Over 50 young far-right activists descended on events linked to the Docudays Film Festival on 26 March.  As well as demolishing posters promoting tolerance and diversity, they also tried to prevent people from attending a panel discussion on far-right movements.  In refreshing contrast to at least one previous occasion, the police acted swiftly, ensuring that the event took place and that the participants were able to safely leave after it. 

61-year-old Oleksiy Sizonovych from Krasnodon in the Luhansk oblast was, as feared, brutally tortured before ending up sentenced by a  Russian ‘court’ to 12 years’ imprisonment.  Neither the surreal nature of the charges against him, nor the use of torture are, unfortunately anything new, however this case does stand out because of Sizonovych’s age and the fact that he was first seized by Kremlin-backed militants from the self-proclaimed ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ [LPR] before being illegally abducted to Russia where the torture took place

61-year-old Oleksiy Sizonovych from Krasnodon in the Luhansk oblast was, as feared, brutally tortured before ending up sentenced by a  Russian ‘court’ to 12 years’ imprisonment.  Neither the surreal nature of the charges against him, nor the use of torture are, unfortunately anything new, however this case does stand out because of Sizonovych’s age and the fact that he was first seized by Kremlin-backed militants from the self-proclaimed ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ [LPR] before being illegally abducted to Russia where the torture took place

The Public Integrity Council is suspending any involvement in the official process for assessing judges which it sees as a charade aimed at retaining judges in their posts, while reporting “successful completion” of reforms . 

Dozens of people have been arrested in Belarus as opposition activists attempted to hold an unsanctioned rally in the capital, Minsk

Due to numerous systematic violations of human rights, Ukraine cannot be considered a “safe country of origin” and “safe third country”.

Nariman Memedeminov has been arrested on spurious ‘terrorism’ charges concocted over YouTube videos posted back in 2012. This is a flagrant attack on civic journalists who in conditions of Russian censorship and control of the media provide vital information about human rights violations

Nariman Memedeminov has been arrested on spurious ‘terrorism’ charges concocted over YouTube videos posted back in 2012. This is a flagrant attack on civic journalists who in conditions of Russian censorship and control of the media provide vital information about human rights violations

It is almost a year since Stanyslav [Stas] Aseyev was taken prisoner by Kremlin-backed Donbas militants. There are real concerns about his health, and there remains no sign that the Russian-controlled militants are planning to release him or around 100 other hostages. 

It is almost a year since Stanyslav [Stas] Aseyev was taken prisoner by Kremlin-backed Donbas militants. There are real concerns about his health, and there remains no sign that the Russian-controlled militants are planning to release him or around 100 other hostages. 

The regularity with which certain ‘judges’ appear in politically-motivated cases in Russian-occupied Crimea has long been the subject of scrutiny.  Lawyers and journalists have recently identified at least two ‘witnesses’ who seem to be migrating from one political trial to another, and there are multiple cases where the supposed ‘witnesses for the prosecution’ are either people whom the FSB brought with them, or people who signed unread documents under duress. 

The regularity with which certain ‘judges’ appear in politically-motivated cases in Russian-occupied Crimea has long been the subject of scrutiny.  Lawyers and journalists have recently identified at least two ‘witnesses’ who seem to be migrating from one political trial to another, and there are multiple cases where the supposed ‘witnesses for the prosecution’ are either people whom the FSB brought with them, or people who signed unread documents under duress. 

A crucial program that identifies Kremlin methods of disinformation has come under attack. Alarmingly, one of the key accusations is that its activities constitute an attempt to restrict freedom of speech. The situation could not be more absurd.  

A crucial program that identifies Kremlin methods of disinformation has come under attack. Alarmingly, one of the key accusations is that its activities constitute an attempt to restrict freedom of speech. The situation could not be more absurd.  

Just how much our letters mean to Ukrainians held in Russian captivity became movingly clear during a very special meeting on 19 March between former political prisoner Akhtem Chiygoz and 14-year-old Bohdan Fenechok.  “Where is my friend?”, Chiygoz asked, after entering a classroom in Lviv.  Bohdan stepped forward and the two embraced  (see the video)

Just how much our letters mean to Ukrainians held in Russian captivity became movingly clear during a very special meeting on 19 March between former political prisoner Akhtem Chiygoz and 14-year-old Bohdan Fenechok.  “Where is my friend?”, Chiygoz asked, after entering a classroom in Lviv.  Bohdan stepped forward and the two embraced  (see the video)

Ukraine’s Migration Service has turned down Ildar Valiev’s application for asylum, even though he could face imprisonment in Russia on charges identical to those which Russia is using to illegally imprison Ukrainian Muslims in Crimea.

200 very young Sevastopol schoolchildren have been ‘sworn in’ to the Russian Defence Ministry’s ‘Youth Army’ [Yunarmia], a formation which has been likened to Hitlerjugend and other “formations in which young people became tools of totalitarian regimes in Europe”

200 very young Sevastopol schoolchildren have been ‘sworn in’ to the Russian Defence Ministry’s ‘Youth Army’ [Yunarmia], a formation which has been likened to Hitlerjugend and other “formations in which young people became tools of totalitarian regimes in Europe”

Volodymyr Balukh has declared an indefinite hunger strike in protest at the three and a half year sentence on grossly falsified charges imposed by a ‘court’ in Russian-occupied Crimea