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.
- Step 1. Download the free #PrisonersVoice application. To get a complete understanding of what the Kremlin’s prisoners survived, it is enough to talk to those who were able to get out of Russian prisons. We developed an augmented reality (AR) application that makes it possible to feel and go through the experience of Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia.
- Step 2. Sign the #PrisonersVoice petition Today, hundreds of illegally imprisoned Ukrainians are in danger in Russia and in the territories it has occupied. The pandemic has even further worsened their situation – they are kept in unsanitary conditions, in overcrowded cells, without medical assistance, and without the chance to to wash their hands. Sign the petition to help to involve international organizations in the cause of releasing the hostages held by the Kremlin.
- Step 3. Become volunteer for #PrisonersVoice. The experiences of Sentsov, Balukh, and Kolchenko proves that support is critical for every prisoner of the Kremlin. From letters that help them survive in the prison colonies’ inhumane conditions to campaigns aimed at raising awareness of international actors that put pressure on Russia through sanctions. Only by united actions will we be able to bring Ukrainian political prisoners back home.
Our team
Internews Ukraine is an organization that has expertise in media, communications, education, and consulting. Innovation, professionalism, and efficiency are three pillars of our organization. Serving the Ukrainian society has been our enduring priority since 1996. Media that becomes closer to people, knowledge and global challenges helps to enact and defend fundamental human values. By supporting this media, Internews Ukraine helps to build a vibrant and prosperous society. We work in three areas of activity: media development, strategic communication, information security.
Ukrainian Cultural Foundation (UKF)
Ukrainian Cultural Foundation is a state institution created in 2017 as a new competition-based model of state funding and promotion of initiatives in the field of culture and creative industries. Foundation’s activities, according to current legislation, are integral part of the policy and priorities determined by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
Our partners
Center for Civil Liberties (CSC)
The activities of the Center for Civil Liberties are aimed at protecting human rights and promoting democracy in Ukraine and the OSCE region. The organization is known for its work on improving legislation, implementing public control practices, conducting educational activities and protecting persecuted people in the occupied territories of Crimea and Donbas. The organization widely engages ordinary people in human rights work through its human rights campaigns and volunteer initiatives. Details on: https://ccl.org.ua/ Contact us: ccl.org.ua@gmail.com
“Ukraine verstehen” (Understanding Ukraine in English) is a project from the Berlin-based Center for Liberal Modernity, started in November 2017. The main aim of the project is to raise public awareness in Germany for Ukraine, to keep up public attention to the situation in Crimea and the Donbas and to generate sustainable support for the reform process in Ukraine and defend the European perspective for the country. Since 2019, the platform is co-funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
UkraineWorld is a multimedia project about Ukraine run by NGO Internews Ukraine. It produces articles, audio podcasts, video explainers, reportages, analysis, and books about Ukraine in English and other languages. The initiative focuses on explaining Ukraine and its culture, covering the most important developments in and around the country, as well as counteracting anti-Western propaganda and disinformation.
New Eastern Europe is a bimonthly news magazine dedicated to Central and Eastern European affairs published by the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe in Wrocław (Poland). The mission of New Eastern Europe is to shape the debate, enhance understanding, and further the dialogue surrounding issues facing the states that were once a part of the Soviet Union or under its influence. The editorial philosophy is to provide a voice to the region. The magazine maintains its independence from all funders.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine represents and protects the interests of Ukraine in the international arena and facilitates a favorable international environment for the development and realization of the potential of Ukraine, its society and citizens.
