Occupiers in Crimea tried to imprison a transgender activist

The occupation authorities of Crimea are trying to sentence a transgender woman Lilia Khvylka to 9 years in prison. She claims that the charges are political and calls on the world to follow her case.

This was reported by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center.

In Crimea, the occupation authorities are seeking to convict in absentia a Crimean transgender woman, Lilia Khvylka. In Kerch, she faces up to 9 years in prison for allegedly spreading fakes about the Russian army and drug possession. The planned sentence was announced for September 22.

Khvylka emphasized on her Instagram account that she does not admit guilt: "These charges are political. On September 22, the court will announce the verdict. I want this to be known in Ukraine and the world."

According to the center's press service, the persecution began after Khvylka posted on social media about the Russian missile attack on the train station in Kramatorsk on April 8, 2022, when 61 people were killed and more than 120 injured. She also spoke about the oppression of the LGBT community on the peninsula and was forced to hide her gender identity. In Crimea, Khvylka was known as Ilya Gantsevsky.

During her house arrest, Lilia cut off her electronic bracelet and escaped from Crimea in the fall of 2022 through Russia and Belarus, carrying only her Ukrainian birth certificate. She was assisted by volunteers. She is currently trying to obtain the right to participate in courts remotely.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center emphasized that it condemns the illegal persecution of Khvylka and stressed that such cases are part of the occupiers' systematic policy aimed at suppressing freedom of speech and persecuting women and LGBT people in the temporarily occupied territories.

In May, an EU-supported initiative was launched in Ukraine to improve investigations of crimes against LGBTIQ+ people and cases of war-related sexual violence. The project involves developing guidelines for investigators, conducting trainings and strengthening cooperation between law enforcement, NGOs and international partners, as well as raising awareness among justice professionals about the vulnerabilities of the LGBTIQ+ community during the war.

Анна Бальчінос