In Crimea, 247 people were illegally convicted in six months for Ukrainian symbols and criticism of the Russian army: UN report
In the first six months of 2025, the occupation authorities in Crimea illegally convicted 38 people under the so-called article on “demonstration of Nazi or extremist symbols,” to which Russia refers Ukrainian symbols. Another 209 people were illegally prosecuted under the administrative article on “discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” This is stated in the report of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for the period from June 1 to November 30, 2025. The report states that the occupation authorities restricted freedom of expression by applying Russian legislation, which provides for punishment for “public display of Nazi or extremist symbols.” In Crimea, where court documents are publicly available, Russian-appointed courts convicted 38 people (15 women and 23 men) for actions that the UN has deemed legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression. These included postings on social media of patriotic Ukrainian songs, as well as statements or images critical of the occupation authorities.
209 people (144 women and 65 men) were convicted under the administrative article “discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.” The cases included fines of 300,000 rubles (approximately 150,000 hryvnias) for a DJ and a nightclub owner for playing a song by a Ukrainian artist. Two women were found guilty under the criminal article “discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” and sentenced to one year and eight months of forced labor and five and a half years of imprisonment, respectively.
The UN mission calls on Russia to ensure the right to a fair trial, access to effective legal assistance, and respect freedom of expression, thought, and religion by stopping all measures aimed at suppressing Ukrainian identity.
According to the human rights initiative “Crimean Process,” over 56% of court cases related to the demonstration of prohibited symbols concern Ukrainian ones. The harshest sentences are imposed for displaying Ukrainian state symbols – over 26% of the accused are arrested.
Almost half of the “Ukrainian” cases are accompanied by additional charges, such as defamation, hooliganism or resistance to the police. Every fourth person detained for Ukrainian identity faces physical violence and public humiliation, while only one such case has been recorded among supporters of Nazi symbols in the past six months.
