The occupants in Crimea impose fines on the Ukrainian nationals, in particular, for the posts supporting Ukraine. Thus, since the full-scale invasion the human rights defenders have recorded 993 administrative proceedings.
This was informed by Iryna SIEDOVA, the researcher of the Crimean Human Rights Group, at the press conference “Occupied Crimea: who and what for were persecuted by russia in 2024”.
«After they [the occupants] massively apprehended the journalists or prevented the journalists to leave or enter the territory of Crimea, made the pro-Ukrainian journalists leave Crimea, now they target the civilians. This policy aimed at persecution for opinions becomes tougher. The people are often fined for the posts on the social networks. Now Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences is implemented as a tool to punish all those who discredit the russian army. Since the full-scale invasion we have recorded 993 such proceedings», – the human rights defender urges.
According to Iryna SIEDOVA, significant fines are imposed for “Crimea is Ukraine” posts on the social networks, posts with Ukrainian symbols, singing “Chervona kalyna/Red Viburnum”, for clothing with Ukrainian symbols etc.
Besides, as SIEDOVA stresses, the occupants on the territory of Ukraine declared the State Coat of Arms of Ukraine (Trident/ Tryzub) to be the extremist symbol and the people shall be punished for its demonstration on the social networks or as elements of clothing.
«They (the occupants) went even far beyond that and ruled in the courts decisions mostly the trident to be the extremist symbol, the people are being detained for 15 days for the trident posted on the social networks or wearing the T-shirt with the trident on it. Such cases are recorded too. This is the strategic goal of the russian federation to persecute the Ukrainians now”, – the human rights defender stated.
We remind that the Crimean Human Rights Group has drafted the monitoring analysis of the respect of the human rights and the norms of the international humanitarian law on the occupied Crimea in 2024.
