Representatives of human rights organizations in Ukraine and Russia have addressed an open appeal to the Ukrainian and Russian Human Rights Ombudspersons and the Chairperson of the Russian Human Rights Council under the President, Mikhail Fedotov.

For a number of reasons, including serious pressure on the judge corps, the new law aimed at restoring confidence in the judiciary has resulted in the majority of cases in the same court presidents being re-elected

The human rights activist has been convicted in a trial which the Memorial Human Rights Centre calls politically motivated and, chillingly, on the dubious ‘testimony’ of four secret witnesses questioned behind closed doors

Russia’s FSB has arrested renowned Crimean film director, Oleg Sentsov, and two young men - Gennady Afanasyev and Alexander Kolchenko, apparently on terrorism charges. All three are known for their strong civic position and opposition to Russia’s occupation

Russian TV’s latest use of old video footage from the North Caucuses to claim Ukrainian atrocities against civilians was swiftly exposed, unlike the Kremlin’s specific dividing line between terrorists it “destroys” and pro-Russian militants in Ukraine it defends

Ira Forman, US Special Envoy on Anti-Semitism, found overwhelming consensus among members of the Jewish community in Ukraine that there are no fears of anti-Semitism connected with the interim government

Filmmakers have come out in defence of Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian film producer and EuroMaidan activist who, as reported, was arrested in Simferopol on May 11 and is understood to be accused of .planning a terrorist act’.

As Mustafa Dzhemilev predicted, Crimean Tatars have refused to be cowered by the ban on all meetings imposed by the occupation regime in the Crimea. Forced from the traditional square in the centre of Simferopol by an offensive crowd of OMON riot police and military, Crimean Tatars have been taking part in remembrance ceremonies and prayers in Simferopol, Bakhchysarai and other regions of the Crimea

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People has been forced to cancel the huge remembrance gathering in the centre of Simferopol on May 18. Russian repressive measures under annexation have now extended to remembering victims of the Deportation

In the latest Razumkov Centre survey, 73% of all Ukrainians regard Russia’s influence as bad, with only one in ten considering it positive. 52.5 % prioritize relations with the EU, against 16.8% with Russia

Russia has leapt in to effectively recognize the pseudo-referendums of May 11, with the self-declared ‘republics’ in no less haste to announce that they want to join Russia.

While criminalizing honest historical debate under the guise of fighting “restoration of Nazism”, the Kremlin is showing incredible willingness to use neo-Nazi groups for its dirty work in Ukraine

Russian TV viewers hear only about the fire in the Trade Union House which they are told was set alight by “radicals”. It was radicals, according to this narrative, who shot at defenceless people

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union has issued a statement in which it stresses that the mass street disturbances were not a spontaneous clash between different youth groups but a planned attack on a peaceful procession of soccer fans carried out by pro-Russian separatists armed with sticks, bats, shock pistols and firearms.”

In talking with the supporters of federalization and regional republics in the east of Ukraine who call themselves separatists, you often hear similar reasons given for their protest. Further discussion often highlights significant contradictions in the separatists’ arguments

In talking with the supporters of federalization and regional republics in the east of Ukraine who call themselves separatists, you often hear similar reasons given for their protest. Further discussion often highlights significant contradictions in the separatists’ arguments

It is undoubtedly correct that the neo-Nazis who marched through many Russian cities on May 1 should not be given a chance to advertise themselves on Russian television, They are however real, unlike the “Ukrainian fascist” spectres used on those very channels to frighten viewers and raise anti-Kyiv sentiments

At least three major surveys carried out over recent weeks have demonstrated that the supposedly imminent “civil war” that Ukraine is plunging into is an entirely artificial Russian construct.

The Ukrainian authorities may have suspended anti-terrorist operations over Easter, but there is no let-up in violence and aggression from the pro-Russian militants in east Ukraine, especially Slovyansk with its motley "people’s mayor"

Mustafa Dzhemilev , MP, former political prisoner and champion of Crimean Tatar rights, and Refat Chubarov, head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people were detained for an hour on the border of the Kherson region and the Crimea on Saturday before the six armed men finally "let them" enter