President Poroshenko has announced that the well-known journalist, blogger and civic activist has been released after being seized by Kremlin-backed militants on Aug 7. At least 6 other journalists and civic activists are among the militants’ hostages

It is clear from the accusations made that once again any suggestion that the Russian occupation authorities are harassing Crimean Tatars or infringing their rights will be termed ‘extremism’.

Vasyl Cherepanyn, head of the Visual Culture Research Centre and Kyiv-Mohyla Academy lecturer was set upon by thugs in paramilitary camouflage gear almost certainly from a far-right organization and badly injured

Serhiy Saladynsky, head of the Luhansk Eastern Ukraine Centre and chief editor of an Internet publication Politika 2.0 and journalist Oleksandr Bilokobylsky are believed to have been taken hostage by the so-called Luhansk people’s republic.

Nothing has been heard from journalist Oleksandr Bilokobylsky since he set off on Sept 13 from Kharkiv to take food and medicines to relatives in Luhansk

The 409 names on the list do not include Espreo journalist Yehor Vorobyov, Dmitry Potekhin, Yury Lelyavsky or two Kharkiv journalists not seen since the end of August

“If we don’t give millionaire politicians the chance to advertise their candidacy, then maybe, just maybe, this will create a more competitive electoral environment and the money that they’ve ready to spend on words will be spent on arms for the army?

A day after police carried out a search of her home and interrogated her for six hours at the police station for several hours, Liza Bohutska has left the Crimea. She told the Centre for Journalist Investigations that she was hoping the move would be temporary.

The occupation regime in Crimea is continuing its pressure on dissident voices. This time well-known Crimean activist and blogger Liza Bohutska has been targeted, almost certainly for his civic position and opposition to Russian rule. She was received on Monday afternoon after a search of her home and interrogation at the police station

Refat Chubarov, chef du Mejlis (l’assemblée des Tatars de Crimée), rapporte que des raids ont été effectués en août dans les librairies de Crimée par les services de sécurité russes du FSB. Sans aucun mandat ni autre document pour justifier leur intervention, ils ont retiré de la vente les ouvrages dont ils considèrent le contenu impropre à être connu du public

Des tactiques d’intimidation et de persécution directement issues de l’époque soviétique sont employées aujourd’hui contre les activistes pro-ukrainiens et les Tatars de Crimée

In August raids were carried out by Russian FSB [security service] officers of bookshops in the Crimea. Without any warrant or other documents justifying the move, books which they deemed contained things citizens should not read were removed.

Yehor Vorobyov, journalist from TV Espreso has been taken prisoner while covering the siege of Ilovaisk in the Donetsk oblast. Cameraman Taras Chkan and Road Control journalist Rostislav Shaposhnikov are hopefully safe

Since Aug 22 the FSB in Crimea has been holding ‘prophylactic talks’ with pro-Ukrainian activists who had posted or shared postings about Ukraine’s Independence Day on Facebook

A group of Crimean MPs want to strip Shevket Namatullayev of his accreditation for parliament because he did not rise when the Russian national anthem was played

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin the events known variously as land grab, annexation or reunification of the Crimea were about "therapy" for a deep trauma, "a wound inflicted on our people as the result of the dramatic schism of the twentieth century".

The director of a Crimean Muslim school is facing court proceedings for possessing books from Russia’s list of prohibited ‘extremist literature’. Under Russian occupation ‘extremism’ is increasingly becoming a weapon particularly aimed at Crimean Tatars

A draft law on sanctions is supposed to target companies and individuals that support separatists and terrorists, however media watchdogs believes that the powers to restrict or close media and block websites are far too sweeping and likely to be abused

Ismet Yuksel, General Director of the Crimean News Agency [QHA] and adviser to the head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar on relations with Turkey has been banned from entering the Crimea for 5 years.

Federalization, which the Kremlin is so aggressively pushing for Ukraine, is clearly a dirty word closer to Moscow. Current feverish moves by the Russian Prosecutor General to block all mention of a march in support of Siberian federalization are proving spectacularly counter-productive.