Ukraine's parliament backs bill on military ombudsman in 1st reading
Ukraine first unveiled plans to establish the office in April 2024 to ensure soldiers had a mechanism to report violations of their rights.
Human rights
Most Russians ‘don’t care about the war,’ says journalist Ekaterina Barabash after escaping Russia
In early May, 64-year-old film critic and journalist Ekaterina Barabash made international headlines when it was revealed that she had pulled off a daring escape from house arrest in Russia and sought political asylum in France. Barabash was put under house arrest in February for posts that she had made
Crimean Tatar freed from Russian captivity: ‘Recognizing Russia’s control of Crimea would legitimize crime’
For nearly two years in Russian captivity, Leniie Umerova clung to a single hope: that one day, she would return home — to Crimea. “I thought about Crimea all the time,” Umerova told the Kyiv Independent. “I dreamed of going there without the permission of the occupying forces, without going through
Russia sentences 2 women from Zaporizhzhia Oblast to 14 years in penal colony, citing small donations to Ukrainian army
A Russian court in occupied Zaporizhia sentenced two residents to 14 years in a general regime penal colony, for alleged “treason” over fund transfers to the Ukrainian military, Russian state media TASS reported on April 22.
Police clash with far-right protesters at LGBTQ+ film festival in Kyiv
Bohdan Zhuk, director of the Sunny Bunny film festival, told the Kyiv Independent that the organizers had received threats prior to the event.
Russia declares Elton John AIDS Foundation 'undesirable'
The non-profit, based in the U.S. and the U.K. and launched in 1992, says it works in over 90 countries "to increase access to health care, tackle LGBTQ+ stigma, and end AIDS."
Journalist Viktoria Roshchyna receives posthumous human rights award
Roshchyna, who died last fall in Russian captivity, received the Homo Homini award for her "work dedicated to portraying issues threatening the democratic order of Ukraine, which she did not compromise on, even at the risk of her personal safety."
Russian court issues first prison sentence under ‘LGBT extremism’ law
A court in Siberia has issued Russia’s first prison sentence under the country’s ban on the so-called “international LGBT movement,” independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported on Feb. 19.
Russia designates Register of Damage against Ukraine as undesirable organization
Russia’s Justice Ministry declared the Register of Damage Caused by Russian Aggression against Ukraine an "undesirable organization" on Feb. 7.
Trump expected to withdraw US from UN Human Rights Council, Reuters reports
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce on Feb. 4 that the United States will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council and extend a freeze on funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, a White House official told Reuters.
After Lukashenko's latest sham election, exiled Belarusians reflect on their lost revolution
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the victor in the country's latest so-called presidential elections on Jan. 26, in which no political opposition was allowed to take part. The country's authorities claim Lukashenko won 86.82% of the vote, securing a seventh consecutive term in power. Despite international condemnation and
Photos of jailed Belarusian opposition leader appear after almost 2 years of no news
Photos and a video of Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on Jan. 8 after the jailed Belarusian opposition leader was held incommunicado since February 2023.
Zelensky appoints human rights activist Olha Reshetylova as first military ombudsman
President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed human rights activist Olha Reshetylova to the newly-created position of military ombudsman on Dec. 30.
‘Praise is not practice’ – Snyder’s new book challenges America’s understanding of freedom through comparison with Ukraine
In his latest book, “On Freedom,” American scholar Timothy Snyder establishes a thought-provoking distinction between the word "liberation" and the Ukrainian wartime variant "de-occupation" to probe the fraught but necessary question: When is a person truly free? Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has left countless settlements in ruins and displaced
Civil partnerships in limbo as LGBTQ+ people seek equal rights amid war
Editor's Note: This story was sponsored by Gender Zed, a Ukrainian human rights organization that works with a broad range of issues, including sexual orientation and gender identity, gender equality issues, women’s rights, and prevention of HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases. Andrii Kovalenko, 35, and his partner are
Belarus sentences 2 Belarusians, Ukrainian to 11-25 years for alleged terrorism
Two Belarusians and one Ukrainian were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 25 years by Belarusian authorities for their alleged involvement in preparing terrorist acts, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported on Dec. 19.
'You'll die here' – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko's reelection
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a "humane gesture" toward those who had "gone astray.
EU imposes new sanctions on Belarusian officials and companies supporting Lukashenko regime
The sanctions target judges who sentenced opposition figures, law enforcement officials involved in persecuting dissidents, and heads of penitentiaries where political prisoners are held.
Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus
In Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine's Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operation by Belarusian secret
Ukrainians in occupied territories to lose free medication without Russian passports
Starting in 2025, Ukrainians with diabetes, bronchial asthma, and other illnesses in Russian-occupied territories will lose access to free medications unless they acquire Russian passports, according to the Eastern Human Rights Group.
Russia labels George Clooney's foundation 'undesirable'
The Prosecutor General's Office claimed that the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) "carries out work aimed at discrediting Russia on a Hollywood scale."
Opinion: Landmark case could bring justice for Vinnytsia victims and transform international law
Liza Dmitrieva, a four-year-old girl with Down’s syndrome, was walking with her mother to a speech therapy appointment in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022. As her mother filmed her playfully pushing her stroller, she didn’t know that those were to be the last
Lavrov claims Russia has ‘irrefutable evidence’ that US journalist Gershkovich is a spy
Russia's foreign minister said on July 17 that there is "irrefutable evidence" that imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is guilty of espionage, one day before the journalist is scheduled to appear in court.
Stuck in legal limbo, Ukrainian civilians endure torture in Russian prisons
Editor’s note: This story was sponsored by Common Sense Communications, a Ukrainian non-profit organization specializing in pro-democracy strategic communications. One of their ongoing projects is “Voices of Civilian Hostages,” which aims to attract the world’s attention to the issue of Russia’s illegal abduction of Ukrainian civilians. Yaroslav
New Dutch foreign and defense ministers announce more aid during first visit to Ukraine
The Netherlands's Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans met with President Volodymyr Zelensky during their first diplomatic visit to Ukraine, announcing additional aid for Ukraine human rights investigations and missing persons forensics on July 7.
Russia violated international law by imprisoning US journalist Gershkovich, UN experts say
U.N. human rights advocates believe that Russia violated international law by imprisoning Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and should release him "immediately."
Russia arbitrarily depriving political prisoners from contact with family, Amnesty International report finds
Russian authorities are being accused of systemically depriving Russian political prisoners and government critics of contact with families in order to ensure cooperation and "impose additional suffering on them and their families," an Amnesty International report released on June 26 charged.
Ukraine war latest: IСС issues arrest warrants for Russia's ex-Defense Minister Shoigu, Russian army Chief Gerasimov
Key developments on June 25: * International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russia's Shoigu, Gerasimov * Czech PM confirms Ukraine received first batch of shells under Prague-led initiative * European Court of Human Rights finds Russia guilty of violating human rights in occupied Crimea * Ukraine brings back 90 POWs from Russian captivity
Canada hits Russia with new sanctions for Navalny's death, human rights violations
The new sanctions target high-level officials in Russia's investigative agency, penitentiary service, and police force who played a role in the abuse and death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
European human rights court rules against Russian 'undesirable organizations' law
A seven-judge panel ruled unanimously that the law violates the convention's articles regarding freedom of assembly and association and freedom of expression.
Kyiv Pride march planned for June 16 with tightened security measures
The KyivPride march will occur on June 16 in the streets of Kyiv. Around 500 participants, including activists, diplomats, and international community representatives, will participate.
EU announces new sanctions against Russia for Navalny's death, human rights violations
The European Union has established a new sanctions regime against Russia in connection with the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the "accelerating and systematic repression in Russia," the Council of the EU announced on May 27.
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