Russian media are an important link in the chain of intimidation targenting Crimeans in occupation, ZMINA expert says

Russian media are an important link in the chain of intimidation of Crimeans with pro-Ukrainian views in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, said Viktoria Nesterenko, a human rights activist at the ZMINA Human Rights Center, during the First Crimean Week in Brussels, ZMINA reports.

Viktoria Nesterenko. Photo by Viktoria Nesterenko on Facebook

The human rights activists came to this conclusion after analyzing the Russian media’s coverage of cases tries by Crimean occipation courts.

Viktoria Nesterenko said that such cases are usually based on frivolous espionage or treason charges against residents of the occupied territories. These cases are completely classified, so very often not only the defendant’s relatives, but even the defendant themself does not know what exactly they are being convicted of.

Recently, the occupiers have been persecuting women in Crimea more intensely. According to ZMINA, over 25 cases on various charges are now being tried. Russian journalists are the only ones who have access to court rulings in these, they can even get permits to attend hearings and then actively report on them. Their goal is to intimidate residents of the occupied territories and to chill any desire to resist.

“Such an intimidation policy, making dissenters understand that any resistance will be punished with long prison terms, is very typical for Russians,” the human rights activist said.

She said that ZMINA has been monitoring the human rights situation in occupied Crimea since the annexation of the peninsula in 2014. During this time, numerous violations have been recorded, especially against journalists and activists.

“Today we have more than 200 political prisoners, most of whom are Crimean Tatars, that’s 133. Most of them were deported by the Russians to serve their sentences on the territory of Russia, very far away from Crimea. The Crimean Tatars themselves call this silent deportation,” she said.

The Russian occupation authorities create such conditions that a person must either leave on their own or, if they resist and are not loyal to the Russian authorities, face persecution, be unlawfully convicted and deported far from Crimea.

She emphasized how important it is to speak out about the violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by Russia.

“In essence, this is the only way to stop the persecution. First of all, we must ensure the interests of our people who remain under occupation, whose rights are constantly violated, of people who have been unable to freely express their opinions for over ten years,” said Viktoria Nesterenko.

In May 2025, the Russian Ministry of Justice updated the register of “foreign agents”, adding Crimean human rights activist and Graty contributor Lutfiye Zudiyeva.

Source: Institute of Mass Information