Stories of Kremlin’s prisoners
in a free augmented-reality application
They subject you to electrical shocks till you pass out. Then they pour water on you in the freezing cold. No, these are not stills from a horror movie. These are real acts of torture in the center of Europe in the 21st century.
More than 100 Ukrainian political prisoners are serving unlawful sentences in Russia and in occupied Crimea. The vast majority of them are Crimean Tatars. More than 200 other Ukrainians are being kept by pro-Russian combatants in inhumane conditions in Donbas. They are all victims of repressions based on their political, national and/or religious affiliation.
Listen to the #PrisonersVoice stories of Ukrainians who have returned from the hell of Russian prisons, sign the petition, and support the prisoners of the Kremlin. The global community has to make the Kremlin release Ukrainian hostages! Read more
Тoday, more than 100 Ukrainian citizens are illegally imprisoned in the territory of Russia and occupied Crimea for political reasons, and several thousand people are detained on other falsified cases. In addition, more than 200 Ukrainians – prisoners of war and civilian hostages – are being illegally kept prisoner in horrendous conditions in basements in the occupied territories of Donbas. Oleksandra Matviychuk, the chairwoman of the Center for Civil Liberties, spoke about their plight during the presentation of #PrisonersVoice, an augmented reality (AR) mobile application created to share their ordeals witht the world. During the presentation, experts spoke about the conditions of detention of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia as well as about the role of Ukraine, civil society organizations, cultural institutions, and everyone who cares about the release of these prisoners. Prisonersvoice - 3 steps for Ukrainian Kremlin Prisoners
“Putin and the Federal Security Service became our producers and brought the attention of the whole world to the repressions in Crimea. Then, the court was like a platform for speaking, for declaring your position”, tells Oleksandr Kolchenko.
Every prisoner of the Kremlin has their own story. Those who came back spoke about it for #PrisonersVoice. However, those who are still left behind bars need our support and our voices. “Our duty is to talk about them so that attention is focused on all of them. Because this attention is like light in a room with cockroaches. They start running away in all directions because they are afraid of this light”, says Oleh Sentsov. Prisoners of the Kremlin
Download the free #PrisonersVoice application and listen to the stories of released prisoners of the Kremlin – Oleksandr Kolchenko, Oleh Sentsov, and Volodymyr Balukh. Augmented reality visuals will bring you along the course they were forced to take – from arrest and long days in prison camps to their ultimate return to Ukraine.
Sign the petition for supporting the prisoners of the Kremlin, who are left unprotected against COVID-19. Cells are overcrowded, and there is no normal ventilation. Masks are unavailable for people with respiratory diseases. People cannot maintain even basic hand hygiene. We have to become their voice!
Together we can stop Russia’s arbitrary and lawless actions! Join the #PrisonersVoice campaign. The return of the Kremlin’s prisoners depends on your support.
The hell of uncertainty and absence of news, sleepless nights and endless days – this is what relatives of every political prisoner are going through. Stories from those who are waiting most of all for the return of the Kremlin’s prisoners were collected by volunteers of the Center for Civil Liberties. Read more
One year since Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko was released from a Russian prison, he speaks about his hunger strike, Crimea and left-wing views of Ukraine. Read more
Until recently, Oleh Sentsov was an icon of the protest movement of the Ukrainians against occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and a symbol of all Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia in general. Read more
Today, Ukrainian scientists, doctors, citizen journalists, writers, human rights defenders, entrepreneurs, and workers are imprisoned on fabricated charges in Russia, annexed Crimea and occupied Donbas. The prisoners are raped, beaten, tortured with electricity, deprived of sleep, water and food, and their family members are threatened with violence.
The #PrisonersVoice project is part of the global campaign of the same name aimed at drawing the world’s attention to Ukrainian political prisoners who were or are still being kept in Russian prisons, and to the Russian Federation’s violations of international human rights law.
We are asking you to take three simple steps that will help to stop the Kremlin’s arbitrary detentions and bring all political prisoners back home. About the project
Rustem Emiruseinov
Date of arrest: 14.02.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: Wife, three children
Rustem was arrested early in the morning on February 13, 2019. "I woke up for the morning prayer. It was 6:05 when I heard a knock on the metal door," his wife, Aliie, recalls. Investigators ... Rustem Emiruseinov
Riza Izetov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife
“When they were taking my husband away, our four-year-old daughter asked him where he was going. Riza answered that he was going to go far-far away, to earn a lot of money, and then to come back ... Riza Izetov
Erfan Osmanov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir". "The case of the Crimean Muslims"
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, four children
“We have been together for 11 years and we have a lot of memories. One of the brightest is the birth of our fourth baby. My husband is not very romantic by nature, and I always wanted him to meet ... Erfan Osmanov
Osman Arifmetetov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir"
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, two children
After the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the beginning of repressions against the Crimean Tatars, Osman took an active civil position and began to engage in journalism: he videotaped ... Osman Arifmetetov
Vitalii Chmil
Date of arrest: 02.05.2018
“Every day I ask God that my son will be exchanged, so that I can see him soon. Only this hope gives me strength,” said Olena Chmil, the mother of Vitalii Chmil, a soldier of the 36th Separate ... Vitalii Chmil
Andrii Zakhtei
Date of arrest: 05.08.2016
Charges: Preparation of a terrorist act and participation in the case of "Ukrainian saboteurs" in the occupied Crimea
Court verdict: 6 years and 6 months in a maximum security prison
Waiting for him: wife Oksana Zakhtey and daughter
“When my husband came to the maternity hospital to take me and our newborn daughter home, he saw her face and broke into tears. It was so moving,” The wife of Andrii Zakhtei, a defendant in ... Andrii Zakhtei
Seiran Saliiev
Date of arrest: 11.10.2017
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: 16 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife, four children
"Seiran and I were unable to get married for two and a half years: my parents insisted that I finish my master's degree, and his mother insisted that Seiran should go to the university. And on ... Seiran Saliiev
Yurii Hordiichuk
Date of arrest: 22.05.2019
“Yurii is my rock. He is a kind, sensitive, and caring person. He will always come to the rescue and provide support. He is like a personal guardian angel for me. If he’s not there, it feels ... Yurii Hordiichuk
Tymur Ibragimov
Date of arrest: 11.10.2017
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation
Court verdict: 17 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: wife, four children
Tymur was born on January 26, 1985. He has a diploma in philology, and before his arrest, he was engaged in business and public activities. On October 11, 2017 in Bakhchysarai, house searches of numerous ... Tymur Ibragimov
Remzi Bekirov
Date of arrest: 28.03.2019
Charges: Accused of belonging to members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a banned organization in Russia. "Organization of a terrorist group."
Court verdict: He faces life imprisonment. Now Ramzi Bekirov is in the Simferopol pre-trial detention center. A preliminary investigation is still underway in his case.
Waiting for him: Halide Bekirov's wife and three children
“We have three small children. When Remzi used to come home from work in the evening, he had a special hug ceremony with the children - they all hugged for half an hour,” says Khalide Bekirova. ... Remzi Bekirov
Yashar Muedinov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir"
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, eight children
“I was immediately impressed with his attitude towards children and his overall kind treatment of other people,” said Naile Muedinova, the wife of political prisoner and of Crimean Solidarity ... Yashar Muedinov
Izet Abdullayiv
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife and two daughters
"The most wonderful event of my life with Izzet was the birth of our long-awaited daughter, " his wife, Hazėl, recalls. The second daughter was born six days after Izzet was arrested. "She ... Izet Abdullayiv
Rustem Ismailov
Date of arrest: 12.10.2016
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation
Court verdict: 14 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: wife, three children
“Life with my husband was happy and bright. But perhaps the brightest memories are the births of our children, especially that of our first daughter,” said Fatma Ismailova, the wife of Crimean ... Rustem Ismailov
Emir Usein Kuku
Date of arrest: 11.02.2016
Charges: Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization and preparation for the violent seizure of power.
Court verdict: Sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security prison.
Waiting for him: Wife Maryem, son Bekir and daughter Safiye.
Maryam Kuku, Emir-Usein’s wife, describes him as a very diplomatic man, an attentive husband and a loving father. “On the morning of February 11, 2016, we woke up to an extremely loud stomping”, ... Emir Usein Kuku
Oleksandr Marchenko
Date of arrest: 17.12.2018
Charges: military smuggling, espionage
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, children
“The scene of our last meeting arises in my mind. I escorted Oleksandr to the airport. My husband and I had never parted for more than two days before, and here we were not to see each other for ... Oleksandr Marchenko
Stanislav Panchenko
Date of arrest: 17.01.2019
20-year-old Stanislav Panchenko, a soldier of the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, disappeared in the combat area in Donbass on the night of January ... Stanislav Panchenko
Aider Dzhapparov
Date of arrest: 10.06.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: Wife Margarita Dzhapparova and eight children.
“Literally two weeks before Aider's detention, our youngest child was born, a long-awaited girl. And although my husband was on a pilgrimage then, he was constantly in touch with me, supporting ... Aider Dzhapparov
Oleksandr Shumkov
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation
Court verdict: 4 years in a maximum-security prison
Oleksandr Shumkov was born on September 19, 1989, and lived in Kherson. Since the age of 17, he has been an active member of the Union of Ukrainian Youth in Ukraine in the Kherson region, popularizing ... Oleksandr Shumkov
Enver Mamutov
Date of arrest: 12.05.2016
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation
Court verdict: 17 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: wife, seven children
“Children do not understand why their father, a perfect man in their eyes and role model, is in prison. They know that there are bad people kept in prisons, and their father did nothing wrong,” ... Enver Mamutov
Victor Shur
Date of arrest: 07.12.2014
Charges: espionage, treason
Court verdict: 12 years in prison
Waiting for him: Daughter
“Probably, the brightest memories I have are from my childhood. My father has always been a great inventor, and I remember our trips going on vacation to the sea, and before going to bed, he would ... Victor Shur
Valentyn Vyhivskyi
Date of arrest: 18.09.2014
Charges: "Economic and military espionage in the aerospace industry of Russia."
Court verdict: 11 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: parents, wife, son
On September 17, 2014, Valentyn went to the Crimea for one day. As his family later learned, Valentyn had gone to meet his acquaintance who needed financial assistance for her grandfather's medical ... Valentyn Vyhivskyi
Marlen Asanov
Date of arrest: 11.10.2017
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation
Court verdict: 19 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife Aishe, sons Said, Seitmamut, Eskender, and daughter Safiie.
"Seeing the illegal arrests of Crimean Tatars, he began helping the families of prisoners. He cared for his people, visited everyone and tried to support everyone, "recalls Aishe, Marlen's ... Marlen Asanov
Server Mustafaiev
Date of arrest: 21.05.2018
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir". "The case of the Crimean Muslims"
Court verdict: 14 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife, four children
“Our Server is a very kind, sincere, righteous person. Wherever he studied, wherever he worked, we always heard only words of gratitude, we were always proud of him. It is very insulting that such ... Server Mustafaiev
Yunus Masharipov
Date of arrest: 27.09.2017
Charges: manufacture of explosive devices, acquisition, and storage of explosives
Court verdict: in 2018 he was sentenced to 4 years in prison; On March 3, 2020, the Yalta de facto Court delivered a sentence to forcibly place Yunus Masharipov in a psychiatric hospital for long-term in-patient treatment with intensive surveillance
Asan Yanikov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir"
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: his parents, sister and four nephews
"Asan is one of those deeply caring people who take care not only of their loved ones, but also of others”, Fatime Yanikova recalls. On March 27, 2019, three members of Fatima’s family ... Asan Yanikov
Arsen Abkhairov
Date of arrest: 14.02.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir in Russia and on the territory of the annexed Crimea.
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, two children
“Before his arrest, my husband and I had been married for less than three and a half years. The brightest memories of our family are connected with the birth of our children. When our first daughter ... Arsen Abkhairov
Osman Seitumerov
Date of arrest: 11.03.2020
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
“Osman is a man who loves children and always helps his compatriots. We once came up with an initiative in our city to gather people, feed them, and spend time together in a friendly atmosphere. ... Osman Seitumerov
Shaban Umerov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: Conspiring with an organized group to prepare a violent seizure of power, participation in the organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir".
Court verdict: Under investigation.
Waiting for him: wife Zarema Umerova, three children and six grandchildren.
Shaban Umerov's sixth granddaughter was born during his imprisonment. The Umerovs can't wait to fully share this joy with the head of their family. “We remember that terrible day as if it ... Shaban Umerov
Hennadii Lymeshko
Date of arrest: 12.08.2017
Charges: Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, and carrying of firearms and ammunition, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy
Court verdict: 8 years in prison.
Waiting for him: wife, child
“In 2015, he wanted to go to the war, he wanted to defend his country. But he had contraindication asthma, so no military commissariat or enlistment office would accept him. Then he volunteered,” ... Hennadii Lymeshko
Eldar Kantemirov
Date of arrest: 10.06.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, four children
"In October 2017, after the mass arrests, my husband went out for a one-man protest “Crimean Tatars are not terrorists”. Two days later, he gathered our family and said: “I think ... Eldar Kantemirov
Riza Omerov
Date of arrest: 10.06.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir". "The case of the Crimean Muslims"
Court verdict: up to 20 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife, children
“Our family has four small children. The eldest son is seven years old, the youngest is 10 months old--he was separated from his father before his birth. My husband did not hear the child's ... Riza Omerov
Denys Kashuk
Date of arrest: 17.12.2019
Charges: found guilty of illegal acquisition and storage of ammunition and explosives, as well as smuggling of explosives
Court verdict: 3 years and 8 months of a general regime colony
Waiting for him: mother, sister, wife and little son.
According to his sister Tetiana, Denys had no enemies; he was a non-confrontational person and never quarreled with anyone. Denis was detained on December 17, 2019. He went to work, and after that, his ... Denys Kashuk
Andrii Kolomiiets
Date of arrest: 15.05.2015
Charges: attempted murder and drug possession
Court verdict: 10 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife Halyna, 4 children
Andrii Kolomiiets was born in Kyiv oblast. In 2014, he moved to the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (RF) to join his future wife Halyna and her four children. Andrii was detained on May 15, 2017, although ... Andrii Kolomiiets
Farkhod Bazarov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir"
Court verdict: Still under investigation.
Waiting for him: His wife and four children.
"Like all activists, Farkhod was organizing children's holidays, sending packages to pre-trial detention centers for innocent convicts who suffered from this system and who were unjustly taken ... Farkhod Bazarov
Ivan Yatskin
Date of arrest: 16.10.2019
Charges: Espionage, treason
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: Children.
“My father is the closest person to me - he is my everything. I could literally talk to him about anything. And although I live in Lviv and my father was living in the Crimea, we talked every single ... Ivan Yatskin
Yurii Karpov
Date of arrest: 28.08.2014
“Every day we, as mothers, start our morning not with a cup of coffee, but with a prayer for our children, for the country, for peace,” says Liudmyla Karpova. Her son, Yurii Karpov, a member ... Yurii Karpov
Volodymyr Dudka
Date of arrest: 09.11.2016
Charges: terrorism, sabotage. One of the accused in the case of the so-called "Crimean terrorists" (a group of "Sevastopol saboteurs")
Court verdict: 14 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: Son
“One of the most vivid memories associated with my father comes from far back in my childhood. We then lived near Yevpatoria, where my father was serving. My recollection of how my father drove ... Volodymyr Dudka
Ihor Kiiashko
Date of arrest: 10.04.2018
Charges: espionage and attempted smuggling of military aircraft parts
Court verdict: 8 years in a maximum-security prison
“The strongest recollection I have about my husband is the time when I was giving birth to our baby, and he was with me,” recounts the wife of political prisoner Ihor Kiiashko. “Ihor ... Ihor Kiiashko
Alim Karimov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: wife, son
“The brightest memories I recall are our first meeting and our wedding. Our whole life together contains vivid memories. My husband tried to make every day a holiday. He is very kind, sociable, ... Alim Karimov
Valerii Matiushenko
Date of arrest: 15.07.2017
Charges: espionage
Court verdict: 10 years in prison
Waiting for him: wife
“Before he disappeared, we were always together. I couldn't even think that this person wouldn't be around. But when it happened, I realized that I loved him so much, I couldn’t so ... Valerii Matiushenko
Uzeir Abdullayev
Date of arrest: 12.10.2019
Charges: participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the territory of the Russian Federation. The case of Khizb ut-Takhrir
Court verdict: up to 13 years in a maximum-security prison
Waiting for him: wife, four children
"We met when there were no cell phones or Internet yet in existence. I was a student. And we did not actually manage to meet for a while: once I was late for a date, the other time I had to cancel ... Uzeir Abdullayev
Dmytro Shtyblikov
Date of arrest: 09.11.2016
Charges: llegal possession of weapons and preparation for sabotage committed by an organized group
Court verdict: 5 years in prison
Waiting for him: parents, wife, brother, daughter, and son-in-law
Dmytro's elderly parents no longer know if they will be able to see their son, although they faithfully intend to wait for his return. Relatives learned about the detention of Dmytro and his wife ... Dmytro Shtyblikov
Akim Bekirov
Date of arrest: 27.03.2019
Charges: conspiracy to commit insurrection by an organized group, participation in the organization "Khizb ut-Takhrir"
Court verdict: Still under investigation
Waiting for him: Wife Sabrie, daughter Sumaya and son Sayfullah
“I have many fond memories of Akim, but the brightest is the birth of our daughter,” says Sabrie Bekirova, “She is two and a half old now. Our son is one year old, he was born after ... Akim Bekirov
Oleksandr Kolchenko
Date of arrest: 16.05.2014
Charges: "Participation in a terrorist association" and "for an act of terrorism committed by an organized group"
Court verdict: Olexandr was sentenced to 10 years in a maximum security prison
When they returned: September 2019
Student, Ukrainian leftist student, environmental, and trade union activist in Crimea.
He was arrested on May 16, 2014 in Simferopol. Oleksandr Kolchenko was transported under guard to Moscow where he remained in prison. Oleksandr rejected a plea agreement and refused to admit his guilt.
In March 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court of Russia approved the final wording of the charges against Kolchenko. Oleksandr was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment in a high-security prison colony for “participation in a terrorist association” and “for an act of terrorism committed by an organized group”. After this, he was kept in the Kopeisk prison colony in Chelyabinsk region, where he was repeatedly put in punitive isolation.
In September 2019, he was released as a result of a prisoner exchange and returned to Ukraine. Oleksandr Kolchenko
Oleh Sentsov
Date of arrest: 10.05.2014
Charges: Terrorism
Court verdict: He was sentenced to 20 years in a maximum security prison.
Film director and writer.
On May 10, 2014 Oleh Sentsov was detained in Simferopol on a fabricated charge of terrorism. He was sentenced to 20 years in a high-security prison colony. For the final two years of his detention, Sentsov was imprisoned in the Russian town of Labytnangi located north of the Arctic Circle.
In May 2018, Oleh Sentsov declared a hunger strike. He refused to eat for 145 days, demanding that all Ukrainian political prisoners who were illegally imprisoned in Russia and in annexed Crimea be released. As a result of the widespread publicity of his case, the Kremlin’s prisoners were in the focus of attention not only in Ukraine, but worldwide. Oleh Sentsov
Volodymyr Balukh
Date of arrest: 02.12.2016
Farmer from a Crimean village of Serebrianka.
After the beginning of the occupation of Crimea, Volodymyr refused to receive Russian citizenship and remained a citizen of Ukraine. From December 2013, a Ukrainian flag hung on his farmstead. The occupation authorities removed the flag twice – first on April 30, 2015 . However, after Balukh served ten days in jail for it, he put the flag on the roof of his house again.
From December 2016, Volodymyr was kept behind bars in the Russian Federation. The last court hearing of Balukh’s case was held on July 5, 2018. After this, he was transferred under guard to Colony №4 in Torzhok, where he was kept for about one year. Then, during a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Volodymyr was one of the Ukrainians included in the list. Volodymyr Balukh
