The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has published a report detailing various violations of religious rights by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine, especially in Crimea. The document specifically highlights cases of repression against the Crimean Tatars.
This is stated in a March 2026 report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), according to Suspilne.
"In 2025, Russia continued to criminalize the activities of several peaceful religious organizations, labeling them as 'extremist,' 'undesirable,' or 'terrorist' without providing any evidence or specific charges that these groups had facilitated, participated in, or planned acts of violence," the statement reads.
Hundreds of Muslims, including Crimean Tatars, were unlawfully sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 24 years for "possessing religious literature and discussing religion and politics" as alleged members of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
"Russia has imposed its repressive legal system on the Ukrainian territories it has illegally occupied. This includes maintaining bans on certain religious groups, imposing fines for so-called illegal missionary activities, conducting raids on places of worship, seizing religious property, and detaining religious leaders and community members. In April, a Russian military court sentenced five Crimean Tatars to 14 years in prison each and another to 11 years for their alleged membership in Hizb ut-Tahrir. In May, Russia designated Crimean Tatar journalist and human rights activist Lutfiye Zudieva as a "foreign agent" due to her reporting on the repression faced primarily by Crimean Tatars in Russian-occupied Crimea," the document states.
The U.S. Commission's report also documents violations of the rights of Crimean Tatars in Russian prisons.
"Imprisoned Crimean Tatars and Muslims reported experiencing torture, medical neglect, forced shaving of beards, confiscation of religious materials, bans on prayer, food containing pork, and other forms of ill-treatment. Russian authorities have fined, designated as 'foreign agents,' and imprisoned religious leaders and others for expressing religious opposition to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine."
The report concludes with recommendations for the U.S. government to designate Russia as a "country of particular concern" for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act. The commission also proposes imposing targeted sanctions against Russian government agencies, including the Federal Security Service (FSB), and officials responsible for serious violations of religious freedom. These measures may include freezing the assets of these individuals and/or barring them from entering the United States. Additionally, the commission advises raising the issue of religious freedom in every bilateral engagement with Russian officials.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an Islamic political party that was designated a terrorist organization in Russia in 2003, leading to the persecution of its members. They are accused of "anti-constitutional activities" and attempting to establish a so-called "global caliphate." Following the occupation of Crimea in 2014, the occupiers extended their legislation to the annexed territory, which intensified pressure on Crimean Tatars, as they began to be accused of involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir due to their opposition to the occupation of the peninsula.