Detention: On May 13, 2022, on her birthday, Russian military forces stormed her home, conducted an illegal search, seized equipment, and forcibly took Iryna to temporarily occupied Crimea. She was held without contact with her family or lawyer for an extended period, and later a criminal case was fabricated against her under the charge of 'espionage' (Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code), accusing her of allegedly passing information about the location of Russian troops to Ukrainian intelligence.

Sentence: On August 15, 2024, the occupation 'Kherson Regional Court', established by Russia on the temporarily occupied territory, illegally sentenced Iryna Horobtsova to 10 years and 6 months in a general regime colony. Later, the appellate court in Moscow upheld this sentence. Human rights organizations emphasize that the case is politically motivated and exemplifies the persecution of civilians in occupied territories for their pro-Ukrainian stance.

Iryna Volodymyrivna Horobtsova was born on May 13, 1985, a Ukrainian citizen, IT specialist, volunteer, and civic activist from Kherson. Before Russia's full-scale invasion, she worked as a tester in an IT company. After Kherson's occupation in spring 2022, she assisted local hospitals as a volunteer driver, delivering medicines, food, and medical supplies, and participated in peaceful protests against the Russian occupation, openly expressing her pro-Ukrainian position on social media.

For more than two years, Iryna was unlawfully held in Simferopol pre-trial detention centers, where she endured severe psychological pressure and was kept in solitary confinement for extended periods. Due to inadequate conditions and stress, she lost 20 kilograms.

In captivity, her health critically deteriorated: her chronic cerebral aneurysm worsened, and she developed tachycardia, yet the occupiers did not provide adequate medical care.

While in detention, Iryna managed to send an open letter to Ukrainian state bodies and the Coordination Headquarters, requesting the rescue of all civilian women held hostage by the Kremlin.

As of October 2025, after an appeal review in Moscow, Iryna Horobtsova was transferred again to Women's Correctional Colony No. 2 in the village of Yavas, Republic of Mordovia. According to her father's testimony, the conditions in this colony are harsh and akin to hard labor.

During the trial, the Russian side claimed that Iryna Horobtsova allegedly collected and transmitted information about the locations of Russian military units in Kherson to Ukrainian special services. Meanwhile, independent human rights defenders emphasize that the case materials were classified, court sessions were held in closed sessions, and Iryna was effectively isolated from the outside world for a long time. Due to the lack of open evidence and violations of the right to a fair trial, her criminal prosecution is considered politically motivated.

Iryna Horobtsova's case is actively documented by the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the ZMINA Human Rights Center, the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIPL), the Center for Civil Liberties, CrimeaSOS, and international human rights organizations. They emphasize that the abduction of a civilian from occupied territory, her forced transfer to Crimea, and sentencing under Russian law violate international humanitarian law norms, including the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

Human rights defenders particularly highlight Iryna's critical health condition. Her family has repeatedly reported the risk of a cerebral aneurysm rupture, deterioration of the cardiovascular system, and the need for urgent specialized treatment. Despite numerous appeals from lawyers and international organizations, she has not received adequate medical care for a long time.

As of July 9, 2026, Iryna Horobtsova continues to be unlawfully held in places of detention designated by the Russian Federation. Her case remains one of the most well-known examples of the persecution of civilian Ukrainian women from temporarily occupied territories for their pro-Ukrainian civic stance and volunteer activities.

Information used from open sources: Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, CrimeaSOS, Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIPL), Center for Civil Liberties, Human Rights Project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial'.

Photo: ZMINA.

Date of update: 09.07.2026