Political Prisoners

Yerzhov Serhiy

Detention: According to Ukrainian human rights organizations, he was detained by Russian security forces on June 23, 2023, following the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. After his detention, he was held for a long period without contact with his family and without access to an independent lawyer. Subsequently, Russian authorities charged him under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code ('Espionage'). Sentence: According to the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Serhiy Yerzhov was sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime penal colony on charges of 'espionage'. He is held in pre-trial detention centre No. 2 in Simferopol. Serhiy's daughter, Viktoriya Barabash, informed human rights defenders that her father requires leg surgery and is not receiving necessary medication.

Yesypenko Vladyslav

Arrest: On March 10, 2021, Vladyslav Yesypenko was detained by officers of the Russian Federation's FSB in occupied Crimea after covering events for Taras Shevchenko's birthday in Simferopol. Following his arrest, Russian security forces claimed to have found an object resembling a homemade explosive device in his car and accused the journalist of gathering information for Ukrainian intelligence. Yesypenko and his defenders denied these charges, emphasizing the case's political persecution aspects. Sentence: On February 16, 2022, the Russia-controlled Simferopol District Court sentenced Vladyslav Yesypenko to 6 years of imprisonment and a fine of 110,000 rubles. In August 2022, the appellate court reduced the sentence to 5 years of imprisonment.

Yunusov Talyat

Detention: On March 11, 2015, Russian security forces detained Talyat Yunusov in the village of Yastrubivka, Krasnohvardiiske district, Crimea. According to his father, Asan Yunusov, armed masked men entered their home around 7 a.m., conducted a search, and stated only that cameras allegedly recorded Talyat's participation in the events of February 26, 2014, and that he was suspected of causing bodily harm to a rally participant. He was taken to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, after which the court ordered pre-trial detention. Talyat Yunusov was charged under Part 2 of Article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in mass riots'). Following the advice of his lawyer, Djemil Temishev, he entered a plea agreement, admitting guilt on the condition that his testimony would not be used as evidence in other defendants' cases. Another defendant, ATR TV channel operator Eskender Nebiev, made a similar agreement. Human rights activists noted that this decision was forced and aimed at avoiding a lengthy imprisonment. Sentence: On December 28, 2015, the Russian-controlled Kyiv District Court of Simferopol found Talyat Yunusov guilty of participating in mass riots and sentenced him to 3 years and 6 months of suspended imprisonment with probation. The court approved the plea agreement, so the case was considered in a special procedure.

Zakhtei Andrii

Detention: On the night of August 6-7, 2016, FSB officers detained Zakhtei. After his detention, he was held for several days without access to an independent lawyer. He later stated that FSB officers tortured him: they brutally beat him, kept him in handcuffs for extended periods, electrocuted him, threatened his family, and forced him to record a 'confession' for Russian television. Under torture, he gave testimony, which he later retracted. Sentence: On February 16, 2018, the Russian-controlled Supreme Court of Crimea found Andrii Zakhtei guilty and sentenced him to 6 years and 6 months in a strict regime colony and a fine of 220,000 rubles. The Russian investigation accused Zakhtei of preparing sabotage, illegal acquisition and possession of weapons and explosives, using forged documents, and illegally obtaining a Russian passport. In 2017, he entered a pre-trial agreement with the investigation. According to his lawyers, this was a forced step after nearly a year of detention and torture. However, Zakhtei refused to testify against another defendant in the case, Yevhen Panov, stating that he was not acquainted with him before the detention.

Zaporozhets Pavlo

Detention: On May 9, 2022, Pavlo was abducted by Russian military forces. Initially, he was held in a temporary detention facility in Kherson, where, according to his statements and testimonies from relatives, he was subjected to systematic torture, beatings, and electric shocks to force a confession. A few months later, he was illegally transferred to occupied Crimea and subsequently to Rostov-on-Don. Russian investigators accused Pavlo of preparing an 'act of international terrorism,' alleging he planned to blow up the route of a Russian military patrol on May 9, 2022, in occupied Kherson. Sentence: On November 30, 2023, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found Pavlo Zaporozhets guilty under the article on 'international terrorism' and sentenced him to 12 years of imprisonment. The first 3 years are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict regime colony. The Russian prosecution requested a 13-year sentence. The defense argued that Pavlo is a prisoner of war under the Geneva Convention, making the criminal prosecution unlawful. The court dismissed these arguments. In May 2025, the Russian appellate court upheld the sentence, after which lawyers announced their intention to appeal to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation with a repeat cassation complaint.

Zarivny Oleksandr

Detention: On March 17, 2022, around six in the morning, Russian military forces stormed his home, threatened his wife and daughter with weapons, and took him away in handcuffs to an unknown location. During the detention, the occupiers explicitly stated that the reason was his membership in a veterans' organization of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO). According to his wife, Yuliia Zarivna, the Russian military had lists of former Ukrainian servicemen, law enforcement officers, and civic activists they planned to detain. Sentence: After Oleksandr Zarivny was abducted, his family lost all contact with him. According to testimonies from people released from Russian captivity, he might have initially been held in a temporary detention facility in occupied Kherson and later possibly transferred to occupied...

Zaurov Ruslan

Detention: Ruslan Eyupovich Zaurov became a target of politically motivated criminal prosecution by the Russian Federation. Russian law enforcement declared him wanted in the so-called 'second Simferopol Hizb ut-Tahrir case', accusing him of 'participation in the activities of a terrorist organization' (Part 2, Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Human rights defenders emphasize that the case is political and related to the persecution of Crimean Tatars following the occupation of Crimea. Sentence: Zaurov Ruslan is wanted, and the criminal proceedings are at the investigation stage.

Zekeriaev Leman

Detention: On January 24, 2023, searches were conducted in the Dzhankoy district (temporarily occupied Crimea), after which six Crimean Tatars were detained and taken to Simferopol, where they were arrested the next day and sent to pre-trial detention centre No. 1. Builders Osman Abdurazakova and Leman Zekeriaev, entrepreneurs Khalil Mambetov and Refat Seydametov, and appliance repairmen Ekrem Krosh and Ayder Asanov are accused of participating in the activities of the Islamic political party "Hizb ut-Tahrir." Sentence: On April 29, 2025, the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation (Rostov-on-Don) sentenced Leman Zekeriaev to 14 years of imprisonment. The first 4 years are to be served in prison, the remainder in a strict regime colony. Additionally, 1 year of restricted freedom was imposed after release. Russian authorities accused him of...

Zekiryaev Server

Arrest: On October 11, 2017, security forces conducted searches among Crimean Tatars in Bakhchisaray. They detained six men — Server Zekiryaev, Timur Ibragimov, Marlen (Suleiman) Asanov, Memet Belyalov, Seyran Saliyev, and Ernes Ametov. They were accused in the so-called 'Crimean Muslims case'. Server Zekiryaev was later transferred to Rostov-on-Don. Sentence: On September 16, 2020, the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Server Zekiryaev to 13 years in a strict regime colony. He was found guilty of participating in the activities of the organization 'Hizb ut-Tahrir', which Russia considers terrorist, although it is not banned in Ukraine and most countries worldwide. On March 14, 2022, the Russian Military Appeals Court upheld the sentence. Server...

Zeytullaev Ruslan

Detention: On January 23, 2015, FSB officers conducted searches in the homes of four Crimean Tatars in Sevastopol and detained Ruslan Zeytullaev, Nuri Primov, Ferat Saifullaev, and Rustem Vaitov. They were accused of participating in the activities of the Islamic political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is legal in Ukraine but banned in Russia. Human rights defenders emphasize that the case is politically motivated and was one of the first so-called 'Hizb ut-Tahrir cases' in Crimea. Sentence: Initially, on September 7, 2016, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Ruslan Zeytullaev to 7 years in prison. After an appeal by the prosecution, the sentence was overturned, and during a new trial on July 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of Russia increased the sentence to 15 years in a high-security prison...

Zhigalov Serhii

Detention: On August 24, 2022, FSB officers conducted a series of searches in the homes of believers in Sevastopol. Following the searches, Serhii Zhigalov and another believer, Viktor Kudinov, were detained. Two days later, the court placed them under house arrest, which was later changed to a prohibition of certain actions. Russian investigators charged Zhigalov under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code ('Organization of the activities of an extremist organization'), claiming he organized online worship services and coordinated the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations emphasize that the persecution is solely related to exercising the right to freedom of religion, not any violent activities. Sentence: In February 2025, the Russia-controlled Gagarinsky District Court of Sevastopol found Serhii Zhigalov guilty and sentenced him to 6 years in a general regime colony with 1 year of restricted freedom after release. He was taken into custody immediately after the verdict was announced. Subsequently, the appellate court upheld the sentence. The human rights project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial' recognized Serhii Zhigalov as a political prisoner, and Ukrainian human rights organizations view his case as an example of religious persecution in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.

Zhuk Yaroslav

Detention: On June 18, 2022, Russian military abducted Yaroslav Zhuk along with another volunteer, Illia Yenin. After detention, he was held in a basement for over a month and a half without contact with family or a lawyer. In July 2022, the occupation administration released a video of a so-called 'confession' in which Zhuk allegedly admitted involvement in an attempt on the life of Melitopol's occupation education department head, Olena Shapurova. Later, Yaroslav stated that the video was recorded after severe torture with electric shocks and psychological pressure. Human rights defenders consider the case fabricated and emphasize that evidence obtained under torture cannot be admissible. Sentence: On June 25, 2024, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found Yaroslav Zhuk guilty of an alleged 'act of international terrorism' and sentenced him to 14 years in prison. According to the sentence, he must serve the first 4 years in prison, with the remainder in a high-security colony. The Russian prosecution demanded 27 years of imprisonment. The defense insisted that Zhuk is a civilian illegally abducted from occupied Ukrainian territory and that all key evidence was obtained under torture. On April 23, 2025, the Russian Military Appeals Court upheld the sentence.