Twelve people were released, but 40 new were arrested in 2019.

Head of the Crimean Human Rights group Olha Skrypnyk says that 88 political prisoners are still behind bars in Russia-occupied Crimea.

"The situation has not improved. Now 88 people in Crimean cases are in jail," she told Hromadske Radio on December 21.

Read alsoUkrainian political prisoner Dudka's health condition worsens

In 2019, twelve people were released, but there were 40 new prisoners, she said.

"Unfortunately, the number of political prisoners has been growing. According to statistics, 12 people were released in 2019, but there were 40 new people who were imprisoned. Of these, two persons were later sentenced to probation, but 38 people remain in prison. Therefore, Russia seems to be making concessions and freeing people, however, on the other hand, it arrests even more," she said.