Russian military uses tactics of repression and humiliation in occupied Crimea

In the occupied Crimea, Russians are forcing Ukrainian citizens to apologize after brutal detentions.

According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, after detention, Ukrainian citizens suspected of being pro-Ukrainian or having ties to the Armed Forces of Ukraine are tortured, interrogated, intimidated, and later forced to publicly apologize for trumped-up offenses.

"Usually, after brutal beatings or psychological pressure, Russian security forces demand that people apologize on camera for their 'disloyalty'. Such videos often appear in propaganda telegram channels or are used to intimidate other residents of the region," the CTRC said.

"This is not only a way to intimidate one person, but also a tool to create an atmosphere of fear among the population. People are afraid of any manifestation of disagreement because they know they will have to apologize in front of the camera after torture.

Such actions of the Russian special services, the CTRC notes, grossly violate human rights.

"Targeted repressions are aimed at destroying any manifestations of dissent among Ukrainian citizens and creating an atmosphere of total fear in the occupied Crimea," the statement said.

On the eve of the Holodomor Remembrance Day, Russians in the occupied territories called for reporting on those who would light candles of remembrance or show other signs of grief on Saturday. With such threats, the enemy is trying to eradicate Ukrainians' national memory. In general, Russia is trying to erase any mention of its crime that led to the deaths of millions of Ukrainians. In the temporarily occupied territories, the aggressor immediately destroyed everything that reminded of the tragedy: monuments, museum exhibits, and other symbols.

According to the Presidential Mission in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as of November 4, the occupiers have illegally imprisoned 218 people on the peninsula, including 132 Crimean Tatars. Of the total number, 43 are arrested (28 of them are Crimean Tatars), 151 are imprisoned (97 of them are Crimean Tatars), and 26 are without status (6 of them are Crimean Tatars).

Олеся Ланцман