain a Russian passport to access medical care and social services. She is a pensioner and led a typical civilian life before her arrest. Open sources do not indicate her involvement in political or public activities.

Following her detention, Halyna Bekhter was placed in a pre-trial detention centre in occupied Crimea. Human rights organizations consider her case part of a wave of criminal prosecutions against residents of occupied Ukrainian territories, whom Russia accuses of 'treason' for financially supporting Ukraine. The 'Memorial. Support for Political Prisoners' project has recognized Halyna Bekhter as a political prisoner, stressing that aiding Ukraine in defending against armed aggression cannot be considered a crime.

According to investigators, in July 2023, she used a Ukrainian bank's mobile application on her phone to transfer funds from her account to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The FSB views this transfer as 'financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation' (Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code).

Human rights defenders emphasize that Russia has no right to apply its criminal law to residents of temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, and the case is another example of using the 'treason' article to persecute civilians.

On March 5, 2026, the illegally established 'Zaporizhzhia Regional Court' by the occupation authorities sentenced Halyna Bekhter to 11 years in a general regime colony and 1 year of restricted freedom after release. Meanwhile, the Russian prosecution filed an appeal, demanding to increase the punishment to 16 years of imprisonment. As of the latest public reports, she was in Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 in Simferopol, awaiting the appeal's consideration.

According to investigators, in July 2023, she used a Ukrainian bank's mobile application on her phone to transfer funds from her account to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The FSB views this transfer as 'financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation' (Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code).

Human rights defenders note that Halyna Bekhter's case demonstrates a new trend in Russian repression in occupied Ukrainian territories. Previously, mainly civic activists, journalists, or Crimean Tatars were persecuted, but now ordinary elderly civilians are becoming victims of politically motivated criminal cases. The mere fact of supporting Ukraine or even suspicion of such support becomes grounds for long-term imprisonment.

As of July 5, 2026, Halyna Bekhter remains unlawfully detained. Her case is monitored by Ukrainian and international human rights organizations, which demand the annulment of the unlawful sentence and her immediate release.

Information sourced from: ZMINA, CrimeaSOS, Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners, Radio Liberty, Ukrinform.

Photo: ZMINA.

Last updated: 06.07.2026.