According to the human rights project «OVD-Info»*, over 13 years, politically motivated criminal cases have been initiated against 5,038 people. 3,170 of them are being prosecuted right now, 1,539 people are in custody.
Since 2012, courts have passed 3,242 sentences. Only 11 defendants managed to achieve acquittals, which is only 0.2%. The total term of sentences amounted to 12,763 years.
37 people were minors at the time of prosecution, 1,176 were under 30 years old. Meanwhile, 299 people encountered violence during the investigation, and these are only the cases that were reported. 293 people prosecuted in political cases had or have health problems.
Almost half of the cases were initiated after the start of the full-scale war. The most people became defendants in criminal cases in 2022 — 859 people, which is 17.18%.
The most repressive region became annexed Crimea. Over 11 years since the occupation, 349 people living in these territories have become defendants in politically motivated criminal cases. This is the highest number after Moscow.
The most criminal cases in Crimea are related to involvement with «Hizb ut-Tahrir»**, with 127 people becoming defendants, 106 of them are in custody. Sentences in such cases are assigned up to 20 years. This Islamist party was recognized as terrorist by Russian authorities in 2003, although it existed legally in Ukraine. Human rights activists believe that the party received this status without grounds.
Another 38 people are involved in criminal cases of Jehovah's Witnesses***, the same number of Crimeans are being prosecuted for their anti-war stance after February 2022.
More than half of the politically motivated cases known to «OVD-Info» under the article on «espionage» were initiated in Crimea — at least 6. Most often, defendants are accused of espionage in favor of Ukraine.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».
** Recognized in Russia as a «terrorist» organization.
*** Recognized in Russia as an «extremist» organization.