In early October 2024, Russian security forces conducted a search of a civilian family's house in one of the cities of the Crimean peninsula.

During the search, documents and phones were seized and an elderly woman was detained without explanation. She was charged under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - "high treason". According to the occupiers, she allegedly passed on data on the deployment of military units and equipment to the Ukrainian side. The family considers this accusation fabricated and associates it exclusively with her pro-Ukrainian position. First, the woman was held in Sevastopol, then transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Simferopol. She is still there.

Her detention is constantly continued - despite the lack of evidence and the obvious political motivation of the case. She was allowed to see her family only after the court's permission. The family notes that her health remains relatively satisfactory for the time being, but the pressure on the woman continues. She is accused of “espionage,” which could have “negative consequences for Russia’s security.” In reality, this is yet another attempt by the occupation authorities to break a civilian who had the courage to openly express her beliefs. “She did not hide her position and did not remain silent about the war. That is why she is being persecuted,” her relatives say.

This case is yet another confirmation of the systematic use of repression against civilian residents of Crimea who oppose the occupation. The story has been anonymized at the request of the family.

This documentation project is being carried out with the support of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC). The views and conclusions presented in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the NHC.

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