Political Prisoners

Haupt Yan

Detention: On May 15, 2025, 29-year-old local resident and Ukrainian citizen Yan Haupt was detained in Krasnodar. It is likely that after his detention, he was taken to Ust-Labinsk, where an administrative offense report was filed against him for disobeying a lawful order of a law enforcement officer. Sentence: As of July 17, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Yan Haupt remains in custody. The Russian Federation accuses him under Part 1 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Terrorist Act”), Part 1 of Article 222 (“Illegal possession of weapons”), and Article 274 (“Violation of the rules for the operation of storage, processing, or transmission of computer information”). The case is in the pre-trial investigation stage. Human rights defenders note that the criminal prosecution appears politically motivated.

Havryliuk Diana

Detention: Detained at the Russian border on October 31, 2025, after returning from Turkey, where she underwent a medical operation. Sentence: As of July 17, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Diana Havryliuk remains in custody. The Russian Federation accuses her of 'state treason' under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, alleging she made financial transfers to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Afanasyev Hennadiy

Detention: On May 9, 2014, Hennadiy Afanasyev was detained by FSB officers in Simferopol on suspicion of involvement in a so-called 'sabotage-terrorist group' along with Oleh Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, and Oleksiy Chirniy. The investigation accused them of setting fire to the 'Russian Community of Crimea' building on April 14, 2014, and the local office of the 'United Russia' party on the night of April 18, as well as preparing to blow up the Lenin monument and the 'Eternal Flame' memorial. Sentence: On December 24, 2014, Afanasyev was found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 7 years in a high-security colony. On June 14, 2016, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, having spent 767 days in captivity.

Limeshko Hennadiy

Detention: On August 12, 2017, FSB officers detained Ukrainian citizen Hennadiy Limeshko in occupied Crimea near the Sudak – Novyi Svit highway. The Russian security service claimed he was allegedly an 'SBU agent' preparing a series of sabotage acts on the peninsula's infrastructure. The Security Service of Ukraine called these accusations a provocation. Sentence: On May 10, 2018, the Russia-controlled Sudak City Court sentenced Hennadiy Limeshko to 8 years in prison on charges of illegal acquisition, storage, and transportation of weapons, explosives, and making an explosive device. In August 2018, the Russia-controlled Supreme Court of Crimea upheld the sentence. After serving the full term in February 2025, Limeshko was not released but transferred to a Temporary Detention Center for Foreign Nationals...

Herashchenko Yuriy

Detention: On March 22, 2023, Russian security forces conducted extensive searches in the homes of believers in the Krasnohvardiiske district. On the same day, Serhii Parfenovych was detained, and it later became known that Yuriy Herashchenko was also being pursued in connection with this case. On March 29, 2023, he was detained while attempting to leave occupied Crimea. Russian investigators accused him of participating in the activities of the banned religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia (part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code). Initially, the court imposed house arrest as a preventive measure, later replaced by restrictions on certain actions. Human rights defenders emphasize that the basis for the persecution was solely the peaceful practice of religion. Sentence: On July 1, 2024, the Russian-controlled Krasnohvardiiske District Court found Yuriy...

Herassimov Artem

Detention: On March 20, 2019, Russian security forces searched his apartment, seizing electronic devices and religious literature. By March 26, 2019, a criminal case was initiated against him for 'organizing the activities of an extremist organization' (Part 1, Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code) solely due to his affiliation with the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Human rights defenders emphasize that Artem Herassimov's persecution is solely related to freedom of religion, not any violent or illegal actions. Sentence: On March 5, 2020, the Russia-controlled Yalta City Court fined Artem Herassimov 400,000 Russian rubles. However, on June 4, 2020, the so-called 'Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea' overturned this decision and significantly increased the punishment to 6...

Hladkykh Oksana

Detention: In October 2023, she was detained by Russian security forces and charged with 'treason' (Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code) in the form of alleged espionage. According to Russian investigators, she transmitted information to the Ukrainian side about the location of Russian military facilities in the temporarily occupied territory. Human rights defenders emphasize that the criminal prosecution was only possible after she was coerced into accepting Russian citizenship, and the application of Russian law to the civilian population of the occupied territory violates international humanitarian law. Sentence: In June 2024, the Zaporizhzhia Regional Court, established by Russia in the occupied territory, found Oksana Hladkykh guilty of 'treason' and sentenced her to 14 years in a general regime colony, followed by one year of restricted freedom.

Horetskyi Leonid

Detention: 2024 (exact date not disclosed in open sources). Sentence: On June 15, 2026, the Sevastopol City Court, under the control of the Russian Federation, sentenced Leonid Horetskyi to 17 years in a high-security penal colony, one year of restricted freedom, and a fine of 300,000 rubles. He was found guilty under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('treason') and Part 3 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('illegal actions with explosives'). As of July 17, 2026, the sentence had not yet entered into legal force, and an appeal is ongoing.

Horobtsova Iryna

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...

Horpynchenko Kostiantyn

Detention: According to Russian investigative authorities, he was detained on November 12, 2024, and charged with attempted terrorist act (Part 3, Article 30, Part 1, Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and confidential cooperation with a foreign state (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The Russian investigation claims Kostiantyn allegedly maintained contact with Ukrainian intelligence representatives and planned to set fire to an administrative building. Human rights advocates emphasize that the case shows signs of politically motivated persecution, and information about the evidence, circumstances of detention, and investigation remains limited. Sentence: On January 10, 2025, the Southern District Military Court of Russia found Kostiantyn Horpynchenko guilty of the charges. After the appeal review, the sentence became legally binding.

Horyunov Serhiy

Detention: The exact date of detention is not disclosed in open sources. The persecution became known in 2023. Sentence: As of July 17, 2026, information about the sentence is not available in open sources. According to human rights defenders, Serhiy Horyunov is one of the Ukrainian citizens persecuted by the Russian Federation for alleged participation in the Crimean Tatar volunteer battalion named after Noman Çelebicihan.

Hudym Serhii

Detention: May – July 2022, Kherson region (exact date not established in open sources). Sentence: On September 16, 2022, the Kyiv District Court of Simferopol, under Russian control, sentenced Serhii Hudym to 5 years imprisonment under Part 2 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('Participation in an armed formation on the territory of a foreign state not provided for by the legislation of this state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation'). Human rights organizations consider the criminal prosecution politically motivated.