Over the course of a year, 128 unlawful arrests were documented in Crimea

Since the beginning of 2026, 128 unlawful arrests and 139 violations of the right to a fair trial have been documented in the temporarily occupied Crimea. There have also been 47 reported cases of detention. 

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported this during an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

He noted that these cases involve unlawful detentions, forced passport issuance, and restrictions on freedom of religion. Among the civilians being forcibly held captive by the Russians are clergy and religious leaders of many different faiths and denominations. 

Dmytro Lubinets also pointed out that Russia is systematically destroying religious sites in Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 800 buildings have been damaged or destroyed. 

Speaking before UN delegates, the ombudsman called on the international community to demand an immediate end to the persecution of indigenous peoples, national minorities, and religious communities, and to ensure unimpeded access for international monitoring missions to the temporarily occupied territories. He also emphasized the need to hold Russia accountable for these violations.

As Intent previously reported, the occupation police in Simferopol have been granted full access to the city’s video surveillance system. This has significantly hampered the activities of the pro-Ukrainian underground. 

Юлія Калабайда