Repressions in occupied Crimea: women, lawyers, artists targeted by Russian authorities

Journalist Oleksandra Yefymenko shared the information on Hromadske Radio.  

She specifically pointed out that there has been a rising number of cases involving women on the occupied peninsula, with two known cases currently being prosecuted for "treason."

The journalist reported that these cases involve Oksana Senedzhuk, a philologist from Sevastopol, and Lyudmyla Kolesnikova, a lawyer from Yalta. Kolesnikova's court hearings are scheduled to start on January 21.

According to Oleksandra Yefymenko, Lyudmyla had worked as an investigator for the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Crimea since 2011. Following the peninsula's occupation, she remained with the same structure, now under the control of the occupying forces. She held the position of investigator until 2018, after which she worked as an inquiry officer for her final year in the role. She resigned in 2019.

"Lyudmyla traveled to Crimea in May 2024 to say goodbye to her severely ill mother and to bury her. After the burial, FSB officers searched her apartment, detained her, and charged her with 'using foul language in public,' which they claimed to have overheard. As a result, they initiated an administrative case against her for 'petty hooliganism,'" Yefymenko explained.

Such fabricated "cases" are initiated to detain individuals, gain access to their apartments, and conduct searches. After these staged charges and detentions, Lyudmyla was released under a verbal obligation to remain at home under house arrest.  

In July 2024, Lyudmyla disappeared and lost contact with her sister, Yana.  

There is suspicion that she was abducted from her home by Russian security forces. "It became evident on October 3 that Lyudmyla's case had been fabricated. She spent two months in Detention Center No. 2 without any legal status," the journalist revealed.  

Protests against Russian authorities in Crimea are currently nonexistent, the journalist explained. Previously, there were isolated incidents, but participants were fined, and "administrative cases" were opened against them.

Oleksandra Yefymenko notes that expressing opinions online can result in either administrative or criminal charges: "Artist Bohdan Ziza from Yevpatoria was accused of 'terrorism' by the Russians for splashing blue and yellow paint on the facade of the Yevpatoria administration building. He had the same case as Lyudmyla. He was detained, an administrative case was opened against him, and then a criminal one followed."

"This can be seen as a new tactic by the Russians in 'treason' cases," adds the journalist.  

In this way, Russia is attempting to show that it can administer "justice" on the peninsula. By initially fabricating an administrative case, they buy more time to later initiate a criminal case.

The journalist notes that during Bohdan Ziza's detention, "physical violence" was used against him. In Lyudmyla Kolesnikova's case, it remains unclear whether physical violence was involved, but it is certain that the Russians applied psychological pressure on her.

"Ruslan Mesutov has now been transferred to Yakutia, which is 9,000 kilometers from Crimea. People are being transferred over distances of 2,500 kilometers, and so on. Additionally, we are now documenting even harsher conditions for those detained. Ukrainian citizens who have been 'sentenced' and are held in Russian prisons are facing increasingly unbearable conditions. The Russian penitentiary system is trying to make their captivity even more intolerable. Among those we know for sure are Mesutov, Remzi Bekirov, Muslim Aliyev, and the seriously ill Teymur Abdullayev, who are currently in a punishment isolation cell (SHIZO)," Yefymenko reported.

Abdullaev is being held in a solitary confinement-style cell, while Aliyev is enduring harsh conditions. The reasons behind these punishments are not only absurd but often contain elements of religious discrimination.

For instance, Muslim Aliyev, a member of the Yalta group of Hizb ut-Tahrir, was detained for reading his morning prayer. When the head of the colony entered the cell, Aliyev "greeted him at the wrong time." According to the Quran, prayer (Namaz) cannot be interrupted, as explained by Oleksandra Yefymenko.

Currently, almost all independent lawyers on the peninsula are facing fabricated administrative charges, most often related to social media posts. Fortunately, none of them have been charged with criminal cases. Some independent lawyers have had their status revoked, meaning they can now only work as legal advisors.

Losing attorney status is a critical blow to their careers, as it prevents them from defending individuals in criminal cases and limits their work to administrative matters or legal consultations, the journalist explains.

• Russian forces have escalated the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, with at least 147 deaths reported. Ukrainian authorities are investigating a rising number of such cases.