FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington - September 9, 2019 — In response to an exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia on September 7, Freedom House issued the following statement:
“The exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia is an important step toward reducing the human toll of this grueling conflict,” said Marc Behrendt, director of Europe and Eurasia programs at Freedom House. “Yet with more than 80 Ukrainian political prisoners still detained in Russia, including dozens of peaceful Crimean Tatar activists, justice is still elusive for many. Russia and Russian-backed forces in Donbas and Crimea should immediately release all remaining political prisoners and stop the politically motivated persecution of civic activists, journalists, peaceful believers in Islam, and others who have been subjected to trumped-up charges and show trials. The prisoner swap is significant for its impact on the lives of those affected, but it can have a broader impact if it leads both sides toward a renewed commitment to respect for human rights and the rule of
law.”
Background:
On September 7, Ukraine and Russia swapped dozens of prisoners, some of whom had been held since 2014. Among those held by Russia and returned to Ukraine were Oleh Sentsov, a filmmaker and activist convicted on spurious terrorism charges, and Pavlo Hryb, an innocent teenager abducted in Belarus. Russia also returned the 24 Ukrainian sailors who were illegally detained in a naval confrontation in the Kerch Strait in 2018. In exchange for 11 political prisoners and the 24 sailors, Ukraine released dozens of individuals, including a man believed to be connected to the destruction of a civilian airliner over eastern Ukraine in 2014, as well as a Russian soldier captured in eastern Ukraine in 2017.
The Russian authorities and Russian-backed forces in Donbas and Crimea continue to hold at least 88 political prisoners, according to Ukrainian human rights advocates. By detaining and convicting many of them under Russian law, the Russian government has flouted international law and human rights principles. Among those still detained are:
- Rustem Abiltarov
- Tofik Abdulhaziiev
- Eskender Abdulhaniiev
- Vladlen Abdulkadyrov
- Izet Abdullaiev
- Teimur Abdullaiev
- Uzeir Abdullaiev
- Medzhyt Abdurahmanov
- Rustem Abilev
- Zevri Abseitov
- Arsen Abhairov
- Bilial Adilov
- Raim Aivazov
- Muslim Aliiev
- Refat Alimov
- Enver Ametov
- Ernes Ametov
- Osman Arifmemetov
- Marlen Asanov
- Farhod Bazarov
- Akim Bekirov
- Enver Bekirov
- Remzi Bekirov
- Memet Belialov
- Oleksii Bessarabov
- Rustem Vaitov
- Valentyn Vyhivsky
- Server Haziiev
- Dzhemil Hafarov
- Diliaver Hafarov
- Kostiantyn Davydenko
- Emil Dzhemadenov
- Aider Dzhepparov
- Arsen Dzhepparov
- Volodymyr Dudka
- Rustem Emiruseinov
- Andrii Zahtei
- Ruslan Zeytullaev
- Server Zekiryaev
- Tymur Ibrahimov
- Riza Izetov
- Rustem Ismailov
- Edem Kadyrov
- Eldar Kantemyrov
- Yevhen Karakashev
- Alim Karimov
- Ihor Kyiashko
- Andrii Kolomiiets
- Emir-Usein Kuku
- Hennadii Lymeshko
- Enver Mamutov
- Yunus Masharipov
- Nariman Memedeminov
- Remzi Memetov
- Ruslan Mesutov
- Yashar Muedinov
- Seiran Murtaza
- Server Mustafaiev
- Ruslan Nahaiev
- Enver Omerov
- Riza Omerov
- Erfan Osmanov
- Yurii (Nuri) Prymov
- Fevzi Sahandzhy
- Ferat Saifullaiev
- Aider Saledinov
- Seiran Saliiev
- Vadym Siruk
- Seitveli Seitabdiiev
- Enver Seitosmanov
- Rustem Seithalilov
- Edem Smailov
- Maksym Sokurenko
- Oleksii Stohnii
- Eskender Suleimanov
- Renat Suleimanov
- Ruslan Suleimanov
- Shaban Umerov
- Lenur Khalilov
- Oleh Chaban
- Oleksii Chyrnii
- Hlib Shablii
- Rustem Sheihaliiev
- Mykola Shyptur
- Dmytro Shtyblikov
- Oleksandr Shumkov
- Viktor Shur
- Asan Yanikov
Ukraine is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2019 and Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2018.
Russia is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2019 and Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2018.
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