TERROR INCREASING IN AREAS UNDER RUSSIAN OCCUPATION

Halya Coynash, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group Viktor Maruniak Photo VHoru.ua There is grave concern that the Russian invaders who seized Viktor Maruniak, the Head of the Stara Zburivka Council in the Kherson oblast, three days ago are savagely torturing him and placing his very life in danger. This is the second time that the Russians … Continue reading TERROR INCREASING IN AREAS UNDER RUSSIAN OCCUPATION

Russia kills Minsk Agreement, with lives of over 300 Ukrainian hostages and POWs in danger

Halya Coynash Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group From left clockwise Hryhory Sinchenko, Yuri Shapovalov, Bohdan Kovalchuk, Bohdan Maksymenko, Pavlo Podvezko, Olena Fedoruk, Valery Matyushenko, Oleg Shevandin, Olena Pyekh, Marina Yurchak By ‘recognizing’ its proxy republics in Donbas and openly invading Ukrainian territory, Russia has unilaterally withdrawn from the Minsk Agreement.  Since Russia had long used … Continue reading Russia kills Minsk Agreement, with lives of over 300 Ukrainian hostages and POWs in danger

Crimean Tatars face raids and arrests under Russian occupation

Detaining one of the Crimean Tatars who came to seek the whereabouts of Nariman Dzhelyal and four other men who had disappeared after being taken away by the FSB Photo Crimean Solidarity By Halya Coynash of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group “What is fear?  It is when you are afraid every day that your … Continue reading Crimean Tatars face raids and arrests under Russian occupation

Socialist who exposed Russia’s hypocrisy about Ukraine gets 6-year sentence for social media posts

Darya Polyudova in 2014 with a placard reading Ukraine, we are with you, in court in 2021 (second photo from Grani.ru) By Halya Coynash - republished from Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group A Russian military court has convicted Darya Polyudova of ‘justifying terrorism’ over a reposted photo and text on the social network VKontakte and of ‘public … Continue reading Socialist who exposed Russia’s hypocrisy about Ukraine gets 6-year sentence for social media posts

Crimean left activist arrested, drugged and charged with ‘extremism’

Valery Bolshakov, Chairman of the Workers’ Union of Sevastopol outside the 'court' in Sevastopol on 22.02.2019 Photo Krym.org The ‘trial’ is continuing in Russian-occupied Crimea of Valery Bolshakov, a left-wing activist charged with ‘public calls to carry out extremist activities’.  Bolshakov is facing a possible three-year prison sentence for social media posts in which the … Continue reading Crimean left activist arrested, drugged and charged with ‘extremism’

Neo-Nazi C14 vigilantes appear to work with Kyiv police in latest ‘purge’ of Roma

Members of the neo-Nazi C14 movement, together with the ‘Kyiv Municipal Watch’ civic organization which is led by C14 activist Serhiy Bondar, have carried out another raid, driving Roma citizens out of the area around the Southern Railway Station in Kyiv.  The raid does not appear to have been accompanied by shocking images of violence like … Continue reading Neo-Nazi C14 vigilantes appear to work with Kyiv police in latest ‘purge’ of Roma

‘Clear Signs of Sabotage’ in Odessa 2 May Investigation

Halya Coynash Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group 20 months after the deadly disturbances and fire in Odesa on May 2, 2014, Ukraine’s law enforcement bodies have not only failed to properly investigate the events and find those responsible, but are effectively stymieing the investigation.  This has forced the 2 May Group, a civic initiative of journalists … Continue reading ‘Clear Signs of Sabotage’ in Odessa 2 May Investigation

Human Rights body demands no Police collaboration with Azov xenophobes

Halya Coynash Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group Xenophobic statements just issued by members of the Azov Regiment can only compound mounting concern over reported collaboration between police and Azov Civic Corps activists in the Kyiv oblast.  They are especially chilling in the light of plans announced by Ilya Kiva, the newly appointed head of the police … Continue reading Human Rights body demands no Police collaboration with Azov xenophobes

“Jewish pogroms in Ukraine” that we all missed

BY Halya Coynash Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group Russia’s Foreign Ministry is again aware of ‘pogroms’ that experienced researchers of anti-Semitism and xenophobia in Ukraine and human rights groups would seem to have not noticed. The ministry’s keeping the details to itself however The BBC Russian Service reports that Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Human … Continue reading “Jewish pogroms in Ukraine” that we all missed