Since the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas in 2014, Russia has systematically targeted Ukrainian civilians through arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, forced confessions, and torture in prisons and secret detention facilities. Following the full-scale invasion in 2022, these practices have intensified dramatically. An estimated 16,000 people are currently believed to be unlawfully imprisoned. Many are held in isolation, tortured into confessions, while their families are intimidated and threatened.
Our panellists:
Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and the head of the Center for Civil Liberties. She has extensive experience in strengthening civil society, advancing human rights, and documenting human rights violations in the context of armed conflict. In 2022, she and the Center for Civil Liberties were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sasha Barkova is the sister of the imprisoned artist Bohdan Sisa. In May 2022, he poured blue and yellow paint over the facade of the occupation administration and has been imprisoned ever since. Sasha is campaigning for his release and works internationally to raise awareness of Russian war crimes in occupied Crimea.
Leniie Umerova is an activist from occupied Crimea. She was arrested in 2022 at the Georgian–Russian border on fabricated espionage charges and spent two years in Russian captivity. Today, Leniie advocates internationally for the rights of political prisoners from occupied Crimea and draws attention to Russia’s systematic repression.
The event takes place as part of Café Kyiv. Registration and further information are available on the Café Kyiv website.