While 7 September was certainly a day for rejoicing at the return to Ukraine of 35 Ukrainian political prisoners (including 24 PoWs), there was also huge sadness for the families who are still waiting the release of their fathers or sons. The fact that at least 87 Ukrainian political prisoners are still imprisoned in occupied Crimea or Russia, as well as a minimum of 227 hostages in occupied Donbas makes the upbeat noises in western media about a new page in Ukrainian-Russian relations seem at very least premature.

Russian President Vladimir Putin clearly saw the need to organize an exchange of prisoners at this time, with a key reason probably the capture by Ukraine on 27 June of Volodymyr Tsemakh, a Donbas militant commander who can provide critically important information about the downing with a Russian BUK missile of Malaysian airliner MH17. Putin is probably also hoping for an improvement in relations with western countries in return for releasing Oleg Sentsov, Roman Sushchenko and other prominent political prisoners. This will only happen if we fail to ensure that the West knows the names of all Russia’s Crimean Tatar and other Ukrainian victims of repression and to draw attention to the mounting scale of persecution, especially of civic activists and journalists in occupied Crimea.

Russia’s conveyor belt ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ cases

Russia is increasingly using totally fabricated ‘terrorism’ charges as a weapon against Crimean Tatar civic activists and journalists. This form of persecution, based on charges of involvement in the peaceful Hizb ut-Tahrir movement which is legal in Ukraine, began in January 2015 and was ignored by international human rights NGOs for much too long. By now, Russia is openly using such charges to crush the Crimean Solidarity movement and to try to terrorize Crimean Tatars into silence or exile.

Ruslan Zeytullaev

Ferat Saifullaev

Rustem Vaitov

Nuri Primov

Emir-Usein Kuku (a human rights activist)

Muslim Aliev

Envir Bekirov

Vadim Siruk

Arsen Dzhepparov

Refat Alimov

Enver Mamutov

Rustem Abiltarov

Remzi Memetov

Zevri Abseitov

Teymur Abdullaev

Uzeir Abdullaev

Emil Dzhemadenov

Aider Saledinov

Rustem Ismailov

Suleyman (Marlen) Asanov

Ernest Ametov

Memet Belyalov

Timur Ibragimov

Seiran Saliev

Server Zekeryaev

Server Mustafaev

Edem Smailov

22 March 2018 Nariman Memedeminov (a civic journalist)

10 May 2018 Enver Seytosmanov

14 February 2019 Rustem Emiruseinov; Arsen Abkhairov; Eskender Abdulganiev

Izet Abdulaev

Tofik Abdulgaziev

Medzhit Abdurakhmanov

Bilyal Adilov

Enver Ametov

Fakhat Bazarov

Akim Bekirov

Dzhemil Gafarov

Servet Gaziev

Riza Izetov

Alim Karimov

Seiran Murtaza

Yashar Muyedinov

Erfan Osmanov

Seitveli Seitabdiev

Rustem Seitkhalilov

Rustem Sheikhaliev

Ruslan Suleymanov

Shaban Umerov

Asan Yanikov

10 June 2019 FSB “We’ll get around to shooting you all”

Aider Dzhepparov

Eldar Kantimirov

Lenur Khalilov

Ruslan Mensutov

Ruslan Nahaev

Enver Omerov

Riza Omerov

Eskender Suleymanov

Punishment for Euromaidan or for opposing Russia’s annexation of Crimea

Mykola Shyptur imprisoned since March 2014

Oleksiy Chyrniy

Andriy Kolomiyets

‘Ukrainian Saboteur’ cases without any acts of sabotage or proof

Andriy Zakhtei

Dmytro Shtyblikov

Oleksiy Bessarabov

Volodymyr Dudka

Oleksiy Stohniy;

Hlib Shabliy

Hennady Lymeshko

Kostyantin Davydenko

Mystery ‘spying’

Valentin Vyhivsky Imprisoned since September 2014

Viktor Shur

Leonid Parkhomenko

Accused of membership in Ukraine of organizations which Russia demonizes for political reasons

Maxim Filatov

Oleksandr Shumkov

Fevzi Sahandzhy

Edem Kadyrov

Dilyaver Gafarov

Other Ukrainian political prisoners

Rustem Abilev

Oleh Chaban

Yevhen Karakashev

Ihor KIyashko

Maxim Sokurenko

Renat Suleymanov

Anna Sukhonosova

Dmitry Dolgopolov