Russia holds 200+ Ukrainian prisoners in Crimea, women increasingly targeted

Espreso journalist Kateryna Halko reported the information.

A press briefing on political prisoners’ rights violations was held in Kyiv. According to Olha Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, over 1,500 administrative cases have been opened in occupied Crimea for so-called “discrediting” of Russia’s armed forces. She also noted a growing number of women in captivity.

“At this time, we have over 200 political prisoners, and unfortunately their number is increasing,” Kuryshko said.

Olha Skrypnyk, head of the Crimean Human Rights Group, added that nearly all women are charged with “treason” or “espionage.”

“This means not only huge sentences, but also that almost all of these cases are closed. There is no access even during pre-trial hearings, which take place in Rostov,” she explained.

According to her, women are tried by a military court in Rostov, which also violates international humanitarian law.

“Women do not return to Crimea. There are no women’s colonies in Crimea. All convicted women are taken to Russia, usually very far from Crimea,” Skrypnyk said.

She also noted that Russian authorities manipulate the children of imprisoned women.

Since 2022, in cases involving women, Russian courts have ignored health conditions, the presence of underage children, and care for disabled parents.

“Any considerations that FSB officers or occupation courts used to take into account are now completely disregarded,” Skrypnyk added.