Currently, 277 political prisoners from Crimea are held in Russian prisons, 157 of whom are indigenous Crimean Tatars. Many have been convicted based on religious grounds.
This was reported by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center (CTRC).
The report states, "In total, the CTRC has documented 431 political prisoners and individuals persecuted under criminal charges during the occupation of Crimea, including 249 Crimean Tatars."
This group is categorized into five categories based on their persecution status:
- Convicted and serving sentences in colonies: 202 individuals (117 are Crimean Tatars)
- Under restrictions or probation: 57 individuals (28 are Crimean Tatars)
- In pretrial detention: 75 individuals (40 are Crimean Tatars)
- Released: 61 individuals (36 are Crimean Tatars)
- Persecuted: 36 individuals (28 are Crimean Tatars)
According to the CTRC, as of now, 277 political prisoners from Crimea are being held in Russian prisons, 157 of whom are members of the indigenous Crimean Tatar community.
Human rights activists have expressed concern over the rapid increase in the number of political prisoners in Crimea. A year ago, the count was 334 individuals (217 Crimean Tatars), but this figure has surged by nearly 100 new cases within just one year. Additionally, this list is not exhaustive; the occupying authorities frequently announce new detentions, arrests, or sentences without providing any information about the individuals involved, including their names or case details, as noted by human rights defenders.